Comparison of in-situ measured ground heat fluxes within a heteorogeneous urban ballast layer

Summary This study concentrates on measurements of ground heat fluxes within a porous urban ballast layer that were conducted from June to September 2002 at the goods station in Osnabrück, Germany. To account for the limitation of accurately installing sensors within the heterogeneous and porous ballast bulk, the heat fluxes were calculated from four different methods to compare their variability, dynamics and shortcomings. Ground heat fluxes were gathered from 1) a heat flux plate with the inclusion of heat storage between the soil surface and the heat flux plate, 2) temperature gradient measurements with correction for heat storage, 3) temperature gradient measurements with a modelled surface temperature and a laboratory derived thermal conductivity, 4) as residual from the surface energy balance equation. The results show a distinct deviation of the four methods for absolute values of the ground heat flux as well as for temporal dynamics on the diurnal cycle. As indicated by the temporal dynamics of the ground heat flux times series and a simple error analysis of the four methods, the most plausible estimates for an urban application in a heterogeneous ballast layer were obtained by temperature gradient measurements between the surface and −0.05 m. Overall, the results indicate that accurate ground heat flux measurements in urban applications still prove difficult to acquire.     

Investigation of temporal-spatial parameters of an urban heat island on the basis of passive microwave remote sensing

Summary Quantitative measurements of the impact of an urban environment on the thermal state of the atmospheric boundary layer are presented. Temperature profiles up to the height of 600 m were obtained in a continuous series of measurements by three microwave profilers MTP-5 located in different areas of Moscow. The influence of this large city on urban heat island (UHI) parameters was estimated on occasions with stationary atmospheric processes and during cases with frontal passage. Two types of UHI were identified: one with a dome of urban warmth at all levels, and another with a low warm dome in combination with a lens of cold air above.     

Comparison of Measured Ozone Production Efficiencies in the Marine Boundary Layer at Two European Coastal Sites under Different Pollution Regimes

Ozone production efficiencies (E_N), which can be defined as the netnumber of ozone molecules produced per molecule of NO_xoxidised, have been calculated from measurements taken during three intensive field campaigns (one in the spring, EASE 96, and two in the summer, EASE 97 and TIGER 95), at two European coastal sites (Mace Head, Ireland (EASE) and Weybourne, Norfolk (TIGER)) impacted by polluted air masses originating from both the U.K. and continental Europe, as well as relatively clean oceanic air masses from the Arctic and Atlantic. From a detailed wind sector analysis of the EASE 96 and 97 data it is clear that two general types of pollution regime were encountered at Mace Head. The calculated ozone production efficiency in clean oceanic air masses was approximately 65, which contrasted to more polluted air, from the U.K. and the continental European plume, where the efficiency decreased to between 4 and 6. The latter values of E_Nagree well with literature measurements conducted downwind of various urban centres in the U.S. and Europe, which are summarised in a wide-ranging review table. The E_N value calculated for clean oceanic air is effectivelyan upper limit, owing to the relatively rapid deposition of HNO₃ tothe ocean. Consideration of the variation of E_N with NO_x forthe three campaigns suggests that ozone production efficiency is relatively insensitive to both geographical location and season. The measuredE_N values are also compared with values derived from steady-state expressions. An observed anti-correlation between E_N and measured ozone tendencyis briefly discussed.     

Model evaluation of the atmospheric boundary layer and mixed-layer evolution

In the present study, an attempt is made to assess the atmospheric boundary-layer (ABL) depth over an urban area, as derived from different ABL schemes employed by the mesoscale model MM5. Furthermore, the relationship of the mixing height, as depicted by the measurements, to the calculated ABL depth or other features of the ABL structure, is also examined. In particular, the diurnal evolution of ABL depth is examined over the greater Athens area, employing four different ABL schemes plus a modified version, whereby urban features are considered. Measurements for two selected days, when convective conditions prevailed and a strong sea-breeze cell developed, were used for comparison. It was found that the calculated eddy viscosity profile seems to better indicate the mixing height in both cases, where either a deep convective boundary layer develops, or a more confined internal boundary layer is formed. For the urban scheme, the incorporation of both anthropogenic and storage heat release provides promising results for urban applications.     

