Inventory of File nam.t00z.smartpr00.tm00.grib2

Science.gov Websites

layer WDIR analysis Wind Direction (from which blowing) [degtrue] 016 planetary boundary layer WIND analysis Wind Speed [m/s] 017 planetary boundary layer RH analysis Relative Humidity [%] 018 planetary boundary layer DIST analysis Geometric Height [m] 019 surface 4LFTX analysis Best (4 layer) Lifted Index [K

Inventory of File nam.t00z.smartak00.tm00.grib2

Science.gov Websites

layer WDIR analysis Wind Direction (from which blowing) [degtrue] 016 planetary boundary layer WIND analysis Wind Speed [m/s] 017 planetary boundary layer RH analysis Relative Humidity [%] 018 planetary boundary layer DIST analysis Geometric Height [m] 019 surface 4LFTX analysis Best (4 layer) Lifted Index [K

Inventory of File gfs.t06z.smartguam00.tm00.grib2

Science.gov Websites

boundary layer WDIR analysis Wind Direction (from which blowing) [degtrue] 013 planetary boundary layer WIND analysis Wind Speed [m/s] 014 planetary boundary layer RH analysis Relative Humidity [%] 015 planetary boundary layer DIST analysis Geometric Height [m] 016 surface 4LFTX analysis Best (4 layer) Lifted

Inventory of File nam.t00z.smarthi00.tm00.grib2

Science.gov Websites

layer WDIR analysis Wind Direction (from which blowing) [degtrue] 016 planetary boundary layer WIND analysis Wind Speed [m/s] 017 planetary boundary layer RH analysis Relative Humidity [%] 018 planetary boundary layer DIST analysis Geometric Height [m] 019 surface 4LFTX analysis Best (4 layer) Lifted Index [K

Effects of Sea-Surface Waves and Ocean Spray on Air-Sea Momentum Fluxes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Ting; Song, Jinbao

2018-04-01

The effects of sea-surface waves and ocean spray on the marine atmospheric boundary layer (MABL) at different wind speeds and wave ages were investigated. An MABL model was developed that introduces a wave-induced component and spray force to the total surface stress. The theoretical model solution was determined assuming the eddy viscosity coefficient varied linearly with height above the sea surface. The wave-induced component was evaluated using a directional wave spectrum and growth rate. Spray force was described using interactions between ocean-spray droplets and wind-velocity shear. Wind profiles and sea-surface drag coefficients were calculated for low to high wind speeds for wind-generated sea at different wave ages to examine surface-wave and ocean-spray effects on MABL momentum distribution. The theoretical solutions were compared with model solutions neglecting wave-induced stress and/or spray stress. Surface waves strongly affected near-surface wind profiles and sea-surface drag coefficients at low to moderate wind speeds. Drag coefficients and near-surface wind speeds were lower for young than for old waves. At high wind speeds, ocean-spray droplets produced by wind-tearing breaking-wave crests affected the MABL strongly in comparison with surface waves, implying that wave age affects the MABL only negligibly. Low drag coefficients at high wind caused by ocean-spray production increased turbulent stress in the sea-spray generation layer, accelerating near-sea-surface wind. Comparing the analytical drag coefficient values with laboratory measurements and field observations indicated that surface waves and ocean spray significantly affect the MABL at different wind speeds and wave ages.

Contraction design for small low-speed wind tunnels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bell, James H.; Mehta, Rabindra D.

1988-01-01

An iterative design procedure was developed for two- or three-dimensional contractions installed on small, low-speed wind tunnels. The procedure consists of first computing the potential flow field and hence the pressure distributions along the walls of a contraction of given size and shape using a three-dimensional numerical panel method. The pressure or velocity distributions are then fed into two-dimensional boundary layer codes to predict the behavior of the boundary layers along the walls. For small, low-speed contractions it is shown that the assumption of a laminar boundary layer originating from stagnation conditions at the contraction entry and remaining laminar throughout passage through the successful designs if justified. This hypothesis was confirmed by comparing the predicted boundary layer data at the contraction exit with measured data in existing wind tunnels. The measured boundary layer momentum thicknesses at the exit of four existing contractions, two of which were 3-D, were found to lie within 10 percent of the predicted values, with the predicted values generally lower. From the contraction wall shapes investigated, the one based on a fifth-order polynomial was selected for installation on a newly designed mixing layer wind tunnel.

Inventory of File nam.t00z.smartconus00.tm00.grib2

Science.gov Websites

(Eta model reduction) [Pa] 014 planetary boundary layer WDIR analysis Wind Direction (from which blowing) [degtrue] 015 planetary boundary layer WIND analysis Wind Speed [m/s] 016 planetary boundary layer RH analysis Relative Humidity [%] 017 planetary boundary layer DIST analysis Geometric Height [m

Modelling storm development and the impact when introducing waves, sea spray and heat fluxes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Lichuan; Rutgersson, Anna; Sahlée, Erik

2015-04-01

In high wind speed conditions, sea spray generated due to intensity breaking waves have big influence on the wind stress and heat fluxes. Measurements show that drag coefficient will decrease in high wind speed. Sea spray generation function (SSGF), an important term of wind stress parameterization in high wind speed, usually treated as a function of wind speed/friction velocity. In this study, we introduce a wave state depended SSGG and wave age depended Charnock number into a high wind speed wind stress parameterization (Kudryavtsev et al., 2011; 2012). The proposed wind stress parameterization and sea spray heat fluxes parameterization from Andreas et al., (2014) were applied to an atmosphere-wave coupled model to test on four storm cases. Compared with measurements from the FINO1 platform in the North Sea, the new wind stress parameterization can reduce the forecast errors of wind in high wind speed range, but not in low wind speed. Only sea spray impacted on wind stress, it will intensify the storms (minimum sea level pressure and maximum wind speed) and lower the air temperature (increase the errors). Only the sea spray impacted on the heat fluxes, it can improve the model performance on storm tracks and the air temperature, but not change much in the storm intensity. If both of sea spray impacted on the wind stress and heat fluxes are taken into account, it has the best performance in all the experiment for minimum sea level pressure and maximum wind speed and air temperature. Andreas, E. L., Mahrt, L., and Vickers, D. (2014). An improved bulk air-sea surface flux algorithm, including spray-mediated transfer. Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society. Kudryavtsev, V. and Makin, V. (2011). Impact of ocean spray on the dynamics of the marine atmospheric boundary layer. Boundary-layer meteorology, 140(3):383-410. Kudryavtsev, V., Makin, V., and S, Z. (2012). On the sea-surface drag and heat/mass transfer at strong winds. Technical report, Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute.

On the predominance of unstable atmospheric conditions in the marine boundary layer offshore of the U.S. northeastern coast

DOE PAGES

Archer, Cristina L.; Colle, Brian A.; Veron, Dana L.; ...

2016-07-18

The marine boundary layer of the northeastern U.S. is studied with focus on wind speed, atmospheric stability, and turbulent kinetic energy (TKE), the three most relevant properties in the context of offshore wind power development. Two long-term observational data sets are analyzed. The first one consists of multilevel meteorological variables measured up to 60 m during 2003–2011 at the offshore Cape Wind tower, located near the center of the Nantucket Sound. The second data set comes from the 2013–2014 IMPOWR campaign (Improving the Modeling and Prediction of Offshore Wind Resources), in which wind and wave data were collected with newmore » instruments on the Cape Wind platform, in addition to meteorological data measured during 19 flight missions offshore of New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts. It is found that, in this region: (1) the offshore wind resource is remarkable, with monthly average wind speeds at 60 m exceeding 7 m s -1 all year round, highest winds in winter (10.1 m s -1) and lowest in summer (7.1 m s -1), and a distinct diurnal modulation, especially in summer; (2) the marine boundary layer is predominantly unstable (61% unstable vs. 21% neutral vs. 18% stable), meaning that mixing is strong, heat fluxes are positive, and the wind speed profile is often nonlogarithmic (~40% of the time); and (3) the shape of the wind speed profile (log versus nonlog) is an effective qualitative proxy for atmospheric stability, whereas TKE alone is not.« less

On the predominance of unstable atmospheric conditions in the marine boundary layer offshore of the U.S. northeastern coast

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Archer, Cristina L.; Colle, Brian A.; Veron, Dana L.

