{
  "abstract": "The atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) presents turbulence regimes that diverge from the classical Kolmogorov 1941 (K41) power-law spectrum widely assumed in optical atmospheric profiling, yet turbulence characterization for astronomical applications remains predominantly based on K41 assumptions. Using high-frequency sonic anemometer data from site-testing campaigns at the Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT) and Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) sites in Chile, we apply detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA)---a technique from fractal time-series analysis---to identify the inertial sub-range and evaluate statistical isotropy in the ABL, comparing our approach with the Fourier-based algorithm for robust identification of the inertial subrange (ARIIS). Strict Kolmogorov conditions---simultaneous isotropy and $k^{-5/3}$ scaling across all fields---are satisfied in fewer than 7 per cent of observations. Temperature fields systematically decouple from velocity components under stable stratification, exhibiting Bolgiano-Obukhov scaling ($k^{-7/5}$) during nighttime hours, indicating active rather than passive scalar behaviour. DFA-detected regime transitions correlate with characteristic turbulence scales, providing objective, model-free boundaries for the inertial subrange. Comparative $C_n^2$ estimation reveals that structure function methods assuming K41 scaling diverge significantly from flux-based parameterizations under stable conditions. The rarity of true Kolmogorov conditions at these sites necessitates stratification-aware methodologies for accurate optical turbulence characterization at next-generation extremely large telescope facilities.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": "2611.07910",
  "author_total": 2,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Marco Sepúlveda"
    },
    {
      "name": "Darío G. Pérez"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/3npcw1ewfqf02.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.48550/arxiv.2611.07910",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "3npcw1ewfqf02",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2611.07910",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "LicenseRef-arXiv-nonexclusive-1.0",
  "licence_label": "arXiv licence",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "http://arxiv.org/licenses/nonexclusive-distrib/1.0/",
  "metadata_licence": "CC0-1.0",
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "arxiv",
      "astro-ph.IM"
    ],
    [
      "arxiv",
      "physics.ao-ph"
    ],
    [
      "arxiv",
      "physics.data-an"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": null,
  "pdf_url": "https://arxiv.org/pdf/2611.07910",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-11-05",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/3npcw1ewfqf02.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-06T18:21:30Z",
      "native_id": "2611.07910",
      "source": "arxiv",
      "url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2611.07910"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "astronomy",
      "origin": "arxiv:astro-ph.IM",
      "subfield": "instrumentation-methods"
    },
    {
      "field": "earth",
      "origin": "arxiv:physics.ao-ph",
      "subfield": "atmospheric"
    },
    {
      "field": "physics",
      "origin": "arxiv:physics.data-an",
      "subfield": "computational"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Inertial sub-range detection and characterization for ground-layer turbulence at new extremely large telescope sites in Chile",
  "title_text": "Inertial sub-range detection and characterization for ground-layer turbulence at new extremely large telescope sites in Chile",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-06T18:21:30Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/3npcw1ewfqf02",
  "venue": "arXiv",
  "versions": []
}