A Monte Carlo Simulation of the Eddy Accumulation Method for Measuring Scalar Fluxes

Abstract

A numerical simulation of the eddy accumulation technique for measuring scalar fluxes has been devised using pseudo-random number pairs generated by computer. Input information is the joint probability density function of the vertical velocity and the scalar concentration at a point. Computer generated pseudo-random pairs which obey this density prescription are then subjected to a Monte Carlo manipulation to obtain estimates of scalar flux by both a direct eddy-correlation calculation and a technique which numerically simulates one model of eddy-accumulation. Sources of error in the eddy-accumulation method are investigated quantitatively by comparing the predicted scalar flux from the eddy-correlation method with predictions of the scalar flux using eddy-accumulation obtained with a variety of error scenarios.