The normal-force coefficient of a thin closed fence

In a full-scale field study, the drag coefficient of a thin closed fence was estimated. A measurement plate was constructed more or less in the center of the barrier in order to estimate the normal-force on the fence. The normal-force coefficient was studied under near-neutral stratification for various Reynolds numbers and different angles of attack.     

Drag of a thin closed fence estimated by the momentum budget technique

Summary In a full-scale field study, the drag coefficient has been estimated of a closed thin fence, which has been attached to the earth's surface. The momentum budget method has been applied to a small and narrow control volume around the fence. It appeared that the drag coefficient was strongly dependent on the thermal stratification of the atmosphere. The result under thermally near-neutral conditions agreed well with an independent direct measuring technique.

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Zusammenfassung Der Widerstandsbeiwert eines dichten dünnen Zaunes, der am Erdboden befestigt war, wurde bestimmt. Dabei wurde das Impulsbilanzverfahren an einem kleinen und schmalen Kontrollvolumen angewendet. Es zeigte sich, daß der Widerstandsbeiwert stark von der thermischen Schichtung der Atmosphäre abhängig war. Bei thermisch neutralem Zustand stimmte das Resultat gut mit unabhängigen direkten Messungen überein.

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With 7 Figures     

Static pressure around a thin barrier

Theoretical and Applied Climatology - Static pressure sensors as designed by Elliott [1], have been rebuilt and thoroughly tested. The accuracy of the mean static pressure measurements is better...     

The Modified Envelope Orography and the Air Flow over and around Mountains

By use of the two-layer adiabatic globe spectral model and the zonally averaged climatic data of winter season as initial values, 10-day integrations are carried out based on three kinds of model topography (i.e., (1) the averaged topography; (2) the envelope topography; (3) the modified envelope topography). The results show that the orography of the Northern Hemisphere plays an important role in the simulation of large-scale weather patterns in winter season. The simulation based on the envelope topography developed by Wallace et al. has some improvements in the Rocky Mountains area. But this scheme causes very serious horizontal expansion around the Tibetan Plateau (hereafter referred to as the TV). A modified envelope topography scheme has been worked out that increases the slope of the TP by decreasing the horizontal expansion while keeping the maximum altitude. The results show some improvements of the scheme around the TP. By analysis of the mechanical effects of the large-scale orography on the     

A numerical study of the air flow within and around a single tree

A three-dimensional non-hydrostatic numerical model has been used to investigate the air flow and turbulence around a single tree.The results for velocity and turbulence distributions have been compared with available data from windtunnel experiments; the agreement is satisfactory.Simulations have been carried out for different meteorological conditions (wind speed, thermal stratification) as well as for different canopy characteristics (stem height, crown diameter, crown height, porosity).Dedicated to Prof. F. Wippermann on the occasion of his 65th birthday.     

Vortex structures around a hemispheric hump

The vortex structure formed in front of and behind a hemispheric surface hump has been studied in a water recirculating flume. In the recirculation zone behind the hemisphere, arched vortex tubes were formed. Up to a certain critical Reynolds number, each tube was shed individually from the recirculation zone. However, when the Reynolds number exceeded a critical value, several of the tubes coalesced in the recirculation zone before shedding. In front of the hemisphere, some parabolic vortex tubes formed. Their number increased with Reynolds number below its critical value and decreased above this value. The dimensionless height of the parabolic vortex tube decreased with Reynolds number.     

Numerical studies on flow fields around buildings in an Urban street canyon and cross-road

The questions on how vortices are constructed and on the relationship between the flow patterns and concentration distributions in real street canyons are the most pressing questions in pollution control studies. In this paper, the very large eddy simulation (VLES) and large eddy simulation (LES) are applied to calculate the flow and pollutant concentration fields in an urban street canyon and a cross-road respectively. It is found that the flow separations are not only related to the canyon aspect ratios, but also with the flow velocities and wall temperatures. And the turbulent dispersions are so strongly affected by the flow fields that the pollutant concentration distributions can be distinguished from the different aspect ratios, flow velocities and wall temperatures.     

