Variabilidade em escala associada com jatos de baixo nível e ondas de gravidade na camada limite noturna do Pantanal

Abstract

The Nocturnal Boundary Layer (NBL) turbulent structure above Pantanal Mato-Grossense, under the influence of low-level jets (LLJ) and gravity waves (GW), is investigated. Experimental data obtained during the Interdisciplinary Pantanal Experiment (IPE) dry season (IPE-2), and wet season (IPE-3), carried out between 07th and 22th September, 1999, and 16th and 28th February, 2002, respectively, according to database from Universidade Federal do Mato Grosso, city of Corumbá. Radiosonde data have been used to identify LLJ presence and classify them as: type 1 LLJ (jet associated to the sheltering surface) and type-2 LLJ (jet which causes upside-down mixture). In addition to the radiosonde data, fast response data (wind velocity components, temperature and humidity), measured from a 25m high micrometeorological tower, at 16Hz (IPE- 2) and 8Hz (IPE-3) samples were used. These fast response data were then decomposed in time and scale via Wavelet Transform (WT), with complex Morlet mother wavelet. From the phase difference between the wind velocity s vertical component (w) and temperature (T), obtained through wavelet s cross spectrum, the presence of GW (phase difference near to 90º criterion) were detected. The next step was to establish categories to analyse Pantanal NBL characteristic state phenomena, which were based on LLJ, GW and length groups of occurrence. Such groups are: type 1 LLJ, type 2 LLJ, no LLJ, with GW and no GW. From the amount of data of each group, statistic parameters (variance, skewness, adimensional kurtosis, correlation coefficients and covariances) were estimated by scale, in order to investigate the Pantanal NBL turbulence structure and its variability in scale under the action of each of these groups. It was noticed that, above all groups, type 1 LLJ is the most global intermittence provocative forcing in all micrometeorological series of data in Pantanal. On the other hand, type 2 LLJ is the less global intermittence provocative forcing. With GW group shows an intermediate behavior between groups type 1 LLJ and type 2 LLJ when considering global intermittence promotion. The length scales 0.4m to 5000m were resolved in this study. It was also noticed that Pantanal NBL shows two scale bands with remarkable different characteristics due to predominant distinct forcings in it. For the first length scale band it prevails a mechanical force in the statistical parameters behavior, to all groups and in both seasons. For the second length scale band it prevents the action of buoyancy forces and mesoscale effects in the statistical parameters behavior in Pantanal. As a result, it predominate stable conditions in the dry season; in the wet season, however, NBL may present as a slightly unstable layer, due to a bigger water heat capacity and its ability to behave as a energy sink during the day and heat source during the night. The early evening transition period clearly shows a stable behavior to the dry season and unstable to the wet season.