Integrated quadrant analysis is a novel technique to identify and to characterize the trajectory and strength of turbulent coherent structures in the atmospheric surface layer. By integrating the three-dimensional velocity field characterized by traditional quadrant analysis with respect to time, the trajectory history of individual coherent structures can be preserved with Eulerian turbulence measurements. We develop a method to identify the ejection phase of coherent structures based on turbulence kinetic energy (TKE). Identifying coherent structures within a time series using TKE performs better than identifying them with the streamwise and vertical velocity components because some coherent structures are dominated by the cross-stream velocity component as they pass the sensor. By combining this identification method with the integrated quadrant analysis, one can animate or plot the trajectory of individual coherent structures from high-frequency velocity measurements. This procedure links a coherent ejection with the subsequent sweep and quiescent period in time to visualize and quantify the strength and the duration of a coherent structure. We develop and verify the method of integrated quadrant analysis with data from two field studies: the Eclipse Boundary Layer Experiment (EBLE) in Corvallis, Oregon in August 2017 (grass field) and the Vertical Cherry Array Experiment (VACE) more »
- Award ID(s):
- 1848019
- Publication Date:
- NSF-PAR ID:
- 10367209
- Journal Name:
- Boundary-Layer Meteorology
- Volume:
- 184
- Issue:
- 1
- Page Range or eLocation-ID:
- p. 45-69
- ISSN:
- 0006-8314
- Publisher:
- Springer Science + Business Media
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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