On the Influence of Large-Scale Atmospheric Motions on Near-Surface Turbulence: Comparison Between Flows Over Low-Roughness and Tall Vegetation Canopies

Contrary to Monin–Obukhov similarity theory, near-surface atmospheric turbulence depends not only on local motions but also on larger-scale motions associated with the full atmospheric boundary layer (ABL), where they themselves evolve in character with thermal stratification. After reviewing our current knowledge of ABL motions, we present wavelet velocity and air temperature spectra for both eddy-surface-layer (ESL) flows above rough surfaces and roughness-sublayer (RSL) flows above vegetation canopies, both flows characterizing turbulence over two scales of land roughness. Spectra are extended to the production scale to identify the influence of ABL-scale motions following the thermal stratification. Contrary to turbulence in the ESL, RSL turbulence appears weakly enhanced by ABL-scale motions in near-neutral regimes. With increasing influence of buoyancy, ABL-scale motions play a larger role in ESL and RSL flows, dominating the locally produced turbulence in free convection, while acting to decouple local from the large-scale motions in the stable regime. The behaviour of ESL and RSL spectra with stability variations support the view of, (1) canopy-scale eddies dominating the canopy turbulence over the larger ABL-scale motions in windy conditions, (2) ABL-scale motions known as very-large-scale motions (VLSMs) influencing the ESL horizontal velocity turbulence in windy conditions, and (3) the progressive transitioning of ABL-scale motions from VLSMs to thermals with instability in ESL flows. The direct contribution of ABL-scale motions to near-surface momentum and heat turbulent fluxes appears small. Finally, near-surface velocity spectra are well-approximated as a linear superposition of individual spectra associated to the main eddies populating the flow.