A Linear Theory of Three-Dimensional Land–Sea Breezes

Abstract

Abstract Land–sea breezes (LSBs) induced by diurnal differential heating are examined using a three-dimensional linear model employing fast Fourier transform with emphasis on the complex coastline shape and geometry, the earth’s rotation, and background wind effects. It has been demonstrated that the low-level vertical motion associated with LSB can be significantly enhanced over a bay (peninsula) because of convergence of perturbations induced by differential heating along a seaward concave (convex) coastline. The dependence of surface winds and vertical motion patterns and their evolutions on the coastline geometries such as the width and the aspect ratio of the bay, the earth’s rotation, and the background winds are investigated. The LSB induced by an isolated tropical island is characterized by onshore flow and ascent over the island in the afternoon to early evening, with a reversal of direction from midnight to early morning. The diurnal heating–induced vertical motion is greatly enhanced over the island and weakened offshore because of the convergence and divergence of perturbations. In the presence of background flow, stronger diurnal perturbations are found at the downwind side of the island, which can extend far downstream associated with inertia–gravity waves.