TECHNICAL PAPERS
Jul 1, 1999

Intermittency of Energy-Containing Scales in Atmospheric Surface Layer

Publication: Journal of Engineering Mechanics
Volume 125, Issue 7

Abstract

Orthonormal wavelets are applied to quantify the level of intermittency of energy-containing scales in the surface layer of the atmospheric boundary layer. These scales contain most of the kinetic energy, arise through instabilities, and usually exhibit nonstationary characteristics. The results show that the energy of each of these scales varies significantly with time. Some of these scales have a significant contribution to the total energy over short periods of time. Moreover, from the wavelet coefficients, several quantities are determined. These include the level of contribution of energy by each scale to the total signal, the percentage of time of high-energy events, and the percentage of energy in these events. These quantities allow us to characterize the level of energetic events and intermittency of the energy-containing scales in the surface layer.

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Go to Journal of Engineering Mechanics
Journal of Engineering Mechanics
Volume 125Issue 7July 1999
Pages: 797 - 803

History

Received: Dec 7, 1998
Published online: Jul 1, 1999
Published in print: Jul 1999

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Associate Member, ASCE
Assoc. Prof., Dept. of Engrg. Sci. and Mech., Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061. E-mail:[email protected]

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