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Aspects of the atmospheric energy budget over South-east Australia

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posted on 2023-05-26, 22:13 authored by Hart, T. L. (Terence Leo)
This study presents measurements of the atmospheric energy fluxes over south-east Australia and discusses the role of these fluxes and their divergence in the regional scale atmospheric energy budget. Monthly averages of quasi-horizontal energy fluxes were calculated from daily observations at six upper air stations for the period 1974-1976. The relative contributions of the mean and eddy fluxes were considered. Energy flux divergences were computed for four months of 1975 and compared with independent estimates derived from (a) satellite radiant flux data (in the case of the overall energy flux divergence), and (b) a regional moisture budget (for the latent energy term). Adjustments of the raw wind data to ensure mass balance were found to be necessary and objective techniques for this purpose are discussed. Although exact balance of the energy budget was not obtained, the contribution of the different energy types (enthalpy, potential, latent, kinetic) consistently showed counteraction among the various terms and between their mean and eddy resolutions. For each of the four months considered, the total energy flux divergence showed zonal convergence and meridional divergence. Vertical profiles of the energy flux divergence are also presented. The net radiant flux density at the top of the atmosphere, closely related to the atmospheric energy flux divergence over the region, showed small interannual variations. Analysis of the short and long wave satellite radiation data showed that these variations, due mainly to changes in cloudiness, were dominated by the fluctuations in the short wave term. The relation between the surface synoptic weather pattern and atmospheric energy transport was investigated by correlating the monthly average mean and eddy fluxes with the frequency of different wind directions and isobaric curvatures. Useful relations were found except for the zonal eddy flux. The meridional fluxes were most closely related to the frequency of northerly surface winds over the region. The study incorporates a review of the global scale earth-atmosphere energy budget and also of other regional scale investigations. Some differences between results for south-east Australia and the zonal average are noted.

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Copyright 1981 the Author - The University is continuing to endeavour to trace the copyright owner(s) and in the meantime this item has been reproduced here in good faith. We would be pleased to hear from the copyright owner(s). Thesis (M.Sc.)--University of Tasmania, 1982. Bibliography

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