Research Interests

 
 
 
 
Research Field: Geophysical Fluid Mechanics, Boundary Layer Meteorology on Earth and Mars
Parameterizations of physical processes in the atmospheric boundary layer based on large-eddy simulations.
 

Throughout my professional career, I have performed research in the field of the boundary-layer meteorology, especially on large-eddy simulations and similarity theory analyses. I have authored over 50 publications in peer-reviewed journals and several books. I published a text-book Structure of the Atmospheric Boundary Layer in 1989 (Prentice Hall). Its second edition will be published at the end of 2010.

I developed a large-eddy simulation model (Sorbjan, 1995), and used it to study :

- diffusion in the nocturnal cloud-topped boundary layer (e.g., Sorbjan and Uliasz, 1999), as well as:
- free convection (e.g., Margolin, Smolarkiewicz, Sorbjan,1999; Sorbjan, 2005),
- forced convection (e.g., Sorbjan, 2006),
- baroclinic convection (Sorbjan , 2004),
- the transitory convection (e.g., Sorbjan, 1997; 2007a)
- convection on Mars (Sorbjan, 2007b, c).

I developed parameterizations for the convective boundary layer (Sorbjan, 1996a. b; 2009a), contributed to local similarity theory (Sorbjan, 1986a, b, c), and developed the gradient-based similarity theory (Sorbjan, 2010a, b; Sorbjan and Grachev, 2010). I investigated the stable boundary layer (e.g., Sorbjan, 2006a, b; Sorbjan and Balsley, 2008). I also analyzed Mini-TES data on convection in the Martian Boundary layer (Sorbjan, Wolff, and Smith, 2009b).

References

Sorbjan, Z., 1986a: On similarity in the atmospheric boundary layer. Boundary-Layer Meteorology, 34, 377-397.
Sorbjan, Z., 1986b: On vertical distribution of passive species in the atmospheric boundary layer. Boundary-Layer Meteorology, 35, 73-81.
Sorbjan, Z., 1986c: Local similarity of spectral and cospectral characteristics in the stable- continuous boundary layer. Boundary-Layer Meteorology, 35, 257-275.
Sorbjan, Z., 1995: Toward evaluation of heat fluxes in the convective boundary layer. J. Appl.Meteor., 34, 5, 1092-1098.
Sorbjan, Z., 1996a: Numerical study of penetrative and "solid-lid" non-penetrative convective boundary layers. J. Atmos. Sci., 53, 101-112.
Sorbjan, Z., 1996b: Effects caused by varying strength of the capping inversion based on a large-eddy simulation of the shear-free convective boundary layer. J. Atmos. Sci., 53, 2015-2024.
Sorbjan, Z., 1997: Decay of convective turbulence revisited. Bound.-Layer Meteor., 82, 501-515
Sorbjan Z.,and M. Uliasz, 1999: Large-Eddy Simulation of Air Pollution Dispersion in the Nocturnal Cloud-Topped Atmospheric Boundary Layer. Boundary-Layer Meteorology, 91, 145-157.
Margolin L. P.Smolarkiewicz and Z.Sorbjan,1999: Large-Eddy Simulations of Convective Boundary Layers Using Nonoscillatory Differencing. Physica D 133 (1999) 390-397.
Sorbjan Z., 2001: An evaluation of local similarity on the top of the mixed layer based on large-eddy simulations. Boundary-Layer Meteorology, 101, 183-207.
Sorbjan Z., 2004: Large-eddy simulations of the baroclinic boundary layer. Boundary-Layer Meteorology, 112, 57-80.
Sorbjan Z., 2005: Statistics of scalar fields in the atmospheric boundary layer based on large-eddy simulations. Part I: Free convection. Boundary-Layer Meteorology, 116, 3, 467 - 486.
Sorbjan Z., 2006a: Statistics of scalar fields in the atmospheric boundary layer based on large-eddy simulations. Part II: Forced convection. Boundary-Layer Meteorology,119, 1, 57-79
Sorbjan Z., 2006b: Local structure of turbulence in stably-stratified boundary layers. Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences , 63, 5, 526 1537.
Sorbjan Z., 2006c: Comments on "Flux-gradient relationship, self-correlation and intermittency in the stable boundary layer". (April 2006, Part B, No. 617), 132, 1371-1373)
Sorbjan Z., 2007a: Numerical study of daily transitions in the atmospheric boundary layer. Boundary-Layer Meteorology. Boundary-Layer Meteorology. 123, 365-383.
Sorbjan Z., 2007b: Statistics of shallow convection on Mars based on large-eddy simulations. Part 1: Windless conditions. Boundary-Layer Meteorology,123,1,121-142.
Sorbjan Z., 2007c: Statistics of shallow convection on Mars based on large-eddy simulations. Part 2: Effects of wind. Boundary-Layer Meteorology,123,1,143-157.
Sorbjan Z.and B.B.Balsley, 2008: Microstructure of turbulence in the nocturnal boundary layer. Boundary-Layer Meteorology,129,
Sorbjan Z., 2009a, Improving non-local parameterization of the convective boundary layer.Boundar-Layer Meteorology, 130, 57-69.
Sorbjan Z., M. Wolff, and M.D. Smith, 2009b: The thermal structure of the boundary layer on Mars based on Mini-TES observations. Q.J.R.Met.Soc. 135, 644, 1776 - 1787
Sorbjan Z., 2010a: Gradient-based scales and similarity laws in the stable boundary layer. Submitted to Q.J.Roy.Met.Soc.
Sorbjan Z., 2010b: Recent Advances in the Similarity Theory of the Stable Boundary Layer. Chapter in: Air Quality Modeling, Theories, Methodologies, Computational Techniques, and Available Databases and Software. vol. IV, Ed. P. Zannetti. The EnviroComp Institute (in preparation).
Sorbjan Z., A.A. Grachev, 2010: An Evaluation of the Flux-Gradient Relationship in the Stable Boundary Layer. Submitted to Bound-Layer Meteor.

 
Here are some plots generated by the LES model:
 


Convection without shear:

64x64x60, dx=50, dz=30, no wind:



Convection with shear:
 
 
3-D visualization:
 




The LES model is described in:
Sorbjan, Z., 1996, Numerical study of penetrative and solid-lid non-penetrative convective boundary layers. J. Atmos. Sci., 53, 101-112.
 

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