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Estimating the zero-plane displacement for tall vegetation using a mass conservation method

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Abstract

This note describes estimation of the zero-plane displacement derived from experimental windspeed measurements above an 18 m pine forest and an 8–9 m savannah using a ‘mass conservation technique’ mentioned by Tajchman (1981). The results obtained using this analysis exhibit a lack of sensitivity to experimental errors which is in marked contrast to those commonly obtained over tall vegetation using more conventional least-square analyses. The consistency in the results allows an investigation of the windspeed dependence of the aerodynamic properties of the mean horizontal airflow over tall vegetation, and permits consideration of the effect of experimental errors on such dependence.

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Work carried out while on study leave at the Institute of Hydrology under CNPq financial support.

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Molion, L.C.B., Moore, C.J. Estimating the zero-plane displacement for tall vegetation using a mass conservation method. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 26, 115–125 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00121537

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