Impact of surface variations on the momentum flux above the urban canopy

Based on the momentum flux–wind profile relationship of the Monin–Obukhov Similarity (MOS) theory, the observational data from the urban boundary layer field campaign in Nanjing are used to calculate the friction velocity ( $ {u_*} $ ) at the top of the urban canopy and the calculated results are evaluated. The urban surface roughness parameters (the roughness length z ₀ and zero-plane displacement height z _d) are estimated with the Ba method (Bottema’s morphological method). Two different regimes are employed for the calculations. In the homogeneous approach, z ₀ and z _d are averagely derived from the surface elements in the whole study area; while in the heterogeneous approach, z ₀ and z _d are locally derived from the surface elements in the corresponding upwind fetches (or source areas). The calculated friction velocities are compared to the measurement data. The results show that the calculated friction velocities from the heterogeneous approach are in better agreement with the observed values than those from the homogeneous approach are. This study implies that the local roughness parameters can properly represent the dynamical heterogeneity of urban surface, and its application can significantly improve the performance of parameterizations based on the MOS theory in the urban roughness sublayer.     

三维城市地表反射率计算模式

地表反射率是控制地表能量平衡的一个重要参数。城市建筑物的分布具有较大的不均一性,这不仅给地基观测城市地表反射率带来了很大困难,数值模拟城市地表反射率也是非常困难的。作者开发了一个三维城市地表反射率模式city_photo,该方法结合了蒙特卡洛方法和几何光学方法的优点,具有较高的精度和较快的计算速度。通过引入城市地图的概念,该模式能够计算具有不同结构的城市的地表反射率。2002至2004年晴空MODIS（MODerate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer,中分辨率成像光谱辐射计）1~7通道可见光和近红外通道地表反射率资料被用来检验模式的有效性,位于北京朝阳区的中国科学院大气物理研究所的AERONET站点观测得到气溶胶光学特性和水汽资料,6S（Second Simulation of Satellite Signal in the Solar Spectrum）大气辐射传输模式被用来对其进行大气订正。模式计算的北京城市地表反射率个例与MODIS 7个通道地表反射率观测结果具有很高的相关性,相关系数在0.80~0.93之间,说明模式能够较好地模拟城市地表反射率随太阳和观测角度的变化情况。最后讨论了城市结构对城市地表反射率的影响。     

Measuring Vertical Heat Flux with RASS

Summary A wind‐profiling Doppler radar equipped with a radio acoustic sounding system (RASS) may be used to estimate the vertical profile of the vertical flux of heat in the atmosphere. Simultaneous measurements of the time‐varying temperature and vertical air velocity are combined to give the convective heat flux using the eddy‐correlation method. The accuracy of the estimates depends on the fundamental accuracy of the temperature and vertical velocity measurements. Also, in common with all eddy‐correlation methods, uncertainties are introduced by the need to define a suitable averaging time and to remove trends. A problem unique to RASS is the possible presence of ground and intermittent clutter at close ranges, which can cause errors in the vertical air velocity measurements. These considerations are discussed with particular reference to observations using a UHF radar wind profiler situated in an urban environment, where clutter is a serious problem. A Rank‐Order Signal Processing Algorithm (ROSPA) for recognizing and eliminating outliers in the vertical velocity, is introduced. It is explained how ROSPA uses both a minimum filter and a median filter on the velocity data. It is shown, using a comparison with nearly clutter free data from a rural site, that the filtering substantially improves the quality of the noisy urban data. The paper then compares RASS‐measured urban and rural heat flux profiles, along with the heat flux profile measured by an instrumented airplane. It is concluded that the main obstacles to RASS heat flux measurements are the effects of winds and turbulence in the boundary layer, rather than clutter. Received September 24, 1998 Revised January 27, 1999     

Effects of different terrain on velocity standard deviations

The standard deviations of wind velocity components are calculated and compared based on the measurements of turbulence fluctuations over three underlying surfaces: uniform, inhomogeneous and urban. Statistical analysis shows that there are the differences between them which prove the influences of surfaces roughness on turbulence.     