The marine boundary layer of the northeastern U.S. is studied with focus on wind speed, atmospheric stability, and turbulent kinetic energy (TKE), the three most relevant properties in the context of offshore wind power development. Two long-term observational data sets are analyzed. The first one consists of multilevel meteorological variables measured up to 60 m during 2003–2011 at the offshore Cape Wind tower, located near the center of the Nantucket Sound. The second data set comes from the 2013–2014 IMPOWR campaign (Improving the Modeling and Prediction of Offshore Wind Resources), in which wind and wave data were collected with newmore » instruments on the Cape Wind platform, in addition to meteorological data measured during 19 flight missions offshore of New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts. It is found that, in this region: (1) the offshore wind resource is remarkable, with monthly average wind speeds at 60 m exceeding 7 m s -1 all year round, highest winds in winter (10.1 m s -1) and lowest in summer (7.1 m s -1), and a distinct diurnal modulation, especially in summer; (2) the marine boundary layer is predominantly unstable (61% unstable vs. 21% neutral vs. 18% stable), meaning that mixing is strong, heat fluxes are positive, and the wind speed profile is often nonlogarithmic (~40% of the time); and (3) the shape of the wind speed profile (log versus nonlog) is an effective qualitative proxy for atmospheric stability, whereas TKE alone is not.« less

Enhancement of wind stress evaluation method under storm conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Yingjian; Yu, Xiping

2016-12-01

Wind stress is an important driving force for many meteorological and oceanographical processes. However, most of the existing methods for evaluation of the wind stress, including various bulk formulas in terms of the wind speed at a given height and formulas relating the roughness height of the sea surface with wind conditions, predict an ever-increasing tendency of the wind stress coefficient as the wind speed increases, which is inconsistent with the field observations under storm conditions. The wave boundary layer model, which is based on the momentum and energy conservation, has the advantage to take into account the physical details of the air-sea interaction process, but is still invalid under storm conditions without a modification. By including the energy dissipation due to the presence of sea spray, which is speculated to be an important aspect of the air-sea interaction under storm conditions, the wave boundary layer model is improved in this study. The improved model is employed to estimate the wind stress caused by an idealized tropical cyclone motion. The computational results show that the wind stress coefficient reaches its maximal value at a wind speed of about 40 m/s and decreases as the wind speed further increases. This is in fairly good agreement with the field data.

Air Modeling - Observational Meteorological Data

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Observed meteorological data for use in air quality modeling consist of physical parameters that are measured directly by instrumentation, and include temperature, dew point, wind direction, wind speed, cloud cover, cloud layer(s), ceiling height,

Inventory of File gfs.t06z.smartguam15.tm00.grib2

Science.gov Websites

hour fcst Visibility [m] 014 planetary boundary layer WDIR 15 hour fcst Wind Direction (from which blowing) [degtrue] 015 planetary boundary layer WIND 15 hour fcst Wind Speed [m/s] 016 planetary boundary layer RH 15 hour fcst Relative Humidity [%] 017 planetary boundary layer DIST 15 hour fcst Geometric

Sensitivity of Turbine-Height Wind Speeds to Parameters in Planetary Boundary-Layer and Surface-Layer Schemes in the Weather Research and Forecasting Model

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yang, Ben; Qian, Yun; Berg, Larry K.

We evaluate the sensitivity of simulated turbine-height winds to 26 parameters applied in a planetary boundary layer (PBL) scheme and a surface layer scheme of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model over an area of complex terrain during the Columbia Basin Wind Energy Study. An efficient sampling algorithm and a generalized linear model are used to explore the multiple-dimensional parameter space and quantify the parametric sensitivity of modeled turbine-height winds. The results indicate that most of the variability in the ensemble simulations is contributed by parameters related to the dissipation of the turbulence kinetic energy (TKE), Prandtl number, turbulencemore » length scales, surface roughness, and the von Kármán constant. The relative contributions of individual parameters are found to be dependent on both the terrain slope and atmospheric stability. The parameter associated with the TKE dissipation rate is found to be the most important one, and a larger dissipation rate can produce larger hub-height winds. A larger Prandtl number results in weaker nighttime winds. Increasing surface roughness reduces the frequencies of both extremely weak and strong winds, implying a reduction in the variability of the wind speed. All of the above parameters can significantly affect the vertical profiles of wind speed, the altitude of the low-level jet and the magnitude of the wind shear strength. The wind direction is found to be modulated by the same subset of influential parameters. Remainder of abstract is in attachment.« less

Numerical simulations of flow fields through conventionally controlled wind turbines & wind farms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Emre Yilmaz, Ali; Meyers, Johan

2014-06-01

In the current study, an Actuator-Line Model (ALM) is implemented in our in-house pseudo-spectral LES solver SP-WIND, including a turbine controller. Below rated wind speed, turbines are controlled by a standard-torque-controller aiming at maximum power extraction from the wind. Above rated wind speed, the extracted power is limited by a blade pitch controller which is based on a proportional-integral type control algorithm. This model is used to perform a series of single turbine and wind farm simulations using the NREL 5MW turbine. First of all, we focus on below-rated wind speed, and investigate the effect of the farm layout on the controller calibration curves. These calibration curves are expressed in terms of nondimensional torque and rotational speed, using the mean turbine-disk velocity as reference. We show that this normalization leads to calibration curves that are independent of wind speed, but the calibration curves do depend on the farm layout, in particular for tightly spaced farms. Compared to turbines in a lone-standing set-up, turbines in a farm experience a different wind distribution over the rotor due to the farm boundary-layer interaction. We demonstrate this for fully developed wind-farm boundary layers with aligned turbine arrangements at different spacings (5D, 7D, 9D). Further we also compare calibration curves obtained from full farm simulations with calibration curves that can be obtained at a much lower cost using a minimal flow unit.

Contraction design for small low-speed wind tunnels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bell, James H.; Mehta, Rabindra D.

1988-01-01

An iterative design procedure was developed for 2- or 3-dimensional contractions installed on small, low speed wind tunnels. The procedure consists of first computing the potential flow field and hence the pressure distributions along the walls of a contraction of given size and shape using a 3-dimensional numerical panel method. The pressure or velocity distributions are then fed into 2-dimensional boundary layer codes to predict the behavior of the boundary layers along the walls. For small, low speed contractions, it is shown that the assumption of a laminar boundary layer originating from stagnation conditions at the contraction entry and remaining laminar throughout passage through the successful designs is justified. This hypothesis was confirmed by comparing the predicted boundary layer data at the contraction exit with measured data in existing wind tunnels. The measured boundary layer momentum thicknesses at the exit of four existing contractions, two of which were 3-D, were found to lie within 10 percent of the predicted values, with the predicted values generally lower. From the contraction wall shapes investigated, the one based on a 5th order polynomial was selected for newly designed mixing wind tunnel installation.

Estimating Variances of Horizontal Wind Fluctuations in Stable Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luhar, Ashok K.

2010-05-01

Information concerning the average wind speed and the variances of lateral and longitudinal wind velocity fluctuations is required by dispersion models to characterise turbulence in the atmospheric boundary layer. When the winds are weak, the scalar average wind speed and the vector average wind speed need to be clearly distinguished and both lateral and longitudinal wind velocity fluctuations assume equal importance in dispersion calculations. We examine commonly-used methods of estimating these variances from wind-speed and wind-direction statistics measured separately, for example, by a cup anemometer and a wind vane, and evaluate the implied relationship between the scalar and vector wind speeds, using measurements taken under low-wind stable conditions. We highlight several inconsistencies inherent in the existing formulations and show that the widely-used assumption that the lateral velocity variance is equal to the longitudinal velocity variance is not necessarily true. We derive improved relations for the two variances, and although data under stable stratification are considered for comparison, our analysis is applicable more generally.

