Limitations and uncertainties in the logarithmic wind profile above very rough surfaces

Abstract

This chapter discusses the limited applicability of the logarithmic wind profile above very rough forest and urban surfaces. The impact of roughness element size on the deviation of the vertical wind profile from logarithmic was analyzed using micrometeorological measurements. This chapter also addresses the consequences of (i) different numerical values of von Karman's constant and (ii) arbitrary determinations of wind profile parameters, i.e., roughness length and zero plane displacement height, for theoretical and practical questions in boundary layer meteorology. Results obtained for the usual range of wind profile parameters indicate that the relative deviation of wind profile values from the chosen referent profile above very rough surfaces can vary from 8 to 18 % when k = 0.40 and reaches a maximum of 49.1 % when k = 0.34. © 2012 by Nova Science Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.