roughness length

Questions

What does roughness length mean?

A parameter of some vertical wind profile equations that model the horizontal mean wind speed near the ground; in the log wind profile, it is equivalent to the height at which the wind speed theoretically becomes zero.

Where does roughness length come from?

So called because it is typically related to the height of terrain roughness elements.

How to pronounce roughness length

1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “roughness length”.
2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “roughness length”.
4. Repeat and practice — Say “roughness length” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.