Phase-Averaged Flow Properties Beneath Microscale Breaking Waves

The phase-averaged characteristics of the turbulent velocity fields beneath steep short wind waves are investigated. A scheme was developed to compute the phase of individual wind waves using spatial surface displacement data. This information was used to analyze the two-dimensional velocity data acquired using particle image velocimetry (PIV) in a wind-wave tank. The experiments were conducted at a fetch of 5.5m and at wind speeds that ranged from 4 to 10ms⁻¹. Under these conditions previous studies have shown that a significant percentage of the waves are microscale breaking waves. An analysis of the phase-averaged results suggests under these conditions (short fetches and moderate wind speeds) a wind-driven water surface can be divided into three regions based on the intensity of the turbulence. These are the crests of microscale breaking waves, the crests of non-breaking waves and the troughs of all waves. The turbulence is most intense beneath the crests of microscale breaking waves. In the crest region of microscale breaking waves coherent structures were observed that were stronger and occurred more frequently than beneath the crests of non-breaking waves. Beneath the crests of non-breaking waves the turbulence is a factor of two to three times weaker and beneath the wave troughs it is a factor of six weaker. These findings provide additional support for the hypothesis that approximately two-thirds of the gas and heat fluxes occur across the turbulent wakes produced by microscale breaking waves.     

Air Flow Structure Over Short-gravity Breaking Water Waves

Despite its importance for momentum and mass transfer across the air–sea interface, the dynamics of airflow over breaking waves is largely unknown. To fill this gap, velocity and vorticity distributions above short-gravity breaking waves have been measured in a wind-wave tank. A Digital Particle Image velocimetry technique (DPIV) was developed to accomplish these measurements above single breaking waves, propagating in mechanically-generated wave groups and forced by the wind. By varying the wind speed and initial characteristics of the groups, the airflow structure was captured over waves at different stages of the breaking process, and breaking with various intensities. The instantaneous airflow that separates from a sharp breaking crest is very similar to that occurring over a backward facing step. The separation bubble is however strongly unsteady: the steeper the wave crest and the larger the Reynolds number based on the crest-height, the higher the separated layer and the farther downwind the reattachment point. Instantaneous flow topology displays specific features of three-dimensional separation patterns. The tangential stress above the wave profile does not exhibit spikes at reattachment but grows progressively downwind from zero at reattachment to a value at the next crest approximately that found at the upwind breaking crest. Static pressure measurements revealed that large pressure falls are generated by vortices in the separated layer, as found in separated flows over solids. This study may provide useful data for theoretical and numerical modelling of the flow and associated phenomena.     

Structure of air flow separation over wind wave crests

Air flow over wind waves generated in a wind-wave tunnel was visualized by numerous tiny suspended particles (zinc stearate), and instantaneous air flow fields over about one wavelength of wind waves were obtained. Air flow separation was detected over the wave crest in about a half of the samples. In such cases, the separation started near the crest about half of the time, with a vortex trapped over the convergence point of the surface flow which appeared at the leeward face of the crest. This structure was much different from a previously imagined picture in which the separation started at the convergence point. The high frequency of its occurrence suggested the stability of this structure. However, even when this structure was clearly seen, the structure behind the vortex to the next wave crest had various patterns. This variety seems to be related to an instability of the high-shear layer accompanied by separation. Other varieties were also seen, such as the occurrence of separation without the above mentioned structure, as well as the existence of non-separated air flow structures. These varieties seem to be related to the variability of individual wind wave crests. An analysis of correlation between the wave form and the air flow structure over it shows that there is a critical value of local gradient of wave form, above which the air flow always separates. This fact suggests a strong coupling between the air and the water, i.e., the local stress exerted on the water surface changes the nature of a wave crest, especially its form, and as a result, the air flow structure over it changes drastically.Decreased 21 November, 1981. Final draft of the paper prepared by Professor Yoshiaki Toba, Geophysical Institute, Tohoku University.     

