Analysis of instantaneous velocity vector in geostrophic turbulent ekman layer over a transitional rough surface

The instantaneous velocity vector on transitional rough surface in the geostrophic Ekman turbulent boundary layer for large Rossby number has been investigated. The role played by the mesolayer (intermediate layer) between traditional inner and outer layers is explored. Two cases when the mesolayer is a trivial layer (to the lowest order) and substantive layer have been analysed. The proposed predictions for the geostrophic drag and the cross-isobaric angle compared well with data for Rossby number Ro ≥ 10. The data showed that the low Rossby number higher-order effects for Ro ≤ 10 due to the mesolayer compare well with the data for Ro ≥ 10 . © Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2010.