Inventory of File gfs.t06z.smartguam24.tm00.grib2

Science.gov Websites

boundary layer WDIR 24 hour fcst Wind Direction (from which blowing) [degtrue] 016 planetary boundary layer WIND 24 hour fcst Wind Speed [m/s] 017 planetary boundary layer RH 24 hour fcst Relative Humidity [%] 018 planetary boundary layer DIST 24 hour fcst Geometric Height [m] 019 surface 4LFTX 24 hour fcst

Vertical axis wind turbine wake in boundary layer flow in a wind tunnel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rolin, Vincent; Porté-Agel, Fernando

2016-04-01

A vertical axis wind turbine is placed in a boundary layer flow in a wind tunnel, and its wake is investigated. Measurements are performed using an x-wire to measure two components of velocity and turbulence statistics in the wake of the wind turbine. The study is performed at various heights and crosswind positions in order to investigate the full volume of the wake for a range of tip speed ratios. The velocity deficit and levels of turbulence in the wake are related to the performance of the turbine. The asymmetric incoming boundary layer flow causes the rate of recovery in the wake to change as a function of height. Higher shear between the wake and unperturbed flow occurs at the top edge of the wake, inducing stronger turbulence and mixing in this region. The difference in flow relative to the blades causes the velocity deficit and turbulence level to change as a function of crosswind position behind the rotor. The relative difference diminishes with increasing tip speed ratio. Therefore, the wake becomes more homogeneous as tip speed ratio increases.

Evaluation of a technique to generate artificially thickened boundary layers in supersonic and hypersonic flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Porro, A. R.; Hingst, W. R.; Davis, D. O.; Blair, A. B., Jr.

1991-01-01

The feasibility of using a contoured honeycomb model to generate a thick boundary layer in high-speed, compressible flow was investigated. The contour of the honeycomb was tailored to selectively remove momentum in a minimum of streamwise distance to create an artificially thickened turbulent boundary layer. Three wind tunnel experiments were conducted to verify the concept. Results indicate that this technique is a viable concept, especially for high-speed inlet testing applications. In addition, the compactness of the honeycomb boundary layer simulator allows relatively easy integration into existing wind tunnel model hardware.

Interaction Between the Atmospheric Boundary Layer and Wind Energy: From Continental-Scale to Turbine-Scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

St. Martin, Clara Mae

Wind turbines and groups of wind turbines, or "wind plants", interact with the complex and heterogeneous boundary layer of the atmosphere. We define the boundary layer as the portion of the atmosphere directly influenced by the surface, and this layer exhibits variability on a range of temporal and spatial scales. While early developments in wind energy could ignore some of this variability, recent work demonstrates that improved understanding of atmosphere-turbine interactions leads to the discovery of new ways to approach turbine technology development as well as processes such as performance validation and turbine operations. This interaction with the atmosphere occurs at several spatial and temporal scales from continental-scale to turbine-scale. Understanding atmospheric variability over continental-scales and across plants can facilitate reliance on wind energy as a baseload energy source on the electrical grid. On turbine scales, understanding the atmosphere's contribution to the variability in power production can improve the accuracy of power production estimates as we continue to implement more wind energy onto the grid. Wind speed and directional variability within a plant will affect wind turbine wakes within the plants and among neighboring plants, and a deeper knowledge of these variations can help mitigate effects of wakes and possibly even allow the manipulation of these wakes for increased production. Herein, I present the extent of my PhD work, in which I studied outstanding questions at these scales at the intersections of wind energy and atmospheric science. My work consists of four distinct projects. At the coarsest scales, I analyze the separation between wind plant sites needed for statistical independence in order to reduce variability for grid-integration of wind. At lower wind speeds, periods of unstable and more turbulent conditions produce more power than periods of stable and less turbulent conditions, while at wind speeds closer to rated wind speed, periods of unstable and more turbulent conditions produce less power than periods of stable and less turbulent conditions. Using these new, stability- and turbulence-specific power curves to calculate annual energy production (AEP) estimates results in smaller AEPs than if calculated using no stability and turbulence filters, which could have implications for manufacturers and operators. In my third project, I address the problem of expensive power production validation. Rather than erecting towers to provide upwind wind measurements, I explore the utility of using nacelle-mounted anemometers for power curve verification studies. I calculate empirical nacelle transfer functions (NTFs) with upwind tower and turbine measurements. The fifth-order and second-order NTFs show a linear relationship between upwind wind speed and nacelle wind speed at wind speeds less than about 9 m s-1 , but this relationship becomes non-linear at wind speeds higher than about 9 m s-1. The use of NTFs results in AEPs within 1 % of an AEP using upwind wind speeds. Additionally, during periods of unstable conditions as well as during more turbulent conditions, the nacelle-mounted anemometer underestimates the upwind wind speed more than during periods of stable conditions and less turbulence conditions at some wind speed bins below rated speed. Finally, in my fourth project, I consider spatial scales on the order of a wind plant. Using power production data from over 300 turbines from four neighboring wind farms in the western US along with simulations using the Weather Research and Forecasting model's Wind Farm Parameterization (WRF-WFP), I investigate the advantage of using the WFP to simulate wakes. During this case, winds from the west and north-northwest range from about 5 to 11 m s-1. A down-ramp occurs in this case study, which WRF predicts too early. The early prediction of the down-ramp likely affects the error in WRF-predicted power, the results of which show exaggerated wake effects. While these projects span a range of spatio-temporal scales, a unifying theme is the important aspect of atmospheric variation on wind power production, wind power production estimates, and means for facilitating the integration of wind-generated electricity into power grids. Future work, such as universal NTFs for sites with similar characteristics, NTFs for waked turbines, or the deployment of lidars on turbine nacelles for operation purposes, should continue to study the mutually-important interconnections between these two fields. (Abstract shortened by ProQuest.).

Effects of Environment Forcing on Marine Boundary Layer Cloud-Drizzle Processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, X.

2017-12-01

Determining the factors affecting drizzle formation in marine boundary layer (MBL) clouds remains a challenge for both observation and modeling communities. To investigate the roles of vertical wind shear and buoyancy (static instability) in drizzle formation, ground-based observations from the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program at the Azores are analyzed for two types of conditions. The type I clouds should last for at least five hours and more than 90% time must be non-drizzling, and then followed by at least two hours of drizzling periods while the type II clouds are characterized by mesoscale convection cellular (MCC) structures with drizzle occur every two to four hours. By analyzing the boundary layer wind profiles (direction and speed), it was found that either directional or speed shear is required to promote drizzle production in the type I clouds. Observations and a recent model study both suggest that vertical wind shear helps the production of turbulent kinetic energy (TKE), stimulates turbulence within cloud layer, and enhances drizzle formation near the cloud top. The type II clouds do not require strong wind shear to produce drizzle. The small values of lower-tropospheric stability (LTS) and negative Richardson number (Ri) in the type II cases suggest that boundary layer instability plays an important role in TKE production and cloud-drizzle processes. By analyzing the relationships between LTS and wind shear for all cases and all time periods, a stronger connection was found between LTS and wind directional shear than that between LTS and wind speed shear.

Effects of environment forcing on marine boundary layer cloud-drizzle processes: MBL Cloud-Drizzle Processes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wu, Peng; Dong, Xiquan; Xi, Baike

Determining the factors affecting drizzle formation in marine boundary layer (MBL) clouds remains a challenge for both observation and modeling communities. To investigate the roles of vertical wind shear and buoyancy (static instability) in drizzle formation, ground-based observations from the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program at the Azores are analyzed for two types of conditions. The type I clouds should last for at least five hours and more than 90% time must be non-drizzling, and then followed by at least two hours of drizzling periods while the type II clouds are characterized by mesoscale convection cellular (MCC) structures with drizzlemore » occur every two to four hours. By analyzing the boundary layer wind profiles (direction and speed), it was found that either directional or speed shear is required to promote drizzle production in the type I clouds. Observations and a recent model study both suggest that vertical wind shear helps the production of turbulent kinetic energy (TKE), stimulates turbulence within cloud layer, and enhances drizzle formation near the cloud top. The type II clouds do not require strong wind shear to produce drizzle. The small values of lower-tropospheric stability (LTS) and negative Richardson number ( Ri) in the type II cases suggest that boundary layer instability plays an important role in TKE production and cloud-drizzle processes. As a result, by analyzing the relationships between LTS and wind shear for all cases and all time periods, a stronger connection was found between LTS and wind directional shear than that between LTS and wind speed shear.« less

Effects of environment forcing on marine boundary layer cloud-drizzle processes: MBL Cloud-Drizzle Processes

DOE PAGES

Wu, Peng; Dong, Xiquan; Xi, Baike; ...