Aerodynamic roughness of the sea surface at high winds

The role of the surface roughness in the formation of the aerodynamic friction of the water surface at high wind speeds is investigated. The study is based on a wind-over-waves coupling theory. In this theory waves provide the surface friction velocity through the form drag, while the energy input from the wind to waves depends on the friction velocity and the wind speed. The wind-over-waves coupling model is extended to high wind speeds taking into account the effect of sheltering of the short wind waves by the air-flow separation from breaking crests of longer waves. It is suggested that the momentum and energy flux from the wind to short waves locally vanishes if they are trapped into the separation bubble of breaking longer waves. At short fetches, typical for laboratory conditions, and strong winds the steep dominant wind waves break frequently and provide the major part of the total form drag through the air-flow separation from breaking crests, and the effect of short waves on the sea drag is suppressed. In this case the dependence of the drag coefficient on the wind speed is much weaker than would be expected from the standard parameterization of the roughness parameter through the Charnock relation. At long fetches, typical for the field, waves in the spectral peak break rarely and their contribution to the air-flow separation is weak. In this case the surface form drag is determined predominantly by the air-flow separation from breaking of the equilibrium range waves. As found at high wind speeds up to 60 m s⁻¹ the modelled aerodynamic roughness is consistent with the Charnock relation, i.e. there is no saturation of the sea drag. Unlike the aerodynamic roughness, the geometrical surface roughness (height of short waves) could be saturated or even suppressed when the wind speed exceeds 30 m s⁻¹.     

不同天气条件下脉冲激光风廓线仪测风性能

将2012年5月21日-8月16日广东省湛江市东海岛气象观测站内脉冲激光风廓线仪WINDCUBE V2与气象站内的100 m测风塔进行同步观测试验,在经过观测数据同步性调整、有效性检验和代表性样本筛选基础上,分大小风和有无降雨天气过程,对杯式测风仪、超声风速仪与激光风廓线仪的同步测风数据进行比较,结果显示:脉冲激光风廓线仪与杯式测风仪测量水平风参数的相关性较好,10 min平均风速、风向的线性拟合度均大于0.99,3 s阵风风速的拟合度大于0.96,湍流强度的拟合度大于0.67,风速标准差的拟合度大于0.79;大风情况下,激光风廓线仪对风参数的测量效果更佳。无降雨情况下,激光风廓线仪的测量效果较降雨时略好,10 min降水量小于15 mm的降雨对这款激光风廓线仪的风速、风向、湍流强度、3 s阵风风速的测量没有显著影响,对风速标准差有一定影响。当水平风速增大和有降雨时,激光风廓线仪对垂直速度的测量效果欠佳。该对比分析可为激光风廓线仪观测数据的可靠性提供参考。     

Fine structure of laboratory wind-wave surfaces studied using an optical method

The fine structure of laboratory wind-wave surfaces was investigated using an optical method. Several characteristic structures, closely associated with wind speed and the stage of development of the waves, are described. A parallel light, incident on the wind-wave surface, was backscattered by specular facets perpendicular to the incident angle. These specular facets, which represented the fine structures, were photographed and quantitatively analyzed by image processing techniques.For wind speeds ranging from 3.6 to 13.6 m s^–1, different types of small-scale undulations appeared: a three-dimensional rhombic structure; a train of capillary waves on the forward face with wavelengths gradually decreasing with distance from the crest, and a streaky structure on the backward face in the direction of the wind; and random and wide-spreading irregularities covering the whole wind-wave surface. The spatial scales and temporal variation of the undulations are described.     

