Bridging the gap between atmospheric physics and chemistry in studies of small-scale turbulence

摘要

Experimental evidence for the role played by small-scale atmospheric processes in chemical reactions is necessary to verify the theoretical and numerical findings. The articles inspired by the workshops Observations, Experiments and Large-Eddy Simulation (Stevens and Lenschow 2001) and Future Directions for Research on Meter- and Submeter-Scale Atmospheric Turbulence (Muschinski and Lenschow 2001) have indicated yet again that, in future studies of the small-scale turbulent flows, there is a need for greater collaboration between the disciplines of atmospheric physics and chemistry. Although, in their introduction, Muschinski and Lenschow (2001) mention the possible importance of these scales for the performance of second-order chemical transformations, they do not elaborate on which research questions still need to be addressed if we are to gain a better understanding of reactive scalars in the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL). My intention is to extend the debate initiated during these two workshops to the study of reactive species in the ABL. In this research essay, I explain that it should be possible to gain greater insight into the role played by the atmospheric processes in the turbulent reacting flows by combining observations with simulation studies. Investigation in this area is necessary because, by omitting the effect of small-scale atmospheric processes on the chemical transformations, we are likely to reduce the accuracy of predictions of reactant concentrations like ozone and hydroxyl radical. Furthermore, I attempt to summarize briefly the current state of our knowledge and propose a comprehensive field experiment that will complement the experiments proposed by Muschinski and Lenschow (2001). My aim is to find observational evidence that will corroborate the theoretical findings and the results of the numerical simulations.