Molecular velocity distributions and generalized scale invariance in the turbulent atmosphere

Tuck, A.F., A.S.J. Hovde, E. Richard, R. Gao, T.V. Bui, W.H. Swartzc, and S.A. Lloydc (2013), Molecular velocity distributions and generalized scale invariance in the turbulent atmosphere, Faraday Discussions, 130, 181-193, doi:10.1039/b410551f.
Abstract

Airborne observations of ozone, temperature and the spectral actinic photon flux for ozone in the Arctic lower stratosphere April–September 1997 and January–March 2000 allow a connection to be made between the rate of production of translationally hot atoms and molecules via ozone photodissociation and the intermittency of temperature. Seen in
the context of non-equilibrium statistical mechanics literature results from molecular dynamics simulations, the observed correlation between the molecular scale production of translationally hot atoms and molecules and the macroscopic fluid mechanical intermittency of temperature may imply a departure from Maxwell–Boltzmann distributions of molecular velocities, with consequences for chemistry, radiative line shapes and turbulence in the atmosphere, arising from overpopulated high velocity tails of the probability distribution functions (PDFs).

PDF of Publication
Download from publisher's website
Research Program
Radiation Science Program (RSP)
Upper Atmosphere Research Program (UARP)
Mission
POLARIS
SOLVE

 

Disclaimer: This material is being kept online for historical purposes. Though accurate at the time of publication, it is no longer being updated. The page may contain broken links or outdated information, and parts may not function in current web browsers. Visit https://espo.nasa.gov for information about our current projects.