Requirements for large-eddy simulation of surface wind gusts in a mountain valley

During the passage of a front, data from a light-weight cup anemometer and wind vane, sited in a steep-walled glacial valley of the Mt Cook region of the Southern Alps of New Zealand, were analysed to derive a power spectrum of the wind velocity for periods between 0.5 and 16 min. The energy spectrum roughly followed a -5/3 power law over the range of periods from 0.5–4 min — as might be expected in the case of an inertial subrange of eddies. However, any inertial subrange clearly does not extend to periods longer than this. We suggest that the observed eddies were generated in a turbulent wake associated with flow separation at the ridge crests, and large eddies are shed at periods of 4–8 min or more.A compressible fluid-dynamic model, with a Smagorinsky turbulence closure scheme and a law of the wall at the surface, was used to calculate flow over a cross section through this area in neutrally stratified conditions. A range of parameters was explored to assess some of the requirements for simulating surface wind gusts in mountainous terrain in New Zealand.In order to approximate the observed wind spectrum at Tasman aerodrome, Mount Cook, we found the model must be three-dimensional, with a horizontal resolution better than 250 m and with a Reynolds-stress eddy viscosity of less than 5 m² s^-1. In two-dimensional simulations, the eddies were too big in size and in amplitude and at the surface this was associated with reversed flow extending too far downstream. In contrast the three-dimensional simulations gave a realistic gusting effect associated with large scale cat's paws (a bigger variety of those commonly seen over water downstream of moderate hills), with reversed flow only at the steep part of the lee slope. The simulations were uniformly improved by better resolution, at all tested resolutions down to 250 m mesh size.The spectra of large eddies simulated in steep terrain were not very sensitive to the details of the eddy stress formulation. We suggest that this is because boundary-layer separation is forced in any case by terrain-induced pressure gradients.     

Airflow patterns in a small subalpine basin

Summary A study of mean wind speeds and directions has been completed in the Snowy Range of Southern Wyoming, U.S.A. It was conducted in a subalpine ecosystem at an altitude of 3 200 m to 3 400 m above sea level during the summers of 1988 and 1989. Indexes of deformation and axes of asymmetry due to wind shaping of Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii) and subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa) are related to wind speeds and directions on a 100 m × 100 m grid spacing over the 300 ha research site. Isotach and airflow patterns are drawn to represent climatological near-ground-level winds.A statistical analysis of the wind data and deformation indexes indicates that the indexes estimated independently by three of the authors were not significantly different at the F_0.025 level. Two methods of calculating wind speeds were applied. At lower mean wind speeds in Engelmann spruce, results from the Wade-Hewson method were not significantly different from the Griggs-Putnam method at the F_0.025 level. In slightly higher wind speeds in subalpine fir, the Wade-Hewson method produced significantly lower wind speeds than the Griggs-Putnam method.With 3 Figures     

Flow dynamics in a trough blowout

The dynamics and geomorphological development of a trough blowout located at Fiona Beach in the Myall Lakes National Park in NSW, Australia are examined. Wind velocities and flow structure were measured utilising an array of miniature Rimco cup anemometers, Gill bi-vane and UVW instruments, and wind vanes. Flow measurements indicate that when the wind approaches the trough blowout parallel to the throat orientation, jets occur both in the deflation basin and along the erosional walls, relative flow deceleration and expansion occur up the depositional lobe, jets are formed over the depositional lobe crest accompanied by downwind flow separation on the leeward side of the lobe, and flow separation and the formation of corkscrew vortices occur over the crests of the erosional walls. Maximum erosion and transport occur up the deflation basin and onto the depositional lobe. Trough blowout morphologies are explained as a function of these flow patterns.When the wind approaches the blowout obliquely, the flow is steered considerably within the blowout. The degree and complexity of topographic steering is dependent on the blowout topography. The flow is usually extremely turbulent and large corkscrew vortices are common. The local topography of a blowout can be very important in determining flow patterns, overall sand transport and blowout evolutionary conditions and paths.Estimates of potential sand transport within the blowout may be up to two orders of magnitude lower than actual rates if remote wind data are used.     

