Sea-town interactions over Marseille: 3D urban boundary layer and thermodynamic fields near the surface

Summary 3D numerical simulations with the Meso-NH atmospheric model including the Town Energy Balance urban parameterization, are conducted over the south-east of France and the one million inhabitants city of Marseille in the frameworks of the ESCOMPTE-UBL program. The geographic situation of the area is relatively complex, because of the proximity of the Mediterranean Sea and the presence of numerous massifs, inducing complex meteorological flows. The present work is focused on six days of the campaign, characterized by the development of strong summer sea-breeze circulations. A complete evaluation of the model is initially realized at both regional- and city-scales, by using the large available database. The regional evaluation shows a good behavior of the model, during the six days of simulation, either for the parameters near the surface or for the vertical profiles describing the structure of the atmosphere. The urban-scale evaluation indicates that the fine structure of the horizontal fields of air temperature above the city is correctly simulated by the model. A specific attention is then pointed to the 250-m horizontal resolution outputs, focused on the Marseille area, for two days of the campaign. From the study of the vertical structure of the Urban Boundary Layer and the thermodynamic fields near the surface, one underscores the important differences due to the regional and local flows, and the complex interactions that occur between the urban effects and the effects of sea breezes.     

Modeling of urban heat island and its impacts on thermal circulations in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region,China

Through regulating the land–atmosphere energy balance, urbanization plays an important role in modifying local circulations and cross-border transport of air pollutants. The Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei (BTH) metropolitan area in northern China is frequently influenced by complex atmospheric thermal circulations due to its special topography and geographic position. In this study, the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model combined with remote sensing is used to explore the urbanization impacts on local circulations in the BTH region. The urban heat island (UHI) effect generated around Beijing and Tianjin shows complex interactions with local thermal circulations. Due to the combined effects of UHI and topography, the UHI circulation around Beijing and valley breeze at the southern slopes of Yan Mountain are coupled together to reinforce each other. At the coastal cities, the increased land/sea temperature gradient considerably accelerates the sea breeze along Bohai Bay and moves the sea breeze front further inland to reach as far as Beijing. This study may lay a foundation for the better understanding of air pollutant dispersion on complex terrain.

     

Impact of the Rhône and Durance valleys on sea-breeze circulation in the Marseille area

Sea-breeze dynamics in the Marseille area, in the south of France, is investigated in the framework of the ESCOMPTE experiment conducted during summer 2001 in order to evaluate the role of thermal circulations on pollutant transport and ventilation. Under particular attention in this paper is the sea-breeze channelling by the broad Rhône valley and the narrow Durance valley, both oriented nearly-north–south, i.e., perpendicular to the coastline, and its possible impact on the sea-breeze penetration, intensity and depth, which are key information for air pollution issues. One situation of slight synoptic pressure gradient leading to a northerly flow in the Rhône valley (25 June 2001) and one situation of a weak onshore prevailing synoptic wind (26 June 2001) are compared. The impact of the Rhône and Durance valleys on the sea-breeze dynamics on these two typical days is generalized to the whole ESCOMPTE observing period.The present study shows by combining simple scaling analysis with wind data from meteorological surface stations and Doppler lidars that (i) the Durance valley always affects the sea breeze by accelerating the flow. A consequence is that the Durance valley contributes to weaken the temperature gradient along the valley and thus the sea-breeze circulation. In some cases, the acceleration of the channelled flow in the Durance valley suppresses the sea-breeze flow by temperature gradient inhibition; (ii) the Rhône valley does not generally affect the sea breeze significantly. However, if the sea breeze is combined with an onshore flow, it leads to further penetration inland and intensification of the low-level southerly flow. In this situation, lateral constriction may accelerate the sea breeze. Simple scaling analysis suggests that Saint Paul (44.35°N, about 100 km from the coastline) is the lower limit where sea breeze can be affected by the Rhône valley. These conclusions have implications in air quality topics as channelled sea breeze may advect far inland pollutants which may be incorporated into long-range transport, particularly in the Durance valley.     