2017-04-20

Determining the factors affecting drizzle formation in marine boundary layer (MBL) clouds remains a challenge for both observation and modeling communities. To investigate the roles of vertical wind shear and buoyancy (static instability) in drizzle formation, ground-based observations from the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program at the Azores are analyzed for two types of conditions. The type I clouds should last for at least five hours and more than 90% time must be non-drizzling, and then followed by at least two hours of drizzling periods while the type II clouds are characterized by mesoscale convection cellular (MCC) structures with drizzlemore » occur every two to four hours. By analyzing the boundary layer wind profiles (direction and speed), it was found that either directional or speed shear is required to promote drizzle production in the type I clouds. Observations and a recent model study both suggest that vertical wind shear helps the production of turbulent kinetic energy (TKE), stimulates turbulence within cloud layer, and enhances drizzle formation near the cloud top. The type II clouds do not require strong wind shear to produce drizzle. The small values of lower-tropospheric stability (LTS) and negative Richardson number ( Ri) in the type II cases suggest that boundary layer instability plays an important role in TKE production and cloud-drizzle processes. As a result, by analyzing the relationships between LTS and wind shear for all cases and all time periods, a stronger connection was found between LTS and wind directional shear than that between LTS and wind speed shear.« less

CFD modelling of nocturnal low-level jet effects on wind energy related variables

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sogachev, Andrey; Mann, Jakob; Dellwik, Ebba; Ejsing Jørgensen, Hans

2010-05-01

The development of a wind speed maximum in the nocturnal boundary layer, referred to as a low-level jet (LLJ), is a common feature of the vertical structure of the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL). Characterizing and understanding LLJ streams is growing in importance as wind turbines are being built larger and taller to take advantage of higher wind speeds at increased heights. We used a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model to explore LLJs effect on wind speed, wind directional and speed shear inside the surface layer 40 - 130 m, where their physical measurements are not trivial and still rare today. We used the one-dimensional version of the ABL model SCADIS (Sogachev et al. 2002: Tellus 54:784-819). The unique feature of the model, based on a two-equation closure approach, is the treatment of buoyancy effects in a universal way, which overcomes the uncertainties with model coefficients for non-shear source/sink terms (Sogachev, 2009: Boundary Layer Meteor. 130:423-435). From a variety of mechanisms suggested for formation of LLJs, such as inertial oscillations, baroclinicity over sloping terrain, and land-sea breeze effects, the one-dimensional ABL model is capable of simulating only the first one. However, that mechanism, which is caused by the diurnal oscillation of eddy viscosity, is often responsible for jet formation. Sensitivity tests carried out showed that SCADIS captures the most prominent features of the LLJ, including its vertical structure as well as its diurnal phase and amplitude. We simulated ABL pattern under conditions typical for LLJ formation (a fair day on July 1, a flat low-roughness underlying surface) at 30 and 50o latitudes. Diurnal variability of wind speed and turbulence intensity at four levels of 40, 70, 100 and 130 m above ground and of wind and directional shear between those levels were analysed. Despite of small differences in LLJ structure the properties of LLJ important for wind energy production are still common for two latitudes. Along with the wind speed increase in night time the turbulence intensity decreases and, as it was confirmed by many experiments, are insignificant in comparison with midday values (both factors are favourable for wind production). However, wind and directional shear across the entire layer occupied by hypothetical wind turbine rotors (between 40 - 130 m) provide different wind conditions above and below the turbine hub. For example, the shear exponent was higher than 0.65 during most part of night (below 0.08 at midday) and direction shear was sometimes higher than 0.3 degree per meter (about 0 at midday). Most extreme values of both parameters occurred at dawn when turbulence starts to develop. This creates large amounts of stress on the turbines, causing difficulties in their operation and fatigue issues over time. The model will have to be coupled to an aeroelastic model to be able to predict quantatively the consequences for power production and dynamic loads on wind turbines.

Wind direction variability in Afternoon and Sunset Turbulence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nilsson, Erik; Lothon, Marie; Lohou, Fabienne; Mahrt, Larry

2014-05-01

Understanding wind direction (WD) variability better is important for several reasons. Air pollution models need information about how variable wind direction is in different conditions (Davies and Thomson 1999). Accurate predictions of dispersion are important for human health and safety and allow for adaptation planning (Nagle et al. 2011). Other applications include horizontal diffusion, efficiency and fatigue of wind machines and air-sea interaction (Mahrt 2011). Most studies of wind direction variability have focused on nocturnal conditions because of greater variability in light winds. Modelling WD variability in transition periods when both mean wind speed and variance of the wind components are in a state of change can, however, also be very challenging and has not been the focus of earlier studies. The evening transitioning to the nocturnal boundary layer can play an important role in the diffusion process of pollutants and scalars emitted at surface and transported within the atmosphere. The Boundary Layer Late Afternoon and Sunset Turbulence (BLLAST) field campaign that took place in southern France in June and July 2011 focused on the decaying turbulence of the late afternoon boundary layer and related issues (Lothon et al. 2012). We analyse field measurements from BLLAST to investigate WD variability in the evening transition period. Standard deviations of horizontal wind direction fluctuations in the lowest 60 m of the boundary layer have been examined for dependence on mean wind speed, higher order moments and averaging time. Measurement results are interpreted using measured and idealized probability density functions of horizontal wind vectors. These are also used to develop analytical functions describing how WD variability depends on wind speed, variance and other controlling factors in the atmospheric boundary layer. References: Davies B.M., Thomson D.J., 1999. Comparison of some parameterizations of wind direction variability with observations, Atmospheric Enviroment 33, 4909-4917. Lothon M. et al., 2012. The Boundary-Layer Late Afternoon and Sunset Turbulence field experiment, Proc. of the 20th Symposium on Boundary-Layers and Turbulence, 7-13 July, Boston, MA, USA. Mahrt L., 2011. Surface Wind Direction Variability, Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology 50. 144-152. Nagle J.C., 2011. Adapting to Pollution, Research Roundtable on Climate Change, Adaptation, and Enviromental Law, Northwestern Law Searle Center, Legal and Regulatory Studies 7-18 April, IL, USA.

Evaluation of NOAA's High Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR), 12 km North America Model (NAM12) and 4km North America Model (NAM 4) hub-height wind speed forecasts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pendergrass, W.; Vogel, C. A.

2013-12-01

As an outcome of discussions between Duke Energy Generation and NOAA/ARL following the 2009 AMS Summer Community Meeting, in Norman Oklahoma, ARL and Duke Energy Generation (Duke) signed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) which allows NOAA to conduct atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) research using Duke renewable energy sites as research testbeds. One aspect of this research has been the evaluation of forecast hub-height winds from three NOAA atmospheric models. Forecasts of 10m (surface) and 80m (hub-height) wind speeds from (1) NOAA/GSD's High Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) model, (2) NOAA/NCEP's 12 km North America Model (NAM12) and (3) NOAA/NCEP's 4k high resolution North America Model (NAM4) were evaluated against 18 months of surface-layer wind observations collected at the joint NOAA/Duke Energy research station located at Duke Energy's West Texas Ocotillo wind farm over the period April 2011 through October 2012. HRRR, NAM12 and NAM4 10m wind speed forecasts were compared with 10m level wind speed observations measured on the NOAA/ATDD flux-tower. Hub-height (80m) HRRR , NAM12 and NAM4 forecast wind speeds were evaluated against the 80m operational PMM27-28 meteorological tower supporting the Ocotillo wind farm. For each HRRR update, eight forecast hours (hour 01, 02, 03, 05, 07, 10, 12, 15) plus the initialization hour (hour 00), evaluated. For the NAM12 and NAM4 models forecast hours 00-24 from the 06z initialization were evaluated. Performance measures or skill score based on absolute error 50% cumulative probability were calculated for each forecast hour. HRRR forecast hour 01 provided the best skill score with an absolute wind speed error within 0.8 m/s of observed 10m wind speed and 1.25 m/s for hub-height wind speed at the designated 50% cumulative probability. For both NAM4 and NAM12 models, skill scores were diurnal with comparable best scores observed during the day of 0.7 m/s of observed 10m wind speed and 1.1 m/s for hub-height wind speed at the designated 50% cumulative probability level.

