Added function to calculate richardson number.

docs/references.rst

@@ -82,6 +82,9 @@ References
 .. [Garratt1994] Garratt, J.R., 1994: *The Atmospheric Boundary Layer*. Cambridge
            University Press, 316 pp.
 
+.. [Holton2004] Holton, J.R. 2004: *An Introduction to Dynamic Meteorology*.
+           4th ed. Academic Press, 535 pp.
+
 .. [Koch1983] Koch, S. E., M. DesJardins, and P. J. Kocin, 1983: An interactive Barnes
            objective map analysis scheme for use with satellite and conventional data.
            **J. Appl. Meteor. Climatol.**, *22*, 1487-1503,

src/metpy/calc/thermo.py

@@ -2574,3 +2574,40 @@ def specific_humidity_from_dewpoint(pressure, dewpoint):
     """
     mixing_ratio = saturation_mixing_ratio(pressure, dewpoint)
     return specific_humidity_from_mixing_ratio(mixing_ratio)
+
+
+@exporter.export
+@preprocess_xarray
+@check_units('[length]', '[temperature]', '[length]/[time]', '[length]/[time]')
+def gradient_richardson_number(height, potential_temperature, u, v, axis=0):
+    r"""Calculate the gradient (or flux) Richardson number.
+
+    .. math::   Ri = (g/\theta) * \frac{\left(\partial \theta/\partial z\)}
+             {[\left(\partial u / \partial z\right)^2 + \left(\partial v / \partial z\right)^2}
+
+    See [Holton2004]_ pg. 121-122. As noted by [Holton2004]_, flux Richardson
+    number values below 0.25 indicate turbulence.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    height : `pint.Quantity`
+        Atmospheric height
+    potential_temperature : `pint.Quantity`
+        Atmospheric potential temperature
+    u : `pint.Quantity`
+        x component of the wind
+    v : `pint.Quantity`
+        y component of the wind
+    axis : int, optional
+        The axis corresponding to vertical, defaults to 0.
+
+    Returns
+    -------
+    `pint.Quantity`
+       Gradient Richardson number
+    """
+    dthetadz = first_derivative(potential_temperature, x=height, axis=axis)
+    dudz = first_derivative(u, x=height, axis=axis)
+    dvdz = first_derivative(v, x=height, axis=axis)
+
+    return (mpconsts.g / potential_temperature) * (dthetadz / (dudz ** 2 + dvdz ** 2))

tests/calc/test_thermo.py

@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
                         relative_humidity_from_mixing_ratio,
                         relative_humidity_from_specific_humidity,
                         relative_humidity_wet_psychrometric,
+                        gradient_richardson_number,
                         saturation_equivalent_potential_temperature,
                         saturation_mixing_ratio,
                         saturation_vapor_pressure,
@@ -1557,3 +1558,16 @@ def test_lcl_grid_surface_LCLs():
     temp_truth = np.array([15, 9.10391763, 13]) * units.degC
     assert_array_almost_equal(lcl_pressure, pres_truth, 4)
     assert_array_almost_equal(lcl_temperature, temp_truth, 4)
+
+
+def test_gradient_richardson_number():
+    """Test gradient Richardson number calculation."""
+    theta = units('K') * np.asarray([254.5, 258.3, 262.2])
+    u_wnd = units('m/s') * np.asarray([-2., -1.1, 0.23])
+    v_wnd = units('m/s') * np.asarray([3.3, 4.2, 5.2])
+    height = units('km') * np.asarray([0.2, 0.4, 0.6])
+
+    result = gradient_richardson_number(height, theta, u_wnd, v_wnd)
+    expected = np.asarray([24.2503551, 13.6242603, 8.4673744])
+
+    assert_array_almost_equal(result, expected, 4)