The function estimates the Grashof Number, which describes the ability of a parcel of fluid warmer or colder than the surrounding fluid to rise against or fall with the attractive force of gravity. The Grashof Number is estimated as the ratio of a buoyant force times an inertial force to the square of a viscous force (Campbell and Norman 1998) .

Grashof_number(T_a, T_g, D, nu)

Arguments

T_a

numeric Air temperature (C).

T_g

numeric ground (surface) temperature (C).

D

numeric characteristic dimension (e.g., body diameter) (meters).

nu

numeric the kinematic viscosity, ratio of dynamic viscosity to density of the fluid (m2 s-1); can calculate from DRYAIR or WETAIR.

Value

numeric Grashof number.

References

Campbell GS, Norman JM (1998). Introduction to environmental biophysics, 2nd ed. edition. Springer, New York. ISBN 0387949372.

Examples

  Grashof_number(T_a = 30,
                 T_g = 35,
                 D  = 0.001,
                 nu = 1.2)
#> [1] 1.134259e-09