Some considerations of urban drainage design practice using experimental data

Two most frequently used procedures for obtaining design flow rates in urban drainage practice are design storm approach and historical storm approach. An alternative approach is possible if a series of measured flow rates at the outlet of urban catchment is available, so that the frequencies of flow rates are estimated directly. These three approaches are discussed using the measurements of rainfall and runoff at the experimental urban drainage catchment “Miljakovac” in Belgrade for the period 1981–1993.     

北京城市热岛效应的流动观测和初步研究

采用车载气象观测仪器结合GPS定位、连续数据采集系统的流动观测方法研究了北京城区内不同城市地表覆盖物对城市局地小气候的影响和气象要素分布,发现城市下垫面分布与城市的温度和湿度有密切关系,一般在城市建筑物密集、水体和植被少的区域具有较高的气温和较低的相对湿度,在建筑物稀疏和植被、水体较多的区域则相反。观测结果表明,流动观测方法是对常规气象观测资料的有益补充,也是城市气候观测中的一种有效方法。     

An Empirical Method for Estimating Background Stratospheric Aerosol Extinction Profiles over China

The current paper introduces an empirical method for estimating the vertical distribution of background stratospheric aerosol extinction profiles covering the latitude bands of 50±5°N,40±5°N,30±5°N,and 20±5°N and the longitude range of 75 135°E based on Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE) II aerosol extinction measurements at wavelengths of 1020 nm,525 nm,452 nm,and 386 nm for the volcanically calm years between 1998 2004.With this method,the vertical distribution of stratospheric aerosol extinction coefficients can be estimated according to latitude and wavelength.Comparisons of the empirically calculated aerosol extinction profiles and the SAGE II aerosol measurements show that the empirically calculated aerosol extinction coefficients are consistent with SAGE II values,with relative differences within 10% from 2 km above the tropopause to 33 km,and within 22% from 33 km to 35 km.The empirically calculated aerosol stratospheric optical depths (vertically integrated aerosol extinction coefficient) at the four wavelengths are also consistent with the corresponding SAGE II optical depth measurements,with differences within 2.2% in the altitude range from 2 km above the tropopause to 35 km.     

Assessment of Planetary-Boundary-Layer Schemes in the Weather Research and Forecasting Model Within and Above an Urban Canopy Layer

We tested several planetary-boundary-layer (PBL) schemes available in the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model against measured wind speed and direction, temperature and turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) at three levels (5, 9, 25 m). The Urban Turbulence Project dataset, gathered from the outskirts of Turin, Italy and used for the comparison, provides measurements made by sonic anemometers for more than 1 year. In contrast to other similar studies, which have mainly focused on short-time periods, we considered 2 months of measurements (January and July) representing both the seasonal and the daily variabilities. To understand how the WRF-model PBL schemes perform in an urban environment, often characterized by low wind-speed conditions, we first compared six PBL schemes against observations taken by the highest anemometer located in the inertial sub-layer. The availability of the TKE measurements allows us to directly evaluate the performances of the model; results of the model evaluation are presented in terms of quantile versus quantile plots and statistical indices. Secondly, we considered WRF-model PBL schemes that can be coupled to the urban-surface exchange parametrizations and compared the simulation results with measurements from the two lower anemometers located inside the canopy layer. We find that the PBL schemes accounting for TKE are more accurate and the model representation of the roughness sub-layer improves when the urban model is coupled to each PBL scheme.     

Modelling Regional Scale Surface Energy Exchanges And Cbl Growth In A Heterogeneous, Urban-Rural Landscape