An Investigation of Instantaneous Plume Rise from Rocket Exhaust

DTIC Science & Technology

1996-12-01

METERS) TOP = 2973.48 BASE= 210.62 SIGMAR (AZ) AT THE SURFACE (DEGREES) 13.5054 SIGMER(EL) AT THE SURFACE (DEGREES) 2.9738 MET. WIND WIND LAYER WIND SPEED...SELECTED LAYER HEIGHT- (METERS) TOP = 2973.48 BASE= 210.62 SIGMAR (AZ) AT THE SURFACE (DEGREES) 13.6911 SIGMER(EL) AT THE SURFACE (DEGREES) 2.9738 MET...TIME (SECS) 368.08 FIRST MIXING LAYER HEIGHT- (METERS) TOP = 210.62 BASE= 0.00 SECOND SELECTED LAYER HEIGHT- (METERS) TOP = 2973.48 BASE= 210.62 SIGMAR

Final Report for Project: Impacts of stratification and non-equilibrium winds and waves on hub-height winds

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Patton, Edward G.

This project used a combination of turbulence-resolving large-eddy simulations, single-column modeling (where turbulence is parameterized), and currently available observations to improve, assess, and develop a parameterization of the impact of non-equilibrium wave states and stratification on the buoy-observed winds to establish reliable wind data at the turbine hub-height level. Analysis of turbulence-resolving simulations and observations illuminates the non-linear coupling between the atmosphere and the undulating sea surface. This analysis guides modification of existing boundary layer parameterizations to include wave influences for upward extrapolation of surface-based observations through the turbine layer. Our surface roughness modifications account for the interaction between stratificationmore » and the effects of swell’s amplitude and wavelength as well as swell’s relative motion with respect to the mean wind direction. The single-column version of the open source Weather and Research Forecasting (WRF) model (Skamarock et al., 2008) serves as our platform to test our proposed planetary boundary layer parameterization modifications that account for wave effects on marine atmospheric boundary layer flows. WRF has been widely adopted for wind resource analysis and forecasting. The single column version is particularly suitable to development, analysis, and testing of new boundary layer parameterizations. We utilize WRF’s single-column version to verify and validate our proposed modifications to the Mellor-Yamada-Nakanishi-Niino (MYNN) boundary layer parameterization (Nakanishi and Niino, 2004). We explore the implications of our modifications for two-way coupling between WRF and wave models (e.g.,Wavewatch III). The newly implemented parameterization accounting for marine atmospheric boundary layer-wave coupling is then tested in three-dimensional WRF simulations at grid sizes near 1 km. These simulations identify the behavior of simulated winds at the wind plant scale. Overall project conclusions include; In the presence of fast-moving swell (significant wave height Hs = 6.4 m, and phase speed cp = 18 ms -1), the atmospheric boundary layer grows more rapidly when waves propagate opposite to the winds compared to when winds and waves are aligned. Pressure drag increases by nearly a factor of 2 relative to the turbulent stress for the extreme case where waves propagate at 180° compared to the pressure gradient forcing. Net wind speed reduces by nearly 15% at hub-height for the 180°-case compared to the 0°-case, and turbulence intensities increase by nearly a factor of 2. These impacts diminish with decreasing wave age; Stratification increases hub height wind speeds and increases the vertical shear of the mean wind across the rotor plane. Fortuitously, this stability-induced enhanced shear does not influence turbulence intensity at hub height, but does increase (decrease) turbulence intensity below (above) hub height. Increased stability also increases the wave-induced pressure stress by ~ 10%; Off the East Coast of the United States during Coupled Boundary Layers Air-Sea Transfer - Low Wind (CBLAST-Low), cases with short fetch include thin stable boundary layers with depths of only a few tens of meters. In the coastal zone, the relationship between the mean wind and the surface fiction velocity (u*(V )) is significantly related to wind direction for weak winds but is not systematically related to the air sea difference of virtual potential temperature, δθv; since waves generally propagate from the south at the Air-Sea Interaction Tower (ASIT) tower, these results suggest that under weak wind conditions waves likely influence surface stress more than stratification does; and Winds and waves are frequently misaligned in the coastal zone. Stability conditions persist for long duration. Over a four year period, the Forschungsplattformen in Nord- und Ostsee Nr. 1 (FINO1) tower (a site with long fetch) primarily experienced weakly-unstable conditions, while stability at the ASIT tower (with a larger influence of offshore winds) experiences a mix of both unstable and stable conditions, where the summer months are predominantly stable. Wind-wave misalignment likely explains the large scatter in observed non-dimensional surface roughness under swell-dominated conditions. Andreas et al.’s (2012) relationship between u* and the 10-m wind speed under predicts the increased u* produced by wave-induced pressure drag produced by misaligned winds and waves. Incorporating wave-state (speed and direction) influences in parameterizations improves predictive skill. In a broad sense, these results suggest that one needs information on winds, temperature, and wave state to upscale buoy measurements to hub-height and across the rotor plane. Our parameterization of wave-state influences on surface drag has been submitted for inclusion in the next publicly available release. In combination, our project elucidates the impacts of two important physical processes (non-equilibrium wind/waves and stratification) on the atmosphere within which offshore turbines operate. This knowledge should help guide and inform manufacturers making critical decisions surrounding design criteria of future turbines to be deployed in the coastal zone. Reductions in annually averaged hub height wind speed error using our new wave-state-aware surface layer parameterization are relatively modest. However since wind turbine power production depends on the wind speed cubed, the error in estimated power production is close to 5%; which is significant and can substantially impact wind resource assessment and decision making with regards to the viability of particular location for a wind plant location. For a single 30-hour forecast, significant reductions in wind speed prediction errors can yield substantially improved wind power forecast skill, thereby mitigating costs and/or increasing revenue through improved; forecasting for maintenance operations and planning; day-ahead forecasting for power trading and resource allocation; and short-term forecasting for dispatch and grid balancing.« less

Inventory of File gfs.t06z.pgrb2.1p00.f000

Science.gov Websites

analysis U-Component of Wind [m/s] 002 planetary boundary layer VGRD analysis V-Component of Wind [m/s] 003 planetary boundary layer VRATE analysis Ventilation Rate [m^2/s] 004 surface GUST analysis Wind Speed (Gust mb RH analysis Relative Humidity [%] 008 10 mb UGRD analysis U-Component of Wind [m/s] 009 10 mb VGRD

Inventory of File gfs.t06z.pgrb2.0p50.f000

Science.gov Websites

analysis U-Component of Wind [m/s] 002 planetary boundary layer VGRD analysis V-Component of Wind [m/s] 003 planetary boundary layer VRATE analysis Ventilation Rate [m^2/s] 004 surface GUST analysis Wind Speed (Gust mb RH analysis Relative Humidity [%] 008 10 mb UGRD analysis U-Component of Wind [m/s] 009 10 mb VGRD

Inventory of File gfs.t06z.pgrb2.0p25.f000

Science.gov Websites

analysis U-Component of Wind [m/s] 002 planetary boundary layer VGRD analysis V-Component of Wind [m/s] 003 planetary boundary layer VRATE analysis Ventilation Rate [m^2/s] 004 surface GUST analysis Wind Speed (Gust mb RH analysis Relative Humidity [%] 008 10 mb UGRD analysis U-Component of Wind [m/s] 009 10 mb VGRD

Inventory of File gfs.t06z.pgrb2.2p50.f000

Science.gov Websites

analysis U-Component of Wind [m/s] 002 planetary boundary layer VGRD analysis V-Component of Wind [m/s] 003 planetary boundary layer VRATE analysis Ventilation Rate [m^2/s] 004 surface GUST analysis Wind Speed (Gust mb RH analysis Relative Humidity [%] 008 10 mb UGRD analysis U-Component of Wind [m/s] 009 10 mb VGRD

Ground Cloud Dispersion Measurements During the Titan IV Mission A-18 (23 October 1997) at Vandenberg Air Force Base

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-02-20

958.88 BASE= 0.00 SECOND SELECTED LAYER HEIGHT- (METERS) TOP = 3008.96 BASE= 958.88 SIGMAR (AZ) AT THE SURFACE (DEGREES) 5.7504 SIGMER(EL) AT THE SURFACE... SIGMAR (AZ) AT THE SURFACE (DEGREES) 5.7504 SIGMER(EL) AT THE SURFACE (DEGREES) 1.0344 MET. WIND WIND LAYER WIND SPEED WIND DIRECTION SIGMA OF SIGMA OF NO

Variability of Wind Speeds and Power over Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tambke, J.; von Bremen, L.; de Decker, J.; Schmidt, M.; Steinfeld, G.; Wolff, J.-O.