The flow of a coastal current past a blunt headland

Abstract

The effect of an abrupt headland on a barotropic oceanic boundary current with variable bottom topography is investigated. The objective is to explore with a very simple model some of the observed features of flow past Brooks Peninsula, an obstacle to boundary currents on the west coast of Vancouver Island. It is shown that the seasonal variation in the background current field causes a large change in the response to the headland. The difference is both quantitative and qualitative and results from the ability of southward alongshore flows to support topographic Rossby lee waves.

As a result of the presence of the lee waves a strong offshore flow occurs just downstream of the Peninsula and this ejects water from the continental shelf into deep water producing features reminiscent of the so‐called “squirts” and “jets”.     

Flow around a windbreak in oblique wind

Wind speed was measured near the surface, along a line normal to a single, 50 % porous windbreak. The results for near-neutral atmospheric conditions were strongly dependent on the incidence angle of the wind, a, and slightly dependent on the roughness of the surface. A measure of the shelter effect - the protected distance - was found to decrease faster than cos . The drag coefficient of the windbreak decreased proportionally with cos . The effect of increased roughness was to increase the wind speed near the surface in the lee of the windbreak.     

Ocean change around Greenland under a warming climate

Climate Dynamics - The impact of climate warming on the ocean near Greenland is investigated with a high resolution coupled global climate model. The ocean around Greenland exhibits a strong...     

The stability of a coupled wave-turbulence system in a parallel shear flow

The dynamic stability of a statically stable parallel shear flow is modulated by the presence of a finite amplitude wave. This can cause turbulent breakdown of the flow in the regions of reduced stability. The fluxes of momentum and heat driven by the turbulence interact with the initiating wave, and in favorable circumstances this leads to growth of the wave amplitude so that the wave-turbulence system is explosively unstable. Such interaction seems to be possible within the night-time inversion of the atmosphere.National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/University of Colorado.     

The temporal evolution of a geostrophic flow in a rotating stratified basin

A laboratory study in a rotating stratified basin examines the instability and long time evolution of the geostrophic double gyre introduced by the baroclinic adjustment to an initial basin-scale step height discontinuity in the density interface of a two-layer fluid. The dimensionless parameters that are important in determining the observed response are the Burger number S=R/R₀ (where R is the baroclinic Rossby radius of deformation and R₀ is the basin radius) and the initial forcing amplitude (H₁ is the upper layer depth). Experimental observations and a numerical approach, using contour dynamics, are used to identify the mechanisms that result in the dominance of nonlinear behaviour in the long time evolution, τ>2⁻¹ (where τ is time scaled by the inertial period T_I=2π/f). When the influence of rotation is moderate (0.25≤S≤1), the instability mechanism is associated with the finite amplitude potential vorticity (PV) perturbation introduced when the double gyre is established. On the other hand, when the influence of rotation is strong (S≤0.1), baroclinic instability contributes to the nonlinear behaviour. Regardless of the mechanism, nonlinearity acts to transfer energy from the geostrophic double gyre to smaller scales associated with an eddy field. In the lower layer, Ekman damping is pronounced, resulting in the dissipation of the eddy field after only 40T_I. In the upper layer, where dissipative effects are weak, the eddy field evolves until it reaches a symmetric distribution of potential vorticity within the domain consisting of cyclonic and anticyclonic eddy pairs, after approximately 100T_I. The functional dependence of the characteristic eddy lengthscale L_E on S is consistent with previous laboratory studies on continuously forced geostrophic turbulence. The cyclonic and anticyclonic eddy pairs are maintained until viscous effects eventually dissipate all motion in the upper layer after approximately 800T_I. The outcomes of this study are considered in terms of their contribution to the understanding of the energy pathways and transport processes associated with basin-scale motions in large stratified lakes.     

The role of closed ecological systems in carbon cycle modelling

Acquiring a mechanistic understanding of the role of biotic feedbacks for the links between atmospheric CO₂ concentrations and temperature is essential for trustworthy climate predictions. Currently, computer-based simulations are the only available tool to estimate the global impact of biotic feedbacks on future atmospheric CO₂ and temperatures. Here we propose an alternative and complementary approach by using materially closed, energetically open analogue/physical models of the carbon cycle. We argue that there is unexplored potential in using a materially closed approach to improve our understanding of the magnitude and direction of many biotic carbon feedbacks and that recent technological advances make this feasible. We also suggest how such systems could be designed and discuss the advantages and limitations of establishing physical models of the global carbon cycle.     

