The application of the similarity theory of turbulence to atmospheric diffusion

Abstract

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to draw the attention of meteorologists to the potential usefulness of the similarity theory of the small‐scale structure of turbulent motion first put forward by Kolmogoroff. An outline of the theory is given first and the possibility of its application to atmospheric and oceanic turbulence is considered. As an example of its use, the theory is applied to the problem of the relative diffusion of neighbouring particles moving with the fluid, and predictions about the rate of increase of mean square distance between the particles are made. Some data obtained recently by Durst are compared with these predictions by Charnock, and similar observations made by Richardson and Stommel are considered herein. The empirical proportionality between the diffusion coefficient and the 4/3 power of the scale of observation, obtained many years ago by Richardson, is shown to be in general agreement with the theory.