2010-09-01

This study comprises two parts: First, we describe the vertical wind speed and turbulence profiles that result from our improved PBL scheme and compare it to observations and 1-dimensional approaches (Monin-Obukhov etc.). Second, we analyse the spatio-temporal correlations in our meso-scale simulations for the years 2004 to 2007 over entire Europe, with special focus on the Irish, North and Baltic Sea. 1.) Vertical Wind Speed Profiles The vertical wind profile above the sea has to be modelled with high accuracy for tip heights up to 160m in order to achieve precise wind resource assessments, to calculate loads and wakes of wind turbines as well as for reliable short-term wind power forecasts. We present an assessment of different models for wind profiles in unstable, neutral and stable thermal stratification. The meso-scale models comprise MM5, WRF and COSMO-EU (LME). Both COSMO-EU from the German Weather Service DWD and WRF use a turbulence closure of 2.5th order - and lead to similar results. Especially the limiting effect of low boundary layer heights on the wind shear in very stable stratification is well captured. In our new WRF-formulation for the mixing length in the Mellor-Yamada-Janjic (MYJ) parameterisation of the Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL-scheme), the master length scale itself depends on the Monin-Obukhov-Length as a parameter for the heat flux effects on the turbulent mixing. This new PBL-scheme shows a better performance for all weather conditions than the original MYJ-scheme. Apart from the low-boundary-layer-effect in very stable situations (which are seldom), standard Monin-Obukhov formulations in combination with the Charnock relation for the sea surface roughness show good agreement with the FINO1-data (German Bight). Interesting results were achieved with two more detailed micro-scale approaches: - the parameterization proposed by Pena, Gryning and Hasager [BLM 2008] that depends on the boundary layer height - our ICWP-model, were the flux of momentum through the air-sea interface is described by a common wave boundary layer with enhanced Charnock dynamics. 2.) Wind Field Variability Time series of wind speed and power from 400 potential offshore locations and 16,000 onshore sites in the 2020 and 2030 scenarios are part of the design basis of the EU-project www.OffshoreGrid.eu. This project investigates the grid integration of all planned offshore farms in Northern Europe and will serve as the basis for the "Blueprint for Offshore Grids" by the European Commission. The synchronous wind time series were calculated with the WRF-model. The simulation comprises four years and was validated with a number of wind measurements. We present detailed statistics of local, clustered and regional power production. The analysis quantifies spatial and temporal correlations, extreme events and ramps. Important results are the smoothing effects in a pan-European offshore grid. Key words: Offshore Wind Resource Assessment; Marine Meteorology; Wind Speed Profile; Marine Atmospheric Boundary Layer; Wind Variability, Spatio-temporal Correlation; Electricity Grid Integration

A case study of atmospheric boundary layer features during winter over a tropical inland station — Kharagpur (22.32°N, 87.32°E)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alappattu, Denny P.; Kunhikrishnan, P. K.; Aloysius, Marina; Mohan, M.

2009-08-01

The local weather and air quality over a region are greatly influenced by the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) structure and dynamics. ABL characteristics were measured using a tethered balloon-sonde system over Kharagpur (22.32°N, 87.32°E, 40m above MSL), India, for the period 7 December 2004 to 30 December 2004, as a part of the Indian Space Research Organization-Geosphere Biosphere Program (ISRO-GBP) Aerosol Land Campaign II. High-resolution data of pressure, temperature, humidity, wind speed and wind direction were archived along with surface layer measurements using an automatic weather station. This paper presents the features of ABL, like ABL depth and nocturnal boundary layer (NBL) depth. The sea surface winds from Quikscat over the oceanic regions near the experiment site were analyzed along with the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis winds over Kharagpur to estimate the convergence of wind, moisture and vorticity to understand the observed variations in wind speed and relative humidity, and also the increased aerosol concentrations. The variation of ventilation coefficient ( V C), a factor determining the air pollution potential over a region, is also discussed in detail.

How important is getting the land surface energy exchange correct in WRF for wind energy forecasting?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wharton, S.; Simpson, M.; Osuna, J. L.; Newman, J. F.; Biraud, S.

2013-12-01

Wind power forecasting is plagued with difficulties in accurately predicting the occurrence and intensity of atmospheric conditions at the heights spanned by industrial-scale turbines (~ 40 to 200 m above ground level). Better simulation of the relevant physics would enable operational practices such as integration of large fractions of wind power into power grids, scheduling maintenance on wind energy facilities, and deciding design criteria based on complex loads for next-generation turbines and siting. Accurately simulating the surface energy processes in numerical models may be critically important for wind energy forecasting as energy exchange at the surface strongly drives atmospheric mixing (i.e., stability) in the lower layers of the planetary boundary layer (PBL), which in turn largely determines wind shear and turbulence at heights found in the turbine rotor-disk. We hypothesize that simulating accurate a surface-atmosphere energy coupling should lead to more accurate predictions of wind speed and turbulence at heights within the turbine rotor-disk. Here, we tested 10 different land surface model configurations in the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model including Noah, Noah-MP, SSiB, Pleim-Xiu, RUC, and others to evaluate (1) the accuracy of simulated surface energy fluxes to flux tower measurements, (2) the accuracy of forecasted wind speeds to observations at rotor-disk heights, and (3) the sensitivity of forecasting hub-height rotor disk wind speed to the choice of land surface model. WRF was run for four, two-week periods covering both summer and winter periods over the Southern Great Plains ARM site in Oklahoma. Continuous measurements of surface energy fluxes and lidar-based wind speed, direction and turbulence were also available. The SGP ARM site provided an ideal location for this evaluation as it centrally located in the wind-rich Great Plains and multi-MW wind farms are rapidly expanding in the area. We found significant differences in simulated wind speeds at rotor-disk heights from WRF which indicated, in part, the sensitivity of lower PBL winds to surface energy exchange. We also found significant differences in energy partitioning between sensible heat and latent energy depending on choice of land surface model. Overall, the most consistent, accurate model results were produced using Noah-MP. Noah-MP was most accurate at simulating energy fluxes and wind shear. Hub-height wind speed, however, was predicted with most accuracy with Pleim-Xiu. This suggests that simulating wind shear in the surface layer is consistent with accurately simulating surface energy exchange while the exact magnitudes of wind speed may be more strongly influenced by the PBL dynamics. As the nation is working towards a 20% wind energy goal by 2030, increasing the accuracy of wind forecasting at rotor-disk heights becomes more important considering that utilities require wind farms to estimate their power generation 24 to 36 hours ahead and face penalties for inaccuracies in those forecasts.

Study of the effect of wind speed on evaporation from soil through integrated modeling of the atmospheric boundary layer and shallow subsurface.

PubMed

Davarzani, Hossein; Smits, Kathleen; Tolene, Ryan M; Illangasekare, Tissa

2014-01-01

In an effort to develop methods based on integrating the subsurface to the atmospheric boundary layer to estimate evaporation, we developed a model based on the coupling of Navier-Stokes free flow and Darcy flow in porous medium. The model was tested using experimental data to study the effect of wind speed on evaporation. The model consists of the coupled equations of mass conservation for two-phase flow in porous medium with single-phase flow in the free-flow domain under nonisothermal, nonequilibrium phase change conditions. In this model, the evaporation rate and soil surface temperature and relative humidity at the interface come directly from the integrated model output. To experimentally validate numerical results, we developed a unique test system consisting of a wind tunnel interfaced with a soil tank instrumented with a network of sensors to measure soil-water variables. Results demonstrated that, by using this coupling approach, it is possible to predict the different stages of the drying process with good accuracy. Increasing the wind speed increases the first stage evaporation rate and decreases the transition time between two evaporative stages (soil water flow to vapor diffusion controlled) at low velocity values; then, at high wind speeds the evaporation rate becomes less dependent on the wind speed. On the contrary, the impact of wind speed on second stage evaporation (diffusion-dominant stage) is not significant. We found that the thermal and solute dispersion in free-flow systems has a significant influence on drying processes from porous media and should be taken into account.