Mesoscale simulations of multi-decadal variability in the wind resource over Korea

This study investigated multi-decadal variability in the wind resource over the Republic of Korea using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) mesoscale meteorological model. Mesoscale simulations were performed for the period from November 1981 to November 2010. The typical wind climatology over the Korean Peninsula, which is influenced by both continental and oceanic features, was represented by the physics-based mesoscale simulations. Winter had windier conditions with northwesterly flows, whereas less windy with southwesterly flows appeared in summer. The annual mean wind speeds over the Republic of Korea were approximately 2 m s^?1 with strong wind in mountainous areas, coastal areas, and islands. The multi-decadal variability in wind speed during the study period was characterized by significant increases (positive trend) over many parts of the study area, even though the various local trends appeared depending on the station locations. The longterm trend in the spatially averaged wind speed was approximately 0.002 m s^?1 yr^?1. The annual frequency of daily mean wind speeds over 5 m s^?1 at the turbine hub height also increased during the study period throughout the Republic of Korea. The present study demonstrates that multi-decadal mesoscale simulations can be useful for climatological assessment of wind energy potential.     

The sea surface is aerodynamically rough even under light winds

The sea surface is generally considered to be aerodynamically rough at high winds (U>7 m/s), where the roughness length increases with wind velocity; below this velocity, the atmospheric surface layer enters a transition region and then becomes aerodynamically smooth as the wind velocity further decreases. The sea surface is shown, however, to reach its smoothest condition at a wind velocity of about 5 m/s, and then become rough again at lower velocities. In the latter case, the roughness length increases as the wind velocity decreases in accordance with the surface-tension relation governing wind-wave interactions.     

A Study of Orographic Blocking and Barrier Wind Development Upstream of the Southern Alps, New Zealand

Summary Upper level and surface wind data for 1994 are used to provide an initial identification of the orographic effect on regional airflow patterns upwind of the mountain barrier. A case study of the development of upstream blocking and barrier jets is also provided. The predominance of gradient airflow from between northwest and southwest through this region results in frequent trans-mountain winds. The mountains are seen to have a major effect on airflow in the lowest 2000 m above sea level, with clear evidence of orographic blocking and barrier wind development. Some variability in the extent of this blocking was noted during 1994, which appeared to be associated with changes in the synoptic circulation and air mass characteristics. The frequent occurrence of southwesterly winds between 300 m and 2000 m indicates significant deflection of the predominant winds to follow the southwest-northeast orientation of the mountains. These southwesterly barrier winds occur in opposition to the apparent pressure gradient. Northeasterly barrier winds occur mainly below 300 m, and represent a down-gradient, localised flow that is frequently separated from overlying northwesterly gradient winds by a transitional layer, within which the wind backs with height. The controls of the extent of orographic blocking are only assessed superficially, due to the lack of good thermodynamic data upstream of the mountains, although a combination of wind speed and atmospheric stability is obviously important. These initial results provide a useful insight into the extent of orographic effects on regional windfields, which will serve as the basis for future observational and modelling studies. Received June 11, 1998 Revised April 16, 1999     

Observation of wind shear during evening transition and an estimation of submicron aerosol concentrations in Beijing using a Doppler wind lidar

The wind speed and direction measured over six months by a Doppler wind lidar (Windcube-8) were compared with wind cup anemometers mounted on the 325-m Beijing meteorological tower (BMT). Five mountain–plain wind cases characterized by wind direction shear were selected based on the high-frequency (1.1 s) wind profile of the Windcube-8 and analyzed with 1-h mesoscale surface weather charts. Also analyzed was the relationship between in-situ PM₁ (aerodynamic diameter ≤ 1 μm) concentrations measured at 260 m on BMT and the carrier-to-noise ratio (CNR) of the co-located Windcube-8. The results showed that the 10-min averaged wind speed and direction were highly correlated (R = 0.96–0.99) at three matched levels (80, 140, and 200 m). The evening transition duration was 1–3 h, with an average wind speed of 1 m s^–1 at 80 m above the ground. In addition, there was a zero horizontal-wind-speed zone along the wind direction shear line, and in one case, the wind speed was characterized by a Kelvin–Helmholtz gravity wave. The variability of the PM₁ concentrations was captured by the CNR of the Windcube-8 in a fair weather period without the long-range transport of dust.     

