A rapid-response 2-D drag anemometer for atmospheric turbulence measurements

A. E. Green*, M. J. Judd, J. K. McAneney, M. S. Astill, P. T. Prendergast

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

11 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

A rapid response drag anemometer for measuring streamwise and lateral components of horizontal windspeed is described. Theory of operation, design and calibration are discussed with emphasis on the electronic preconditioning of signals and problems associated with using a mechanically resonant system as a sensor. Field comparisons showed half-hourly means and standard deviations of the streamwise component to be within 8% and 5% of respective values obtained from a 3-dimensional sonic anemometer. The lateral component from the drag anemometer was significantly more noisy than that from the 3-D sonic due to induced oscillations arising from vortex shedding. After mechanical and electronic filtering, half-hourly standard deviation comparisons agreed to within 6% for this component. Friction velocities obtained from the drag anemometer in combination with a 1-D sonic, agreed with measurements from the 3-D sonic anemometer to within 4% over a measured range of 0.05 to 1.2 m s-1

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1-15
Number of pages15
JournalBoundary-Layer Meteorology
Volume57
Issue number1-2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Oct 1991
Externally publishedYes

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