Effect of Nocturnal Low-level Jet on Nighttime CO2 Concentrations and Fluxes: a Numerical Sensitive Study

It has been shown recently that net ecosystem exchange is impacted by nocturnal low-level jets (LLJs). The presence of a LLJ impedes vertical gaseous dispersion and facilitates gas accumulation, often to the level of the wind maximum, which can be well below the temperature inversion level (Mathieu et al., 2005; Karipot et al., 2006; 2007; 2008; 2009). The present study uses the numerical atmospheric boundary-layer (ABL) model SCADIS described by Sogachev et al. (2002) in its one-dimensional mode to examine specific effects of the structure of nocturnal jets on nighttime CO2 concentrations and fluxes. From a variety of mechanisms suggested for formation of LLJs, such as inertial oscillations, baroclinicity over sloping terrain, and land-sea breeze effects (Stull, 1988), the one-dimensional ABL model is capable of simulating only the first one. The unique feature of the SCADIS model, based on a two-equation closure approach, is the treatment of buoyancy and plant drag effects in a way that does not require a predefined mixing length (Sogachev, 2009). Although pure inertial oscillations attributed only to the diurnal oscillation of eddy viscosity are rare and are typically intertwined with other contributing factors, they constitute an important cause of jet formation. Sensitive tests were carried out with SCADIS to examine the response of nighttime CO2 concentrations and fluxes to low-level jet structural changes caused by different forcing at the air-forest interface. Results show that the model captures the most prominent features of both the LLJ, including its vertical structure as well as its diurnal phase and amplitude, and the conceptual model for nocturnal accumulation of gases beneath a LLJ suggested by Mathieu et al. (2005). Primarily, that gas accumulation is stronger beneath LLJs that are decoupled from the surface than those that are coupled since the latter allow turbulent mixing down to the surface. Both the structure of the LLJ and CO2 concentration profiles derived by SCADIS are in qualitative agreement with those observed by authors above agricultural land and Karipot et al. (2008) above a slash pine plantation. Numerical experiments performed with the model revealed that vertical CO2 fluxes in the nocturnal boundary layer often do not reflect real ecosystem respiration. This study suggests that SCADIS, especially in its 3D mode, has potential as a research tool regarding surface-atmosphere gaseous exchange over complex terrain.