Variable eddy diffusivities and atmospheric cellular convection

Using variable atmospheric eddy diffusivities, it is possible to obtain a theoretical explanation of observations concerning the increase of cell flatness in cellular cloud patterns. The inclusion of a horizontal variation of eddy size as proposed by Ray (1965) and supported by Agee (1973) has a large influence on theoretical Rayleigh number and cell shape, the degree of cell flatness being principally controlled by the degree of horizontal variation of the eddies. It is also shown that observations regarding the reversal of the circulation pattern could be interpreted on the basis of eddy diffusivities that change sign along the reference directions. This suggests that it may be useful to rethink our ideas about the existence of spatial variations in the eddy transfer coefficients in atmospheric convection.

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