Airflow patterns over and around a large three-dimensional hill

Summary Surface wind patterns and air flows within the planetary boundary layer over a large three-dimensional hill of moderate slope are grouped according to Froude number classes. An evolution of flow patterns is shown to occur as the Froude number increases.Separation of the surface flow begins at the base of the lee side of the mountain near the centerline, moving upward on the lee slope as the Froude number increases. Recirculating eddies follow the separation of the lee flow. Eventually the separation line moves forward to the windward side as the Froude number becomes very large. The recirculating eddy becomes unsteady, with indication of an intermittent counterrolating eddy near the lee surface in neutral flow. The lee-side turbulence is enhanced with respect to the windward side due to the large eddies in high Froude number regimes.The concept of a critical height for the approach flow is generally supported. The integral form of the Froude number does not appear to be superior to a bulk Froude calculation in representing a particular airflow pattern.With 6 FiguresDeceased.     

A wind tunnel study of the flow field within and around open-top chambers used for air pollution studies

The EPA Meteorological Wind Tunnel was used to examine the flow field in and around models of open-top field-plant growth chambers used to assess the effects of pollutant gases on plant growth. Baffles designed to reduce the ingress of ambient air into the chamber through the open top were tested; the mean flow and turbulence in the simulated boundary layer with and without the chambers were compared (the chamber was operated with and without the pollutant flow system on); and the effects of surrounding chambers on the concentration field were measured. Results showed that a baffle with a reduced opening vertically above the test area maintained the highest uniform concentration in the test area. The major differences between the three (no chamber and the chamber with flow on and off) mean velocity profiles occurred below z/h = 2.0 (h is chamber height) and at z/h ≤ 4.2. The three Reynolds stress profiles were similar above z/h = 2.0. Downwind of the chamber, the Reynolds stresses in the on-mode were greater than those in the off-mode above z/h = 1.1. The reverse was true below that point. Both longitudinal and vertical intensities above and downwind of the chamber were greater with the mixture flow system on rather than off, below about z/h < 1.5. Lateral variations in the mean wind indicated that the mean velocity was greater with the mixture flow system on except near the centerline where the reverse was true. The concentrations in the downwind wake resembled those for a cube. The location of a cylinder within a regular array had some effect on its internal gas concentration. Locations near the upwind and downwind edges of the array were associated with lower concentrations, although for all locations the highest internal values were always found at the lowest portion of the upwind wall. With active cylinders downwind, the gas plume emitted from a source cylinder at the windward edge of the array was forced 0.5 h higher and the centerline meandered laterally when compared with the single-cylinder case. A cylinder located at z/h = 1.0 downwind from a source cylinder received approximately 3%; of the concentration input to the source, or roughly 10%; of the actual concentration within the source cylinder.     

A wind tunnel study of turbulent flow around single and multiple windbreaks, part I: Velocity fields

This paper describes wind-tunnel experiments on the flow around single and multiple porous windbreaks (height H), sheltering a model plant canopy (height H/3). The mean wind is normal to the windbreaks, which span the width of the wind tunnel. The incident turbulent flow simulates the adiabatic atmospheric surface layer. Five configurations are examined: single breaks of three solidities (low, medium, high; solidity = 1 - porosity), and medium-solidity multiple breaks of streamwise spacing 12H and 6H. The experimental emphases are on the interactions of the windbreak flow with the underlying plant canopy; the effects of solidity; the differences in shelter between single and multiple windbreaks; and the scaling properties of the flow. Principal results are: (1) the "quiet zones" behind each windbreak are smaller in multiple than single arrays, because of the higher turbulence level in the very rough-wall internal boundary layer which develops over the multiple arrays. Nevertheless, the overall shelter effectiveness is higher for multiple arrays than single windbreaks because of the "nonlocal shelter" induced by the array as a whole. (2) The flow approaching the windbreak decelerates above the canopy but accelerates within the canopy, particularly when the windbreak solidity is high. (3) A strong mixing layer forms just downwind of the top of each windbreak, showing some of the turbulence and scaling properties of the classical mixing layer formed between uniform, coflowing streams. (4) No dramatic increase in turbulence levels in the canopy is evident at the point where the deepening mixing layer contacts the canopy (around x/H = 3) but the characteristic inflection in the canopy wind profile is eliminated at this point.     