Interactions of an urban heat island and sea-breeze circulations during winter over the metropolitan area of São Paulo,Brazil

The Town Energy Budget (TEB) model, a detailed urban parameterisation using a generalised canyon geometry, coupled with the Regional Atmospheric Modelling System (RAMS) is used to simulate the wintertime local circulation in the megacity environment of the metropolitan area of Sao Paulo (MASP) in Brazil. Model simulations are performed using actual topography and land-use fields. Comparison with a simple urban parameterisation based on the LEAF-2 scheme is also shown. Validation is based on comparison between model simulations and observations. Sensitivity tests with TEB reveal an important interaction between the sea breeze and the MASP heat island circulation. Even though topography is known to play an important role in the MASP region’s weather, in these tests the simulations were performed without topography in order to unambiguously identify the interaction between the two local circulations. The urban heat island (UHI) forms a strong convergence zone in the centre of the city and thereby accelerates the sea-breeze front toward the centre of the city. The presence of the urban region increases the sea-breeze front propagation mean speed by about 0.32 m s⁻¹ when compared with the situation of no city. After its arrival in the urban region, the sea-breeze front stalls over the centre of the city for about 2 h. Subsequently, the sea breeze progresses beyond the city when the heat island dissipates. Thereafter, the sea breeze propagates beyond the urban area at a decelerated rate compared to a simulation without an UHI.     

辽宁绥中地区海陆风的多普勒测风激光雷达观测与特征提取

2019年3月,利用相干多普勒测风激光雷达首次在辽东湾西部绥中地区进行了风廓线测量试验。根据研究区域海岸线走向采用风向的十六分位法定义局地海风和陆风,分析和提取海陆风特征验证了多普勒测风激光雷达在春季季风间断期间观测海陆风的可行性,并计算和分析了大气边界层湍流能量的变化以及回流水平变化等特性。结果表明：1）绥中地区春季存在明显的海陆风环流特征,测风激光雷达观测海陆风出现的时间与地面自动气象站观测的数据较为一致,符合海陆风日的定义。2）海陆风日发生时,水平局地回流指数（RF）较小,1.2 km以下的RF值小于0.5,使得污染物循环累积,较易形成雾霾天气;但是海风时大气边界层的高度可达1 km以上,有利于低层大气污染物向高层扩散,减轻低层大气污染。研究结果为该地边界层参数化方案的设计和污染的防治提供了参考依据。     

Investigation on the fine structure of sea-breeze during ESCOMPTE experiment

Surface and remote-sensing instruments deployed during ESCOMPTE experiment over the Marseille area, along the Mediterranean coast, were used to investigate the fine structure of the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) during sea-breeze circulation in relation to pollutant transport and diffusion. Six sea-breeze events are analyzed with a particular focus on 25 June 2001.Advection of cool and humid marine air over land has a profound influence on the daytime ABL characteristics. This impact decreases rapidly with the inland distance from the sea. Nearby the coast (3 km inland), the mixing height Zi rises up to 750 m and falls down after 15:00 (UT) when the breeze flow reaches its maximum intensity. A more classical evolution of the ABL is observed at only 11-km inland where Zi culminates in the morning and stabilizes in the afternoon at about 1000 m height.Fine inspection of the data revealed an oscillation of the sea-breeze with a period about 2 h 47 min. This feature, clearly discernable for 3 days at least, is present in several atmospheric variables such as wind, temperature, not only at the ground but also aloft in the ABL as observed by sodar/RASS and UHF wind profilers. In particular, the mixing height Zi deduced from UHF profilers observations is affected also by the same periodicity. This pulsated sea-breeze is observed principally above Marseille and, at the northern and eastern shores of the Berre pond.In summary, the periodic intrusion over land of cool marine air modifies the structure of the ABL in the vicinity of the coast from the point of view of stability, turbulent motions and pollutants concentration. An explanation of the source of this pulsated sea-breeze is suggested.     

Impact of a sea breeze on the boundary-layer dynamics and the atmospheric stratification in a coastal area of the North Sea

In-situ sodar and lidar measurements were coupled with numerical simulations for studying a sea-breeze event in a flat coastal area of the North Sea. The study’s aims included the recognition of the dynamics of a sea-breeze structure, and its effects on the lower troposphere stratification and the three-dimensional (3D) pollutant distribution. A sea breeze was observed with ground-based remote sensing instruments and analysed by means of numerical simulations using the 3D non-hydrostatic atmospheric model Meso-NH. The vertical structure of the lower troposphere was experimentally determined from the lidar and sodar measurements, while numerical simulations focused on the propagation of the sea breeze inland. The sea-breeze front, the headwind, the thermal internal boundary layer, the gravity current and the sea-breeze circulation were observed and analysed. The development of a late stratification was also observed by the lidar and simulated by the model, suggesting the formation of a stable multilayered structure. The transport of passive tracers inside the sea breeze and their redistribution above the gravity current was simulated too. Numerical modelling showed that local pollutants may travel backward to the sea above the gravity current at relatively low speed due to the shearing between the landward gravity current and the seaward synoptic wind. Such dynamic conditions may enhance an accumulation of pollutants above coastal industrial areas.     