Study of the effect of wind speed on evaporation from soil through integrated modeling of the atmospheric boundary layer and shallow subsurface

PubMed Central

Davarzani, Hossein; Smits, Kathleen; Tolene, Ryan M; Illangasekare, Tissa

2014-01-01

In an effort to develop methods based on integrating the subsurface to the atmospheric boundary layer to estimate evaporation, we developed a model based on the coupling of Navier-Stokes free flow and Darcy flow in porous medium. The model was tested using experimental data to study the effect of wind speed on evaporation. The model consists of the coupled equations of mass conservation for two-phase flow in porous medium with single-phase flow in the free-flow domain under nonisothermal, nonequilibrium phase change conditions. In this model, the evaporation rate and soil surface temperature and relative humidity at the interface come directly from the integrated model output. To experimentally validate numerical results, we developed a unique test system consisting of a wind tunnel interfaced with a soil tank instrumented with a network of sensors to measure soil-water variables. Results demonstrated that, by using this coupling approach, it is possible to predict the different stages of the drying process with good accuracy. Increasing the wind speed increases the first stage evaporation rate and decreases the transition time between two evaporative stages (soil water flow to vapor diffusion controlled) at low velocity values; then, at high wind speeds the evaporation rate becomes less dependent on the wind speed. On the contrary, the impact of wind speed on second stage evaporation (diffusion-dominant stage) is not significant. We found that the thermal and solute dispersion in free-flow systems has a significant influence on drying processes from porous media and should be taken into account. PMID:25309005

Wind effects on coastal zone color scanner chlorophyll patterns in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic Bight during spring 1979

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eslinger, David L.; Iverson, Richard L.

1986-01-01

Coastal zone color scanner (CZCS) chlorophyll concentration increases in the Mid-Atlantic Bight were associated with high wind speeds in continental shelf waters during March and May 1979. Maximum spring CZCS chlorophyll concentrations occurred during April when the water column was not thermally stratified and were spatially and temporally associated with reductions in wind speed both in onshelf and in offshelf regions. Increased chlorophyll concentrations in offshelf waters were associated with high wind speeds during May when a deep chlorophyll maximum was present. Chlorophyll patchiness was observed on length scales typical of those controlled by biological processes during the April low-wind period but not during March or May when wind speeds were greater. The spring CZCS chlorophyll maximum in the southern portion of the Mid-Atlantic Bight occurred in response to a reduction in mixed layer depth caused by decreased wind speeds and not by increased water column stratification.

Using Large-Eddy Simulations to Define Spectral and Coherence Characteristics of the Hurricane Boundary Layer for Wind-Energy Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Worsnop, Rochelle P.; Bryan, George H.; Lundquist, Julie K.; Zhang, Jun A.

2017-10-01

Offshore wind-energy development is planned for regions where hurricanes commonly occur, such as the USA Atlantic Coast. Even the most robust wind-turbine design (IEC Class I) may be unable to withstand a Category-2 hurricane (hub-height wind speeds >50 m s^{-1}). Characteristics of the hurricane boundary layer that affect the structural integrity of turbines, especially in major hurricanes, are poorly understood, primarily due to a lack of adequate observations that span typical turbine heights (<200 m above sea level). To provide these data, we use large-eddy simulations to produce wind profiles of an idealized Category-5 hurricane at high spatial (10 m) and temporal (0.1 s) resolution. By comparison with unique flight-level observations from a field project, we find that a relatively simple configuration of the Cloud Model I model accurately represents the properties of Hurricane Isabel (2003) in terms of mean wind speeds, wind-speed variances, and power spectra. Comparisons of power spectra and coherence curves derived from our hurricane simulations to those used in current turbine design standards suggest that adjustments to these standards may be needed to capture characteristics of turbulence seen within the simulated hurricane boundary layer. To enable improved design standards for wind turbines to withstand hurricanes, we suggest modifications to account for shifts in peak power to higher frequencies and greater spectral coherence at large separations.

Using Large-Eddy Simulations to Define Spectral and Coherence Characteristics of the Hurricane Boundary Layer for Wind-Energy Applications

DOE PAGES

Worsnop, Rochelle P.; Bryan, George H.; Lundquist, Julie K.; ...

2017-06-08

Offshore wind-energy development is planned for regions where hurricanes commonly occur, such as the USA Atlantic Coast. Even the most robust wind-turbine design (IEC Class I) may be unable to withstand a Category-2 hurricane (hub-height wind speeds >50 m s -1). Characteristics of the hurricane boundary layer that affect the structural integrity of turbines, especially in major hurricanes, are poorly understood, primarily due to a lack of adequate observations that span typical turbine heights (<200 m above sea level). To provide these data, we use large-eddy simulations to produce wind profiles of an idealized Category-5 hurricane at high spatial (10more » m) and temporal (0.1 s) resolution. By comparison with unique flight-level observations from a field project, we find that a relatively simple configuration of the Cloud Model I model accurately represents the properties of Hurricane Isabel (2003) in terms of mean wind speeds, wind-speed variances, and power spectra. Comparisons of power spectra and coherence curves derived from our hurricane simulations to those used in current turbine design standards suggest that adjustments to these standards may be needed to capture characteristics of turbulence seen within the simulated hurricane boundary layer. To enable improved design standards for wind turbines to withstand hurricanes, we suggest modifications to account for shifts in peak power to higher frequencies and greater spectral coherence at large separations.« less

Using Large-Eddy Simulations to Define Spectral and Coherence Characteristics of the Hurricane Boundary Layer for Wind-Energy Applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Worsnop, Rochelle P.; Bryan, George H.; Lundquist, Julie K.

Offshore wind-energy development is planned for regions where hurricanes commonly occur, such as the USA Atlantic Coast. Even the most robust wind-turbine design (IEC Class I) may be unable to withstand a Category-2 hurricane (hub-height wind speeds >50 m s -1). Characteristics of the hurricane boundary layer that affect the structural integrity of turbines, especially in major hurricanes, are poorly understood, primarily due to a lack of adequate observations that span typical turbine heights (<200 m above sea level). To provide these data, we use large-eddy simulations to produce wind profiles of an idealized Category-5 hurricane at high spatial (10more » m) and temporal (0.1 s) resolution. By comparison with unique flight-level observations from a field project, we find that a relatively simple configuration of the Cloud Model I model accurately represents the properties of Hurricane Isabel (2003) in terms of mean wind speeds, wind-speed variances, and power spectra. Comparisons of power spectra and coherence curves derived from our hurricane simulations to those used in current turbine design standards suggest that adjustments to these standards may be needed to capture characteristics of turbulence seen within the simulated hurricane boundary layer. To enable improved design standards for wind turbines to withstand hurricanes, we suggest modifications to account for shifts in peak power to higher frequencies and greater spectral coherence at large separations.« less

Field measurements of horizontal forward motion velocities of terrestrial dust devils: Towards a proxy for ambient winds on Mars and Earth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balme, M. R.; Pathare, A.; Metzger, S. M.; Towner, M. C.; Lewis, S. R.; Spiga, A.; Fenton, L. K.; Renno, N. O.; Elliott, H. M.; Saca, F. A.; Michaels, T. I.; Russell, P.; Verdasca, J.

