Minimum friction velocity and heat transfer in the rough surface layer of a convective boundary layer

A simple model is deduced for the surface layer of a convective boundary layer for zero mean wind velocity over homogeneous rough ground. The model assumes large-scale convective circulation driven by surface heat flux with a flow pattern as it would be obtained by conditional ensemble averages. The surface layer is defined here such that in this layer horizontal motions dominate relative to vertical components. The model is derived from momentum and heat balances for the surface layer together with closures based on the Monin-Obukhov theory. The motion in the surface layer is driven by horizontal gradients of hydrostatic pressure. The balances account for turbulent fluxes at the surface and fluxes by convective motions to the mixed layer. The latter are the dominant ones. The model contains effectively two empirical coefficients which are determined such that the model’s predictions agree with previous experimental results for the horizontal turbulent velocity fluctuations and the temperature fluctuations. The model quantitatively predicts the decrease of the minimum friction velocity and the increase of the temperature difference between the mixed layer and the ground with increasing values of the boundary layer/roughness height ratio. The heat transfer relationship can be expressed in terms of the common Nusselt and Rayleigh numbers, Nu and Ra, as Nu ∼ Ra1/2. Previous results of the form Nu ∼ Ra1/3 are shown to be restricted to Rayleighnumbers less than a certain value which depends on the boundary layer/roughness height ratio