The evolution and structure of a tropical island sea/land-breeze system, northern Australia

Summary This paper is concerned with sea/land-breeze systems over relatively flat tropical islands to the north of continental Australia. The purpose of this study is to contribute to the relatively small body of knowledge on tropical island sea/land-breeze systems in this region and to highlight their particular characteristics. The evolution and structure of coastal circulations over the Tiwi Islands, northern Australia are examined using observations made during the Maritime Continent Thunderstorm Experiment (MCTEX), November/December 1995. During the transition period between dry and wet (monsoon) seasons, strong diurnal surface heating dominates the local meteorology. Thermally modified pressure differences across the coastline are seen to control the timing, direction and intensity of local winds. The evolution and structure of the resulting circulations appear to be affected greatest by tropospheric stability and friction, while the Coriolis force, synoptic winds and topography are of much less importance in this case. Consequently, even small differences in surface properties seem to produce strong and well defined local wind circulations. The depth of the sea breeze averaged 1200 m, while the land breeze was considerably shallower (290 m). Return flows were evident in both circulations, although better defined in land breeze cases. Day to day variation in vertical structure was considerable and appeared to be controlled by stability in the lower troposphere. Spatial patterns of surface temperature, pressure and wind show formation of an island heat low by day and a cool high pressure centre at night, resulting in island scale convergence and divergence, respectively. Received February 27, 2000/Revised October 16, 2000     

The Structure and Evolution of Sea Breezes During the Qingdao Olympics Sailing Test Event in 2006

Using data from automatic surface weather stations,buoys,lidar and Doppler,the diurnal variation and the three-dimensional structure of the sea breezes near the sailing sites of the Good Luck Beijing— 2006 Qingdao International Regatta from 18 to 31 August 2006 are analyzed.Results show that excluding rainy days and days affected by typhoon,the sea breezes occur nearly every day during this period.When Qingdao is located at the edge of the subtropical high at 500 hPa,the sea breeze is usually stronger,aroun...     

珠江三角洲秋季大气边界层温度和风廓线观测研究

根据2004年10月珠江三角洲3个代表性观测点大气边界层观测资料, 分析了珠江三角洲秋季大气边界层温度和风廓线特征。结果表明:珠江三角洲秋季气温递减率较低, 逆温出现频率较高, 强度较弱, 海风使珠江口贴地逆温的出现时间推迟、低空逆温的出现频率增加。珠江三角洲秋季受多种局地环流影响, 边界层内风廓线比较复杂, 晚上城市群与非城市群地区风向有明显差别; 城市群和珠江口多次分别观测到城市热岛环流和海风环流。     

Available potential energy of the daily coastal circulation at Zadar (Croatia)

Summary The aim of this study is the evaluation of the sea breeze speed on the basis of its energy. Energetics of the sea breeze can be studied by means of the available potential energy (APE). Part of this energy is transformed into the kinetic energy of the sea breeze. Some similarity exists between the large scale processes of the circulation and the small coastal air circulation due to the fact that both circulations are triggered by the same physics, i.e., solenoidal activity of the baroclinic atmosphere. To evaluate the sea breeze speed, APE was calculated by use of the Lorenz’s equation (1955), and which is possible if the coastal circulation is considered to be a closed system in a hydrostatic equilibrium. For calculations and verifications hourly sea-surface temperatures, near-ground air temperatures and wind speed measurements, as well as the radio-sounding measurements at 12 UTC were used at the Zadar station (ϕ = 44° 08′ N, λ = 15° 13′ E), which is situated in the central part of the eastern Adriatic coast. Two days with an undisturbed sea breeze circulation were extracted using the methods for minimizing other atmospheric influences. Calculated hourly near ground sea breeze speeds obtained in this way were higher than the measured ones. With the assumption that some of the APE is transformed into the kinetic energy it is possible to obtain characteristic speed of the developed sea breeze with small discrepancies to the near-ground measurements. If 6.6% of the mean daily near ground APE was taken to be transformed to the mean daily kinetic sea breeze energy on the 29th and 4.2% on the 30th September 2002, the best agreement was obtained with the mean daily measured near ground sea breeze speed. This range of values can be attributed to inability to extract precise values for the lapse-rate needed in the APE sea breeze calculations. Results show similarities to the general circulation of the atmosphere, since about 10% of the APE is transformed to the kinetic energy of the sea breeze. On the other hand calculated wind speed at the lower branch of the borderline coastal circulation was not dependent on the integral value of the APE over the land, but on its value at the near-ground level.     

