Review of the Boundary Layer

There are sub layers within the boundary layer:

Surface layer
Mixed layer
Residual layer
Entrainment zone

Common variables used to study and locate the boundary layer:

T- temperature:
= potential temperature:
w = Mixing ratio
Winds
Remember that both and w are conserved for a dry adiabatic process
P
T 0
P

Review of the Boundary Layer

Lets start during the daytime:
At low levels, a surface layer (0-100 m typically) exists
Have strong gradients of temperature, moisture, and winds
Often superadiabatic
Above the surface layer, you will find a well-mixed layer where convective thermals are trying to wellmix heat and moisture
In the mixed layer, , and w are conserved (constant)
The entrainment zone is a transition layer between the well-mixed convective boundary layer and the
free atmosphere is often an inversion layer

Surface Layer
The surface layer is in direct contact with the earth's surface.
The lowest few centimeters of air in the surface layer is often called the microlayer, or interfacial
layer.
The interfacial layer is at most, a few centimeters deep.
Within this layer, molecular transport of heat, moisture, and momentum is much more effective
than turbulent transport.
This makes some sense since this layer is in direct contact with the ground.
Above the interfacial layer, in the heart of the surface layer, turbulent transport dominates.
Gradients of temperature, moisture and winds can be very large in the surface layer, especially in
the interfacial layer.
The lapse rate within the surface layer tends to be super-adiabatic.

Mixed Layer
This layer is located above the surface layer and below the entrainment zone.
Heat, moisture and momentum are uniformly mixed within the mixed layer. This is accomplished
by turbulence within the mixed layer.
Turbulence within the mixed layer is largely convectively driven from two main sources:
1. heat transfer from the warm ground to the interfacial layer via conduction and then
convective transport of this heat by thermals up into the mixed layer.
2. radiative cooling from the top of the cloud layer creating "upside down" thermals of cool,
sinking air.
wind shear can also generate mechanical turbulence within the mixed layer
The mixed layer begins to grow vertically approximately 1/2 hour after sunrise. It grows rapidly
during the morning hours and reaches a maximum depth in the afternoon

Mixed Layer

Mixed Layer Growth

The turbulence (largely the convectively driven thermals) mixes (entrains) down potentially warmer,
usually drier, less turbulent air down into the mixed layer.
These variable are then well-mixed within the mixed layer.
Hence, heat, moisture and momentum are well mixed, or distributed uniformly within the mixed
layer. See Figure 1.9.
Rapid growth of mixed layer occurs when thermals mix up into the residual layer. Residual layers
are nearly dry adiabatic are left over mixed layers from the day before.

Entrainment Layer
As shown in the above figures, the entrainment layer (zone) is a stable layer above the mixed
layer.
It acts as a lid to rising thermals
It is often an inversion layer, but not always.
Waves can often be seen propagating on top of the mixed layer within and above the entrainment
zone.

Nocturnal Boundary Layer

Approximately 1/2 hour before sunset, the thermals in the convectively mixed boundary layer have
shut off as the surface is cooling.
Hence, above the stable boundary layer, the residual layer is found, and can be thought of as a
left-over convective mixed layer.
The residual layer, therefore, has all the properties of the recently decayed convective mixed layer.
The static stability of this layer of air is ________ ?
The residual layer does not come in direct contact with the ground, and therefore, is strictly
speaking, not a boundary layer.

Nocturnal Boundary Layer

As evening progresses and the surface cools via radiational cooling, a shallow stable layer of air forms that is in
direct contact with the ground. This stable layer is often called the radiation inversion.
The nocturnal boundary layer can be anywhere from 0-200m or so deep and is characterized by:
strong static stability
weak/sporadic turbulence - often occurs in short bursts
weak/calm winds at the surface, but increasing to supergeostrophic speeds aloft at the top of the stable
layer
This wind speed profile is often referred to as a low-level, or nocturnal jet. The low-level flow is often
decoupled from the flow aloft within the low-level jet. It is possible for the surface winds to be calm, while, a
few 10's of meters aloft, the winds are 30-40 m/s.

Boundary layer meteorologists roughly divide the PBL into three region

1. The viscous sub-layer

The layer extending from the surface to a few millimeters above the
surface
Characterized by: -molecular diffusion
-extreme shear
-wind at surface (molecular scale) = 0

2. The surface layer

The layer extending from the top of the viscous sub-layer to about
10% of the depth of the PBL
Characterized by: -vertical momentum transfer by turbulent eddi
-not directly dependent on Coriolis and PG for

3. The Ekman layer

The layer extending from the top of the surface layer to the top of the
PBL
Characterized by: -turning wind with height as the effect
of
friction diminishes and the wind
approaches