A laboratory study of the turbulent ekman layer

Abstract

Comparing characteristics of a turbulent Ekman boundary layer in a rotating apparatus with atmospheric observations and theories, we find that the similarity relations derived by Kazanski and Monin, and others, scale both laboratory and field data quite well, especially considering that the Coriolis parameter is larger by a factor of 10⁵ in the experiment than it is in the atmosphere. Eddy viscosity models and Deardorff's numerical model predict the properties of both with varying degrees of success. High frequency spectra of velocity fluctuations scale with the Kolmogoroff length and time scales. Both magnitude and direction of the surface shear stress were measured directly, with a heated film stress gauge.