中国黄海西岸海陆风循环结构研究

陆海风是由于海陆表面之间的比热容不同而导致的昼夜热量分布差异,从而在海岸附近引发的大气中尺度循环系统.本文利用多普勒风激光雷达Windcube100s首次对黄海西海岸的海陆风的循环结构进行了观测研究.在2018年8月31日至9月28日观测期间发现,海陆风发展高度一般在700 m至1300 m.海陆风转化持续的时间为6小时至8小时.在425m高度,海风水平风速出现最大值,平均为5.6 m s-1.陆风最大水平风速出现在370m,约为4.5 m s-1.最大风切变指数在1300m处,为2.84;在陆风向海风转换过程中,最大风切变指数在700m处,为1.28.在同一高度上,风切变指数在海风盛行和陆风盛行时的差值范围为0.2-3.6,风切变能反映出海陆风的发展高度.     

2013年宁波地区一次海风锋对雷暴过程影响分析及数值模拟

利用浙江省常规气象站观测资料、地面自动站加密资料、新一代多普勒天气雷达资料、NCEP GFS分析资料以及WRF中尺度模式,对2013年7月29日发生在宁波市地区的一个局地强雷暴天气过程进行了诊断分析和数值模拟。通过对天气环流和数值模拟结果的分析发现：本次强雷暴过程发生在较稳定的大气背景下,主要影响系统是中尺度辐合线海风锋;多普勒雷达出现弱窄带回波时,对应中尺度辐合线海风锋;海风锋向内陆推进时,对应站点温度降低、湿度增大。WRF模式能较好地模拟出此次雷暴过程以及宁波地区低层海风锋环流,高空回流随时间和空间的演变特征;海风锋的锋生造成的地转强迫促使次级环流加强,在东西风辐合线西侧有垂直上升运动出现;通过与敏感试验的对比可知,海陆热力差异是影响雷暴降水强度、海风锋水平垂直环流的重要因素。     

Numerical simulation of sea and bay breezes in a weak shear environment

Summary A numerical mesoscale model (COAMPS) is used to study some of the features associated with the evolution of the kinematic, thermodynamic, and physical structure of the Alabama sea and bay breeze circulations and convections in weak shear environments based on five cases from Medlin and Croft (1998). The general and expected features and evolution of sea and bay breeze circulations are captured by the model simulations, including horizontal and vertical wind shifts, thermal contrast between land and water surface, vertical stability over water and land, return currents and moisture increase. The relationship of the circulations to specific synoptic flow regimes and local physiographic features was investigated. The sea breeze triggered convective cells are confirmed to have a preferred location according to the flow regime and local conditions. This result can assist the forecasters in understanding the anticipated convective cell initiation and development on a given day as related to sea and bay breeze cells as well as improve the short-term forecast accuracy of the location of thunderstorm initiation based on routine observations and subsequent convective activity. If local NWS office model a selective subset of cases then they can better visualize and forecast those cases operationally.     

青岛流亭机场海风特征分析及对飞行的影响

通过分析2008—2016年青岛流亭机场(简称青岛机场)各季节地面风向日变化规律,发现有两支海风环流影响青岛机场：一支是西支海风,风向210°～230°,一般上午影响机场,午后发展至最强,下午消失;另一支为南支海风,风向150°～170°,午后影响机场,下午取代西支海风,傍晚发展至最强,夜间逐渐减弱消失。两支海风夏季最为明显,南支海风强度季节性差异强于西支海风。海风对机场飞行的影响主要体现在两支海风引起的三种海风锋型低空风切变,分别为西支海风锋引起的侧风切变、两支海风环流相互作用引起的侧风切变以及南支海风引起的顺风切变,其季节及日变化规律为：夏季出现概率最大,春、秋季次之,冬季几乎不会发生;一天中最可能发生时段分别为08：00—11：00、12：00—15：00和15：00—17：00,具体时段在各季节略有差异。     

Effect of Surface Heterogeneity on the Boundary-Layer Height: A Case Study at a Semi-Arid Forest

