The invisible realm of atmospheric coherent turbulent structures: Resolving their dynamics and interaction with Earth's surface
Speaker
Dr Marwan Katurji
Institute
Rutherford Discovery Fellow Lecturer in Atmospheric Dynamics Department of Geography Centre of Atmospheric Research University of Canterbury Christchurch, New Zealand
Time & Place
Fri, 23 Mar 2018 14:00:00 NZDT in Link 309 Lecture Theatre
Abstract
Global, regional, and local climate and weather models provide vital information to keep our communities safe from weather hazards, maintain high water and energy efficiency for food production and predict our renewable energy resource. These same models are also used to synthesize climate data for ecological and biodiversity studies, and agricultural and engineering meteorology. The dynamics of the lowest 2 kms of Earth’s atmosphere, or the atmospheric boundary-layer, are poorly represented in weather and climate models due to inadequate representation of process such as turbulence, or rapid air fluctuations controlling energy and moisture exchanges at the surface-atmosphere interface. It is critical to develop a comprehensive approach to investigating coherent turbulence structures that involves tracking their downward propagation towards the surface, and then observing their impacts on surface temperature and velocity fields. Our approach will be based on utilizing state-of-the-art far-infrared cameras employed in field experiments and lab-based physical models to develop a new improved spatial model of surface-atmospheric turbulent interactions.