Cross-Spectrum of Wind Speed for Meso-Gamma Scales in the Upper Surface Layer over South-Eastern Australia

Analytical expressions for the cross-spectrum of wind speed are developed for the stochastic simulation of wind power in south-eastern Australia. The expressions are valid for heights above the ground in the range 40–80 m, site separations of 1–30 km, and frequencies of (1/6)–3 cycles h⁻¹. The influence of site separation distance is taken into account, as are variables that are defined for blocks of time. These variables include the mean and standard deviation of wind speed and the mean wind direction. The parameters of the model equations are determined by non-linear least-squares regression with cross-validation over 10 years of wind measurements from 84 towers in south-eastern Australia.     

太行山和山东半岛地形对冷流暴雪的影响分析

用WRF模式模拟了2005 年12 月6-7 日山东半岛一次冷流暴雪过程,通过降低太行山地形高度至10 m和抬升山东半岛地形高度至500 m的敏感性数值试验,分别分析了上游太行山和本地山东半岛地形对山东半岛冷流降雪的影响。结果表明：太行山对山东半岛冷流降雪的强度起到了加强的作用,降低太行山地形高度的敏感性试验在山东半岛北部10 m风场辐合强度较同时次控制性试验明显减弱,减弱的区域主要在山东半岛北部地区,其他区域变化不明显;同时敏感试验的流场在山东半岛的辐合也有所减弱,流线密度要疏散些。850 hPa西北风越过太行山后在背风面产生波动,波动中的气旋性小涡旋移至山东半岛后,加强了山东半岛本地的辐合强度。抬升山东半岛的地形高度后,地形的抬升辐合作用增强,故冷流降雪的强度也得到增强。     

Impact of the Nocturnal Low-Level Jet and Orographic Waves on Turbulent Motions and Energy Fluxes in the Lower Atmospheric Boundary Layer

The nocturnal low-level jet (LLJ) and orographic (gravity) waves play an important role in the generation of turbulence and pollutant dispersion and can affect the energy production by wind turbines. Additionally, gravity waves have an influence on the local mixing and turbulence within the surface layer and the vertical flux of mass into the lower atmosphere. On 25 September 2017, during a field campaign, a persistent easterly LLJ and gravity waves were observed simultaneously in a coastal area in the north of France. We explore the variability of the wind speed, turbulent eddies, and turbulence kinetic energy in the time–frequency and space domain using an ultrasonic anemometer and a scanning wind lidar. The results reveal a significant enhancement of the turbulence-kinetic-energy dissipation (by?50%) due to gravity waves in the LLJ shear layer (below the jet core) during the period of wave propagation. Large magnitudes of zonal and vertical components of the shear stress (approximately 0.4 and 1.5 m² s^?2, respectively) are found during that period. Large eddies (scales of 110 to 280 m) matching the high-wind-speed regime are found to propagate the momentum downwards, which enhances the mass transport from the LLJ shear layer to the roughness layer. Furthermore, these large-scale eddies are associated with the crests while comparatively small-scale eddies are associated with the troughs of the gravity wave.