We investigate the effects of an isolated meso-\(\gamma \)-scale surface heterogeneity for roughness and albedo on the atmospheric boundary-layer (ABL) height, with a case study at a semi-arid forest surrounded by sparse shrubland (forest area: \(28~\text{ km }^2\), forest length in the main wind direction: 7 km). Doppler lidar and ceilometer measurements at this semi-arid forest show an increase in the ABL height over the forest compared with the shrubland on four out of eight days. The differences in the ABL height between shrubland and forest are explained for all days with a model that assumes a linear growth of the internal boundary layer of the forest through the convective ABL upwind of the forest followed by a square-root growth into the stable free atmosphere. For the environmental conditions that existed during our measurements, the increase in ABL height due to large sensible heat fluxes from the forest (\(600~\text {W~m}^{-2}\) in summer) is subdued by stable stratification in the free atmosphere above the ABL, or reduced by high wind speeds in the mixed layer.     

多云天气下海南岛地形对局地海风环流结构影响的数值模拟

采用WRF中尺度天气预报模式,针对海南岛多云天气条件下的一次典型海风个例,对局地海风环流结构进行数值模拟,分析海风环流的演变特征,并通过设计改变海南岛地形的敏感性试验,探究地形对海南岛局地海风环流结构以及云水分布的影响。结果表明:海岛西部陡峭的山区造成海风强迫抬升,偏南背景风使得海岛北部高空回流明显,海岛西部、北部的海风结构较为完整;地形高度越高,海岛南部山区的阻挡作用越强,西部地区的海风高空回流特征越显著,西部、西北部云水混合比的位置也越深入内陆;受南海季风的影响,与晴空天气相比,多云天气下海风强盛期全岛的最大风速稍大,海风在垂直方向上达到的高度更高;移平地形后,多云天气下全岛风速平均仅减少2~3 m·s^-1,而晴空天气下全岛风速则大大减弱,即多云天气下海风环流水平结构受地形的影响比晴空天气下弱。     

Interaction of the sea breeze with a river breeze in an area of complex coastal heating

A three-dimensional finite-element mesoscale model is used to study the interaction of two different but related mesoscale phenomena in an area having a complex pattern of surface heating. The model simulations have been compared with temperature and wind fields observed on a typical fall day during the Kennedy Space Center Atmospheric Boundary Layer Experiment on the east coast of Florida.Numerical results and observations both show that the meso- scale flow field is significantly modified from the conventional coastal-flow patterns by the smaller meso- scale irregular geographic features in this area. A local river breeze is observed to develop around the Indian River almost the same time as the Atlantic sea breeze. A comparison of the sea and the river breezes shows a large difference in their horizontal circulations but only slight differences in their vertical scales. The sea breeze intensifies more rapidly than the river breeze, so that a lag of 1 to 1.5 h exists between their most developed stages. The river breeze is relatively stationary, whereas the sea breeze propagates inland, with an eventual merger of the two circulations occurring about 6–8 h after their onset.Different synoptic wind regimes create different flow structures. Well-defined sea- and river-breeze circulations become established under calm, weak offshore, and weak alongshore synoptic-wind conditions. Maximum vertical velocities occur in the sea-breeze front (river-breeze front) in the cases of calm (offshore winds). The sea breeze and the river breeze are weaker when the synoptic winds are stronger.Finally, the results from numerical experiments designed to isolate the rivers' effect indicate that the convergence in the sea-breeze front is suppressed when it passes over the cooler surface of the rivers.Journal Paper No. J-14150 of the Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Experiment Station, Ames, Iowa, Project No. 2779     

Statistical analysis of boundary layer heights in a suburban environment

The atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) is characterized by the turbulence eddies that transport heat, momentum, gaseous constituents and particulate matter from Earth’s surface to the atmosphere and vice versa. Thus, the determination of its height has a great importance in a wide range of applications like air quality forecasting and management. This study aims at estimating the height of the ABL in a suburban environment and at investigating its temporal variation and its relationship with meteorological variables, like temperature and wind. For this purpose, radiosonde data from the suburban area of Thessaloniki, Greece, are analyzed. The data analysis reveals that ABL height is usually below 200 m in the morning hours during all seasons of the year and that is also low when near-surface temperature and wind speed are low too. Additionally, noon ABL height exhibits a strong seasonal variation, reaching higher values during summer than during winter.Very high values of ABL height, of the order of ~3,000 m, are occasionally observed in Thessaloniki during summer. Moreover, sea breeze development during summer is related to a slight reduction of the ABL height.