Turbulence Perturbations in the Neutrally Stratified Surface Layer due to the Interaction of a Katabatic Flow with a Steep Ridge

Turbulence measurements were performed in Antarctica, on the Nansen Ice Sheet, dominated by westerly katabatic winds. The measurements were taken at two sites aligned with the katabatic wind fall-line. The measuring stations were located in the middle of a wide, flat iced area at a distance of 14 km from the base of a sloping surface and at the top of a steep ridge (Inexpressible Island). The aim was to investigate the perturbation of turbulence close to the ground generated by the interaction of the flow with the ridge. We present an analysis comparing the data measured at the upstream unperturbed station with those at the top of the obstacle. Moments and spectra of velocity components have been calculated for almost steady periods. The topography and roughness change produce a combined effect on the flow acceleration (of the opposite sign) and on the turbulent stresses (of the same sign). Spectra of velocity components measured at the top of the ridge and scaled by unperturbed quantities evidence an increment of energy in the high frequency subrange with respect to the up-stream flow. Moreover, the horizontal velocity components display a shift in turbulence maximum towards higher frequencies. The vertical velocity spectrum exhibits an energy increment at low frequencies with respect to the upstream spectrum.