A simple model for the identification of cellular convective structures using the data of measurements in the atmospheric boundary layer

A mathematical model is proposed that describes the variability of meteorological parameters for several types of cellular convective structures arbitrarily oriented with respect to the site of measurements. On the base of this model, the equations are derived, which describe the variation in time of the wind velocity components. The following four types of the atmospheric cellular convection were considered: hexagonal cells with the upstream in their centers, those with the downstream in their centers, rectangular cells, and convective rolls. The analysis of the spectra predicted by our model for the four types of cellular structures revealed the peculiarities specific for each type of cellular convection. The processing of observational data obtained at several levels on the high meteorologic tower has shown that, while an unstable stratification of the atmosphere exists, the spectra contain peculiarities characteristic for the considered types of cellular convection. This enables one to detect the appearance of coherent structures in the tmosphere, to determine their type, and to evaluate their parameters.