THE INFLUENCE OF STABILITY ON EVAPORATION

Thus, for adiabatic conditions, the stability equation becomes zero. When the atmosphere is thermally stratified, the expression is positive; when unstable, the equation becomes negative. When the expression reaches a certain positive value, turbulence tends to die out; when below this critical value, eddy energy is produced. There has been no agreement regarding the magnitude of this critical number. Richardsons estimated its value to be at 1, Prandt14 at and Taylor12 and Goldsteinl a t x. More recently, Schlichtings determined the critical number to be 1/24. Von K6rmBn2 has suggested that the earlier determinations of the turbulence limit number are not strictly valid.