The Spectrum of Large-scale Turbulent Transfer of Momentum and Heat

Abstract

A method for obtaining the spectrum of turbulent transfer of a fluid property is presented based on cross-correlations and Fourier transforms. An application to large-scale eddy transfers of momentum and heat at 850 mb over the southeastern part of the United States shows that most of the transfers may be attributed to disturbances of periods from 0 to 10 days, the most important transfers occurring in the neighborhood of 4 days. Some implications of these results on the problem of the general circulation are discussed.