Dynamic pressure distribution on large circular cylinders caused by wind generated random waves

A technique has been developed to evaluate the dynamic pressures on cylindrical structures due to irregular waves based on McCamy and Fuchs linear diffraction theory and principle of superposition. Experiments have been conducted in Hydraulic Engineering Laboratory, Indian Institute of Technology, Madras to examine the dynamic pressures excited by irregular waves on circular cylinders of large diameter. The pressures around the cylinder at representative locations were measured and compared with calculated pressures. The spectral density functions computed from pressure time series measured in the laboratory agree well with the calculated pressure spectral densities. The agreement is good and encouraging.     

Numerical Simulation of Mesoscale Circulations in a Region of Contrasting Soil Types

Mesoscale processes that form due to changes in surface characteristics play a dominant role in the development of the planetary boundary layer structure and the formation of convection. In this study, effects of the Sandhills region of North and South Carolina on mesoscale processes are examined. Climatological analyses indicate increased convective precipitation in this location as compared to the surrounding region. This is believed to be due to enhanced convection induced by horizontal heat flux gradients caused by sharp changes in soil type and hence the heat capacity of the soil. Simulations using a non-hydrostatic mesoscale model (MM5 version 3.3) were made for a non-precipitation case with a 5-km resolution domain centered over the Carolinas from August 15, 2000 to August 18, 2000. The results showed the existence of a mesoscale circulation over the Sandhills region. Differential heating induced by contrasting soil types dividing the Coastal Plain from the central Piedmont causes this circulation. Sea-breeze circulation often combines with the Sandhills circulation to initiate convection in this region. Diurnal variations are handled well by the model indicating that the thermodynamic structure of the atmosphere is well simulated.     

Effect of three different boundary-layer parameterisations in a regional atmospheric model on the simulation of summer monsoon circulation

Bulk, first-order and turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) closure schemes are used to parameterise the boundary-layer physics in a high resolution, limited area model. The model was used to simulate the summer monsoon circulations over India. The domain selected included the monsoon trough over northern India, a region of mesoscale convection. A monsoon depression was present at the time of the simulation. The results indicate that the TKE closure scheme combined with the Monin–Obukhov surface-layer similarity relation provided the best 48-hour simulation of the circulation and the rainfall associated with the monsoon depression.     

A numerical study of a TOGA-COARE squall-line using a coupled mesoscale atmosphere-ocean model

1. Introduction Air-sea interaction plays an important role in theglobal seasonal to inter-annual climate variability,most notably, the El Ni?no and Southern Oscillation(ENSO) phenomenon (Webster and Lukas, 1992). Be-cause of its widespread impacts on …     

Bioremediation of chromium(VI) by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Stenotrophomonas maltophilia</Emphasis> isolated from tannery effluent

Bioremediation of chromates using bacteria primarily involves the removal/reduction of heavy metals in effluent using indigenous micro-organisms such as chromium reducing bacteria as biosorbents for cleaner and healthier environment. In the present study, the removal of hexavalent chromium by micro-organisms isolated from acclimatized tannery effluent was investigated. Biochemical assays and molecular sequencing revealed strain SRS05 to be Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. Resistance to chromium was determined by agar and broth dilution assays followed by determination of minimal inhibitory concentration. Strain SRS05 was able to resist 400 mg/ml of chromium which reflects that the heavy metal could be utilized by the micro-organism for its growth. Results by atomic absorption spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic analysis and scanning electron microscopy revealed effective biosorption of chromium by S. maltophilia SRS05 with no intracellular changes morphologically indicating the stability of the organism in the presence of chromium. It is therefore recommended that this bacterium can be used widely for remediation of hexavalent chromium although the genetic basis for observations concluded in this study is to be confirmed.     

The Summertime Great Plains Low Level Jet And The Effect of Its Origin On Moisture Transport

Radiosonde data from six stations in Kansas and Oklahoma for the period of June 16–24, 1993 indicate that a low-level jet (LLJ) occurred almost every day except on the 20th. Major characteristics of these LLJs are documented in this paper. The maximum wind speed (the jet speed) varied from 13 to 32 m s^-1 and heights ranged from 167 to 910 m. All the jets were southerly except the one on June 19 which changed its direction dramatically from a southerly to a northerly direction in about three hours although its intensity did not change appreciably. Thermal stability of the boundary layer during these LLJ occurrences ranged from near-neutral to highly stable. All the low-level jets exhibited significant diurnal variations. Analyses show that relatively weak large-scale forcing existed for the LLJs on June 21 and June 22, while strong forcing was present on other days. Analyses also show that moisture transport by the LLJ from the Gulf of Mexico to the Great Plains depends on the location of the LLJ origin. In the two weeks of June 13–19 and 20–26, 1993, powerful storms swept through the central United States, accompanied by tornadoes, strong wind, large hail and heavy rainfall. The analyses indicate that these weather events could be a result of the interactions of the LLJs with synoptic-scale flow.     

A three-dimensional numerical sensitivity study of convection over the Florida peninsula

The Florida peninsula has the highest annual number of days with thunderstorms in the United States, partly due to sea breeze convergence. A three-dimensional mesoscale planetary boundary layer (PBL) model with the E- turbulence closure is used to investigate the relationship between sea breeze convergence and convection over the peninsula for two ambient wind cases during typical summer days.It is found that the spatial and temporal variation of the sea breeze convergence zones and the associated convective activities depend to a large extent on the direction and magnitude of the ambient wind. For the case of southeasterly ambient winds, a strong convergence zone and hence significant rainfall occur primarily along the west coast of the peninsula. The convergence zone and the associated rainfall shift towards the east coast for the case of southwesterly ambient winds. These are in agreement with the observations. In contrast to the southeasterly and southwesterly ambient winds, an intense convergence zone and rainfall occur near both coastlines of the peninsula under light ambient winds.It is also found that lake Okeechobee has a substantial influence on south Florida's mesoscale weather. A cloudless region is always present over the lake at least until late afternoon due to its own lake breeze circulation. Finally, increased roughness of the land surface appears to influence the temporal and spatial variation of the convection by determining the intensity of the vertical turbulent transport of heat and momentum.     

A non-hydrostatic modeling study of surface moisture effects on mesoscale convection induced by sea breeze circulation

Summary Convection and subsequent precipitation induced by the sea breeze circulations are often observed in the Florida peninsula during summer. In this study, the mechanisms of initiation and maintenance of the convective clouds and precipitation are investigated. A fully-compressible fine resolution non-hydrostatic mesoscale numerical model is used in this study. Surface energy and moisture budget were included in this model to simulate the diurnal cycle of ground surface temperature and wetness. The model also has a sophisticated boundary layer and explicit cloud physics. A sounding obtained from Orlando, Florida at 1110 UTC 17 July 1991 as part of the Convection and Precipitation Electrification (CaPE) experiment is used for initialization. The initial data for the model is kept in geostrophic and thermal wind balance. Several sensitivity tests were conducted to investigate the effects of different treatments of ground surface moisture and temperature on the model forecast of the convection and precipitation induced by the sea breeze circulations. The simulations agree reasonably well with the observations when both surface energy and moisture budget were included in the model to predict ground surface temperature and wetness. The surface moisture has a significant impact on the formation, strength, sustenance, and the location of convection and precipitation induced by the sea breezes.With 17 Figures