AGS-FIRP Track 2: Understanding Vertical Variation of Energy Dissipation near the Surface for Solving the Mystery of the Observed Surface Energy Imbalance

该项目的首要目标是增进对大气能量学和地表附近能量耗散垂直变化的了解。了解大气能量学，特别是动能和热能之间的联系，对于理解气候变化下的极端天气事件至关重要。科学家们跟踪了地表的热交换，这在80多年的时间里负责加热/冷却下面的土壤和上面的大气。在考虑了所有可能的热源和汇后，他们发现热源并不与土壤和大气的所有热利用相匹配，能量平衡方程中存在缺失的一环。基于对热量如何传递的最新理解，首席研究员提出了一种新的理论来解释能量平衡方程中缺失的那一部分。这项研究的结果有可能提高对热量和空气运动如何联系的理论理解，从而改进天气和气候模型，以及恶劣天气预报。作为该项目的一部分，首席调查员将与一家拉美裔服务机构、当地小学和公共外联活动的学生参与者一起开展教育和外联活动。该奖项提供资金，用于研究静力不平衡对能量传递的影响，并验证能量耗散对表面能量不平衡的贡献。该项目的目标有三个：1)进行现场实验，直接观测非静力能量转移和能量耗散；2)研究环境动能和热能分配的流体静力不平衡以及能量耗散随高度和大气稳定度的变化；3)继续发展一个简单的一维模式，与观测结果相比较，验证对大气能量学以及动量和质量守恒的理论理解。从实地观测收集的数据将被用来测量空气运动的能量因表面摩擦而减少的程度，以确定这种能量耗散的日模式是否与观测到的不平衡周期相匹配。实地研究的结果将被用于开发一维模型和提高对总体能源节约的理解。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The overarching goal of the project is to advance understanding of atmospheric energetics and the vertical variation of energy dissipation near the surface. Understanding atmospheric energetics, especially the linkage between kinetic and thermal energy, is critical for comprehending extreme weather events under climate change. Scientists have tracked heat exchange at the surface, which is responsible for warming/cooling the soil beneath and the atmosphere above for over 80 years. With consideration of all possible heat sources and sinks, they have found that heat sources do not match all the heat usages by the soil and the atmosphere and that there is a missing link in the energy balance equation. Based on latest understanding of how heat is transferred, the principal investigator suggests a new theory for explaining the missing piece in the energy balance equation. Results from this study have the potential to improve theoretical understanding of how heat and air movements are connected, and thereby improve weather and climate models, and severe weather forecasts. As part of this project, the principal investigator will engage in education and outreach activities with student participants from a Hispanic-serving institution, local elementary schools, and public outreach events. This award provides funding to investigate the impact of hydrostatic imbalance on energy transfer and validating the contribution of energy dissipation to the surface energy imbalance. The objective of the project is threefold: 1) to conduct a field experiment to directly observe the non-hydrostatic energy transfer and energy dissipation, 2) to investigate the hydrostatic imbalance in environmental energy partition between kinetic and thermal energy as well as energy dissipation as a function of height and atmospheric stability, and 3) to continue developing a simple one dimensional model to validate theoretical understanding of atmospheric energetics as well as momentum and mass conservation in comparison to observations. Data collected from field observations will be used to measure how much energy from air motions is reduced due to surface friction to see whether the diurnal pattern of this energy dissipation matches the observed imbalance cycle. Results from the field study will be used in the development of the one-dimensional model and for improving understanding of total energy conservation.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.