Over the last decade, simple models of theconvective boundary layer (CBL) have beensuggested as an approach to inferring regionallyaveraged land-air exchanges of heat, water and tracegases, because the properties of the CBL respond toan average of the underlying small-scaleheterogeneity. This paper explores the use of anintegral CBL method to infer regionally averagedfluxes in a landscape that has at least three majorsources of heterogeneity – irrigated andnon-irrigated rural land use and a large urban area(Sacramento region, California).The first part of the paper assesses the validity ofthe simple slab model of the CBL – this isintegrated forwards in time using local-scalemeasured heat and water vapour fluxes, to predictmixed-layer depth, temperature and humidity. Of thefour different CBL growth schemes used, the Tennekesand Driedonks model is found to give the bestperformance. Evaluation of the model performancewith different weightings of heat and water vapourfluxes based on the land use characteristics in theregion suggest that the source area for theboundary-layer sonde measurements is larger thanphysically-based estimates would suggest.Finally, measured time series of potentialtemperature are used to infer regionally averagedsensible heat fluxes using an integral CBL (ICBL)method. These ICBL fluxes are compared with thosemeasured at the local scale over the three land usetypes that comprise the region of interest. They arefound to be closest to the heat fluxes calculated byappropriately weighting the measured heat fluxes inthe source area calculated for the ICBL. We concludethat the integral CBL budget method providesadequate estimates of regionally-averaged surfaceheat fluxes in a landscape that is characterised bysurface types with distinctly different surfaceenergy budgets.     

Influence of natural and anthropogenic activities on UV Index variations – a study over tropical urban region using ground based observations and satellite data

Measurements of total ozone column and solar UV radiation under different atmospheric conditions are needed to define variations of both UV and ozone and to study the impact of ozone depletion at the Earth’s surface. In this study, spectral and broadband measurements of UV-B irradiance were obtained along with total ozone observations and aerosol optical depth measurements in the tropical urban region of Hyderabad, south India. We specifically used an Ultra-Violet Multifilter Rotating Shadow band Radiometer (UVMFR-SR), to measure UV irradiance in time and space. To assess the aerosol and O₃ effects on ground-reaching UV irradiance, we used measurements from a Microtops II sun photometer in addition to the Tropospheric Ultraviolet Visible radiation (TUV) model. We also assessed the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program – Operational Line Scanner (DMSP-OLS) night time satellite data for inferring biomass burning fires during the study period. Results clearly suggested a negative correlation between the DMSP-OLS satellite derived fire count data and UVMFR-SR data suggesting that aerosols from biomass burning are directly attenuating UV irradiance in the study region. Also, correlation analysis between UV index and ozone measurements from sun photometer and TOMS-Ozone Mapping Instrument (OMI) indicated a clear decrease in ground reaching UV-B irradiance during higher ozone conditions. The higher levels are attributed to photochemical production of O₃ during the oxidation of trace gases emitted from biomass burning. Results also suggested a relatively high attenuation in UV irradiance (~6% higher) from smoke particles than dust. We also found a relatively good agreement between the modeled (TUV) and measured UV irradiance spectra for different atmospheric conditions. Our results highlight the factors affecting UV irradiance in a tropical urban environment, south India.     

Urban heat island and differences in outdoor comfort levels in Glasgow, UK

From extensive outdoor comfort campaigns, preliminary outdoor comfort ranges have been defined for the local population of Glasgow, UK, in terms of two thermal indices: ‘Temperature Humidity Sun Wind’ (THSW) and ‘Physiological Equivalent Temperature’ (PET). A series of measurements and surveys was carried out from winter through summer 2011 during 19 monitoring campaigns. For data collection, a Davis Vantage Pro2 weather station was used, which was equipped with temperature and humidity sensors, cup anemometer with wind vane, silicon pyranometer and globe thermometer. From concurrent measurements using two weather stations, one located close to the city core and another located at a rural setting, approximately at a 15-km distance from the urban area of Glasgow, comparisons were made with regard to thermal comfort levels and to urban–rural temperature differences for different periods of the year. It was found that the two selected thermal indices (THSW and PET) closely correlate to the actual thermal sensation of respondents. Moreover, results show that the urban site will have fewer days of cold discomfort, more days of ‘neutral’ thermal sensation and slightly higher warm discomfort. The most frequent urban heat island intensity was found to be around 3° C, whereas the fraction of cooling to heating degree-hours for a T _base of 65 °F was approximately 1/12th.     

