Perturbed potential temperature distribution in atmospheric boundary layers

TL;DR

This paper models the perturbed potential temperature in atmospheric boundary layers using a convection-diffusion approach, deriving asymptotic solutions and validating them with numerical simulations to understand temperature distribution dynamics.

Contribution

It introduces a novel application of Sturm-Liouville and WKB methods to analyze perturbed potential temperature in atmospheric boundary layers.

Findings

Asymptotic solutions closely match numerical results.

Perturbed potential temperature diminishes over time.

Model provides insights into temperature distribution behavior.

Abstract

This article discusses the modeling of perturbed potential temperature in an atmospheric boundary layer. We adopt a convection-diffusion model with specified initial and boundary conditions that resulted from simplifying the linearized equation of the standard continuity equation for potential temperature field in the state of weak turbulent fluxes. By implementing the method of separation of variables to the non-steady-state perturbed potential temperature, we obtain a regular Sturm-Liouville problem for the spatial-dependent, vertical distribution component of the perturbed potential temperature. By transforming the canonical problem into the Liouville normal form, we provide asymptotic solutions for the corresponding second-order boundary value problem using the WKB theory. Furthermore, by solving the problem numerically, we observe a remarkable qualitative agreement between the asymptotic solutions and numerical simulations. As other convection-diffusion models typically perform, the perturbed potential temperature diminishes and approaches the steady-state condition over time.