The algebraic decay of equatorial Rossby waves in a shear flow

Through numerical integration, we show that equatorial Rossby waves, like their midlatitude counterparts, decay algebraically in the limit t → ∞ in a linear shear flow. For small times, the growth expected for some components does not translate into any growth of the wave disturbance as a whole when the initial conditions has a broad Fourier spectrum. The conclusion is that Rossby waves will amplify with time only when the mean flow has an inflection point or when the initial eddy field is strongly concentrated in long waves tilted against the shear.     

The flow in a turbulent boundary layer upstream of a change in surface roughness

Modification of a turbulent flow upstream of a change in surface roughness has been studied by means of a stream function-vorticity model.A flow reduction is found upstream of a step change in surface roughness when a fluid flows from a smooth onto a rough surface. Above that layer and above the region of flow reduction downstream of a smooth-rough transition, a flow acceleration is observed. Similar flow modification can be seen at a rough-smooth transition with the exception that flow reduction and flow acceleration are reversed. Within a fetch of –500 < x/z ₀< + 500 (z ₀ is the maximum roughness length, the roughness transition is located at x/z ₀ = 0), flow reduction (flow acceleration) upstream of a roughness transition is one order of magnitude smaller than the flow reduction (flow acceleration) downstream of a smooth-rough (rough-smooth) transition. The flow acceleration (flow reduction) above that layer is two orders of magnitude.The internal boundary layer (IBL) for horizontal mean velocity extends to roughly 300z ₀ upstream of a roughness transition, whereas the IBL for turbulent shear stress as well as the distortion of flow equilibrium extend almost twice as far. For the friction velocity, an undershooting (overshooting) with respect to upstream equilibrium is predicted which precedes overshooting (undershooting) over new equilibrium just behind a roughness transition.The flow modification over a finite fetch of modified roughness is weaker than over a corresponding fetch downstream of a single step change in roughness and the flow stays closer to upstream equilibrium. Even in front of the first roughness change of a finite fetch of modified roughness, a distortion of flow equilibrium due to the second, downwind roughness change can be observed.     

湖北浠水核电站周边地区龙卷风特征

根据湖北省浠水核电站周边300 km×300 km区域范围内1964—2007年龙卷风资料,对龙卷风的时间分布和灾害特征进行了分析。结果表明：龙卷风有明显的时间分布,一年之中主要集中在春、夏两季,秋、冬季无龙卷风发生,以7月最多;一天之中,午后至傍晚最多,集中在16：00—18：59之间,龙卷风平均持续时间27 min。近44年,21世纪头7年中龙卷风出现最为频繁。龙卷风出现时,蒲福风力等级一般在10级以上,集中出现在12级;富士达风力等级集中出现在F0、F1级,F2级以上出现的几率较小。龙卷风多以自西向东方向移动,影响宽度平均1.20 km,平均带长21.66 km。龙卷风灾害主要是风灾,往往伴有冰雹、暴雨、雷击,破坏力极强。     

乌鲁木齐机场一次小尺度雷暴天气分析

利用常规天气资料、卫星云图资料、乌鲁木齐市多普勒雷达资料、AWOS资料对乌鲁木齐机场2006年5月18日发生的一次小尺度天气带来的强雷暴进行分析,结果表明：雷暴天气发生在较强降水过程之后较低气温条件下的一次特殊天气。雷暴天气发生时,乌鲁木齐机场个别时刻跑道两端出现了风向和风速变化的不连续,在跑道上形成了水平风切变。此次雷暴天气是在北疆地区存在高空急流及500hPa高空槽的特定大尺度天气背景下,由地面能量锋、地面辐合线、干线触发的强对流天气。