     

Comparison of Speed-Up Over Hills Derived from Wind-Tunnel Experiments,Wind-Loading Standards,and Numerical Modelling

We evaluate the accuracy of the speed-up provided in several wind-loading standards by comparison with wind-tunnel measurements and numerical predictions, which are carried out at a nominal scale of 1:500 and full-scale, respectively. Airflow over two- and three-dimensional bell-shaped hills is numerically modelled using the Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes method with a pressure-driven atmospheric boundary layer and three different turbulence models. Investigated in detail are the effects of grid size on the speed-up and flow separation, as well as the resulting uncertainties in the numerical simulations. Good agreement is obtained between the numerical prediction of speed-up, as well as the wake region size and location, with that according to large-eddy simulations and the wind-tunnel results. The numerical results demonstrate the ability to predict the airflow over a hill with good accuracy with considerably less computational time than for large-eddy simulation. Numerical simulations for a three-dimensional hill show that the speed-up and the wake region decrease significantly when compared with the flow over two-dimensional hills due to the secondary flow around three-dimensional hills. Different hill slopes and shapes are simulated numerically to investigate the effect of hill profile on the speed-up. In comparison with more peaked hill crests, flat-topped hills have a lower speed-up at the crest up to heights of about half the hill height, for which none of the standards gives entirely satisfactory values of speed-up. Overall, the latest versions of the National Building Code of Canada and the Australian and New Zealand Standard give the best predictions of wind speed over isolated hills.     

Simulating an Extreme Wind Event in a Topographically Complex Region

Complex topography modifies local weather characteristics such as air temperature, rainfall and airflow within a larger regional extent. The Cape Peninsula around Cape Town, South Africa, is a complex topographical feature responsible for the modification of rainfall and wind fields largely downstream of the Peninsula. During the passage of a cold front on 2 October 2002, an extreme wind event associated with tornado-like damage occurred in the suburb of Manenberg, however synoptic conditions did not indicate convective activity typically associated with a tornado. A numerical regional climate model was operated at very high horizontal resolution (500 m) to investigate the dynamics of the event. The model simulated an interaction between the topography of the peninsula and an airflow direction change associated with the passage of the cold front. A small region of cyclonic circulation was simulated over Manenberg that was embedded in an area of negative vorticity and a leeward gravity wave. The feature lasted 14 min and moved in a north to south direction. Vertically, it was not evident above 220 m. The model assessment describes this event as a shallow but intense cyclonic vortex generated in the lee of the peninsula through an interaction between the peninsula and a change in wind direction as the cold front made landfall. The model did not simulate wind speeds associated with the observed damage suggesting that the horizontal grid resolution ought to be at the scale of the event to more completely understand such microscale airflow phenomena.     

Characteristic Study of the Boundary Layer Parameters over the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal Using the QuikSCAT Dataset

The marine atmospheric boundary layer （MABL） plays a vital role in the transport of momentum and heat from the surface of the ocean into the atmosphere. A detailed study on the MABL characteristics was carried out using high-resolution surface-wind data as measured by the QuikSCAT （Quick scatterometer） satellite. Spatial variations in the surface wind, frictional velocity, roughness parameter and drag coefficient for the different seasons were studied. The surface wind was strong during the southwest monsoon season due to the modulation induced by the Low Level Jetstream. The drag coefficient was larger during this season, due to the strong winds and was lower during the winter months. The spatial variations in the frictional velocity over the seas was small during the post-monsoon season （-0.2 m s^-1）. The maximum spatial variation in the frictional velocity was found over the south Arabian Sea （0.3 to 0.5 m s^-1） during the southwest monsoon period, followed by the pre-monsoon over the Bay of Bengal （0.1 to 0.25 m s^-1）. The mean wind-stress curl during the winter was positive over the equatorial region, with a maximum value of 1.5×10^-7 N m^-3, but on either side of the equatorial belt, a negative wind-stress curl dominated. The area average of the frictional velocity and drag coefficient over the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal were also studied. The values of frictional velocity shows a variability that is similar to the intraseasonal oscillation （ISO） and this was confirmed via wavelet analysis. In the case of the drag coefficient, the prominent oscillations were ISO and quasi-biweekly mode （QBM）. The interrelationship between the drag coefficient and the frictional velocity with wind speed in both the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal was also studied.