Extending a surface-layer C_n ² model for strongly stratified conditions utilizing a numerically generated turbulence dataset

In Wyngaard et al., 1971, a simple model was proposed to estimate C_n ² in the atmospheric surface layer, which only requires routine meteorological information (wind speed and temperature) as input from two heights. This C_n ² model is known to have satisfactory performance in unstable conditions; however, in stable conditions, the model only covers a relatively short range of atmospheric stabilities which significantly limits its applicability during nighttime. To mitigate this limitation, in this study we construct a new C_n ² model utilizing an extensive turbulence dataset generated by a high-fidelity numerical modeling approach (known as direct numerical simulation). The most distinguishing feature of this new C_n ² model is that it covers a wide range of atmospheric stabilities including the strongly stratified (very stable) conditions. To validate this model, approximately four weeks of C_n ² data collected at the Mauna Loa Observatory, Hawaii are used for comparison, and reasonably good agreement is found between the observed and estimated values.