城市边界层数值模式研究以及在香港地区复杂地形下的应用

由于城市表面复杂的下垫面的影响,使得城市边界层风温场结构较其他下垫面有很大不同.作者通过将城市中500 m网格内的各种地表类型,按照各自在网格中所占的百分比及各自的地表参数加权平均,得到此网格的平均的地表参数,以此准确反映下垫面的情况,建立分辨率为500 m的城市边界层能量平衡模式,将此城市边界层能量平衡模式嵌入动力学框架,并用中尺度模式MM5作为初始条件和边界条件,建立一个既考虑中尺度背景场又详细考虑城市下垫面复杂性与多样性的城市边界层模式系统.将模式系统运用于香港复杂地形下的边界层特点的模拟研究.通过与观测值的比较,模式能够较准确的模拟出海陆风、城市热岛等热力过程,及气流过山引起的绕流等动力过程,并且通过对边界层高度的模拟预测污染扩散的条件等.说明模式系统具有模拟在中尺度的背景场的控制下海陆风环流、过山堆积和绕流及城市热力影响的能力.     

A street thermal environment study in summer by the mobile transect technique

To estimate the impact of street characteristics on the thermal environment in an urban street canyon in a hot and humid region, transect data were used to analyze the relation between three factors (urban green ratio, building ratio, and height-to-width ratio) and air temperature in two streets in Taichung City, Taiwan. In this study, air temperature data were collected by transects at four different level heights (1, 2, 3, and 4?m height) in two streets; meanwhile, the use of three street characteristics data calculated by geographic information system (GIS) data which can represent the environment conditions of 34 measured locations. The analysis results shows that the air temperature significantly correlated with height-to-width ratio (r?=?0.481), green ratio (r?=?0.729), and building ratio (r?=?0.654), respectively, at night. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that increasing the green ratio and decreasing the building density are important strategies to mitigate urban warming and to create a comfortable thermal environment.     

Tracer Flux Balance at an Urban Canyon Intersection

Despite their importance for pollutant dispersion in urban areas, the special features of dispersion at street intersections are rarely taken into account by operational air quality models. Several previous studies have demonstrated the complex flow patterns that occur at street intersections, even with simple geometry. This study presents results from wind-tunnel experiments on a reduced scale model of a complex but realistic urban intersection, located in central London. Tracer concentration measurements were used to derive three-dimensional maps of the concentration field within the intersection. In combination with a previous study (Carpentieri et al., Boundary-Layer Meteorol 133:277–296, 2009) where the velocity field was measured in the same model, a methodology for the calculation of the mean tracer flux balance at the intersection was developed and applied. The calculation highlighted several limitations of current state-of-the-art canyon dispersion models, arising mainly from the complex geometry of the intersection. Despite its limitations, the proposed methodology could be further developed in order to derive, assess and implement street intersection dispersion models for complex urban areas.     

Studying the Ionization of Atmospheric Surface Layer in Different Geophysical Conditions

The results of atmospheric electricity measurements are presented which were conducted at observation points of different types: at the urban point (Rostov-on-Don), at the point near the Sea of Azov (Taganrog and Primorka), and at the high-mountain point (Cheget Peak) near Elbrus. The patterns of spatiotemporal variations in electrical conductivity (concentration of light ions) of the atmospheric surface layer are revealed for different conditions. The impact of natural radioactivity and aerosol pollution on the concentration of light ions is assessed for observation points near the Taganrog Bay (the Sea of Azov). The results of the comparative analysis of urban and high-mountain data of atmospheric electricity observations are presented.     

Intercomparison of Secondary Inorganic Aerosol Concentrations in the UK with Predictions of the Unified Danish Eulerian Model

Nitrate and sulphate concentrations were measured over the period January 2002–December 2003 on daily basis at two stations in the UK: a rural site (Harwell) and an urban site (Belfast). The measurements were compared with model results obtained by using the Unified Danish Eulerian Model (UNI-DEM), which was run using both a coarse resolution grid (50 km × 50 km surface cells) and a fine resolution grid (10 km × 10 km surface cells). The results from the comparison show reasonably good agreement between concentrations measured at the two stations and calculated by the model. This is achieved despite the absence of aqueous phase sulphur oxidation chemistry in the model. The model results were also used to predict the spatial distributions of nitrate and sulphate concentrations in the UK which agree well with observations. The contribution of mainland European emission sources and that of UK sources to pollution levels in the UK was estimated. The relative proportions differ substantially across the UK with the imported contribution to UK sulphate and nitrate typically in the range 20–45% and 35–65% respectively.