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Article
First observations of turbulence generated by grass fires
Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres (2008)
  • Craig B. Clements, San Jose State University
  • Shiyuan Zhong, Michigan State University
  • Xindi Bian, Northern Research Station, USDA Forest Service
  • Warren E. Heilman, Northern Research Station, USDA Forest Service
  • Daewon W. Byun, University of Houston
Abstract
Wildland fires radically modify the atmospheric boundary layer by inducing strong fire-atmosphere interactions. These interactions lead to intense turbulence production in and around the fire front. Two field experiments were conducted in tall-grass fuels to quantify turbulence generation during the passage of wind-driven fire fronts. Observations showed that the measured turbulence generated by the fires was five times greater than the turbulence in the ambient environment. The production of the turbulence at the surface near the fire front was caused by increased variance of the ambient wind, while the buoyancy was strongest at higher levels within the fire plume. Immediately after the fire front passage, turbulence kinetic energy decreased to ambient levels and was associated with strong downdrafts that occurred behind the fire front.
Keywords
  • observations,
  • grass fires
Publication Date
2008
DOI
10.1029/2008JD010014
Publisher Statement
Copyright 2008 by the American Geophysical Union.

This article was originally published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, volume 113, issue D22, and can be found online at this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2008JD010014

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Citation Information
Craig B. Clements, Shiyuan Zhong, Xindi Bian, Warren E. Heilman, et al.. "First observations of turbulence generated by grass fires" Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres Vol. 113 Iss. D22 (2008) ISSN: 2169-8996
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/craig_clements/14/