Similarity Scales and Universal Profiles of Statistical Moments in the Convective Boundary Layer

The parameterization of the mixed layer based on a decomposition of statistical moments into nonpenetrative and residual components and on their local similarity is discussed. The method is examined by using laboratory data for nonpenetrative convection and large-eddy simulation (LES) results for penetration convention. The examination allows discussion of various scales and similarity functions in the convective atmospheric boundary layer. Local similarity is demonstrated to be equivalent to a Level-2 closure scheme of Mellor and Yamada. The derived similarity functions are shown to agree with experimental data and with the results of numerical simulation.