2012-11-01

Dust devils - convective vortices made visible by the dust and debris they entrain - are common in arid environments and have been observed on Earth and Mars. Martian dust devils have been identified both in images taken at the surface and in remote sensing observations from orbiting spacecraft. Observations from landing craft and orbiting instruments have allowed the dust devil translational forward motion (ground velocity) to be calculated, but it is unclear how these velocities relate to the local ambient wind conditions, for (i) only model wind speeds are generally available for Mars, and (ii) on Earth only anecdotal evidence exists that compares dust devil ground velocity with ambient wind velocity. If dust devil ground velocity can be reliably correlated to the ambient wind regime, observations of dust devils could provide a proxy for wind speed and direction measurements on Mars. Hence, dust devil ground velocities could be used to probe the circulation of the martian boundary layer and help constrain climate models or assess the safety of future landing sites. We present results from a field study of terrestrial dust devils performed in the southwest USA in which we measured dust devil horizontal velocity as a function of ambient wind velocity. We acquired stereo images of more than a 100 active dust devils and recorded multiple size and position measurements for each dust devil. We used these data to calculate dust devil translational velocity. The dust devils were within a study area bounded by 10 m high meteorology towers such that dust devil speed and direction could be correlated with the local ambient wind speed and direction measurements. Daily (10:00-16:00 local time) and 2-h averaged dust devil ground speeds correlate well with ambient wind speeds averaged over the same period. Unsurprisingly, individual measurements of dust devil ground speed match instantaneous measurements of ambient wind speed more poorly; a 20-min smoothing window applied to the ambient wind speed data improves the correlation. In general, dust devils travel 10-20% faster than ambient wind speed measured at 10 m height, suggesting that their ground speeds are representative of the boundary layer winds a few tens of meters above ground level. Dust devil ground motion direction closely matches the measured ambient wind direction. The link between ambient winds and dust devil ground velocity demonstrated here suggests that a similar one should apply on Mars. Determining the details of the martian relationship between dust devil ground velocity and ambient wind velocity might require new in situ or modelling studies but, if completed successfully, would provide a quantitative means of measuring wind velocities on Mars that would otherwise be impossible to obtain.

Coastal Wind Profiles In The Mediterranean Area From A Wind Lidar During A Two Year Period

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gullì, Daniel; Avolio, Elenio; Calidonna, Claudia Roberta; Lo Feudo, Teresa; Torcasio, Rosa Claudia; Sempreviva, Anna Maria

2017-04-01

Reliable measurements of vertical profiles of wind speed and direction are the basis for testing models and methodologies of use for wind energy assessment. Modelling coastal areas further introduce the challenge of the coastal discontinuity, which is often not accurately resolved in meso-scale numerical model. Here, we present the analysis of two year of 10-minute averaged wind speed and direction vertical profiles collected during a two-year period from a Wind- lidar ZEPHIR 300® at a coastal suburban area. The lidar is located at the SUPER SITE of CNR-ISAC section of Lamezia Terme, Italy and both dataset and site are unique in the Mediterranean area. The instrument monitors at 10 vertical levels, from 10 m up to 300 m. The analysis is classified according to season, and wind directions for offshore and offshore flow. For onshore flow, we note an atmospheric layer at around 100 m that likely represents the effect an internal boundary layer caused by the sharp coastal discontinuity of the surface characteristics. For offshore flows, the profiles show a layer ranging between 80m and 100m, which might be ascribed to the land night time boundary layer combined to the impact of the building around the mast.

Diode Laser Assisted Filament Winding of Thermoplastic Matrix Composites

PubMed Central

Quadrini, Fabrizio; Squeo, Erica Anna; Prosperi, Claudia

2010-01-01

A new consolidation method for the laser-assisted filament winding of thermoplastic prepregs is discussed: for the first time a diode laser is used, as well as long glass fiber reinforced polypropylene prepregs. A consolidation apparatus was built by means of a CNC motion table, a stepper motor and a simple tensioner. Preliminary tests were performed in a hoop winding configuration: only the winding speed was changed, and all the other process parameters (laser power, distance from the laser focus, consolidation force) were kept constant. Small wound rings with an internal diameter of 25 mm were produced and compression tests were carried out to evaluate the composite agglomeration in dependence of the winding speed. At lower winding speeds, a strong interpenetration of adjacent layers was observed.

The acoustic field of a point source in a uniform boundary layer over an impedance plane

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zorumski, W. E.; Willshire, W. L., Jr.

1986-01-01

The acoustic field of a point source in a boundary layer above an impedance plane is investigated anatytically using Obukhov quasi-potential functions, extending the normal-mode theory of Chunchuzov (1984) to account for the effects of finite ground-plane impedance and source height. The solution is found to be asymptotic to the surface-wave term studies by Wenzel (1974) in the limit of vanishing wind speed, suggesting that normal-mode theory can be used to model the effects of an atmospheric boundary layer on infrasonic sound radiation. Model predictions are derived for noise-generation data obtained by Willshire (1985) at the Medicine Bow wind-turbine facility. Long-range downwind propagation is found to behave as a cylindrical wave, with attention proportional to the wind speed, the boundary-layer displacement thickness, the real part of the ground admittance, and the square of the frequency.

Analysis and characterization of the vertical wind profile in UAE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, W.; Ghedira, H.; Ouarda, T.; Gherboudj, I.

2011-12-01

In this study, temporal and spatial analysis of the vertical wind profiles in the UAE has been performed to estimate wind resource potential. Due to the very limited number of wind masts (only two wind masts in the UAE, operational for less than three years), the wind potential analysis will be mainly derived from numerical-based models. Additional wind data will be derived from the UAE met stations network (at 10 m elevation) managed by the UAE National Center of Meteorology and Seismology. However, since wind turbines are generally installed at elevations higher than 80 m, it is vital to extrapolate wind speed correctly from low heights to wind turbine hub heights to predict potential wind energy properly. To do so, firstly two boundary layer based models, power law and logarithmic law, were tested to find the best fitting model. Power law is expressed as v/v0 =(H/H0)^α and logarithmic law is represented as v/v0 =[ln(H/Z0))/(ln(H0/Z0)], where V is the wind speed [m/s] at height H [m] and V0 is the known wind speed at a reference height H0. The exponent (α) coefficient is an empirically derived value depending on the atmospheric stability and z0 is the roughness coefficient length [m] that depends on topography, land roughness and spacing. After testing the two models, spatial and temporal analysis for wind profile was performed. Many studies about wind in different regions have shown that wind profile parameters have hourly, monthly and seasonal variations. Therefore, it can be examined whether UAE wind characteristics follow general wind characteristics observed in other regions or have specific wind features due to its regional condition. About 3 years data from August 2008 to February 2011 with 10-minutes resolution were used to derive monthly variation. The preliminary results(Fig.1) show that during that period, wind profile parameters like alpha from power law and roughness length from logarithmic law have monthly variation. Both alpha and roughness have low values during summer and high values during winter. This variation is mainly explained by the direct effect of air temperature on atmospheric stability. When the surface temperature becomes high, air is mixed well in atmospheric boundary layer. This phenomenon leads to vertically low wind speed change indicating low wind profile parameter. On the contrary, cold surface temperature prevents air from being mixed well in the boundary layer. This analysis is applied to different regions to see the spatial characteristics of wind in UAE. As a next step, a mesoscale model coupled with UAE roughness maps will be used to predict elevated wind speed. A micro-scale modeling approach will be also used to capture small-scale wind speed variability. This data will be combined with the NCMS data and tailored to the UAE by modeling the effects due to local changes in terrain elevation and local surface roughness changes and obstacles.

Design and calibration of the mixing layer and wind tunnel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bell, James H.; Mehta, Rabindra D.

1989-01-01

A detailed account of the design, assembly and calibration of a wind tunnel specifically designed for free-shear layer research is contained. The construction of this new facility was motivated by a strong interest in the study of plane mixing layers with varying initial and operating conditions. The Mixing Layer Wind tunnel is located in the Fluid Mechanics Laboratory at NASA Ames Research Center. The tunnel consists of two separate legs which are driven independently by centrifugal blowers connected to variable speed motors. The blower/motor combinations are sized such that one is smaller than the other, giving maximum flow speeds of about 20 and 40 m/s, respectively. The blower speeds can either be set manually or via the Microvax II computer. The two streams are allowed to merge in the test section at the sharp trailing edge of a slowly tapering splitter plate. The test section is 36 cm in the cross-stream direction, 91 cm in the spanwise direction and 366 cm in length. One test section side-wall is slotted for probe access and adjustable so that the streamwise pressure gradient may be controlled. The wind tunnel is also equipped with a computer controlled, three-dimensional traversing system which is used to investigate the flow fields with pressure and hot-wire instrumentation. The wind tunnel calibration results show that the mean flow in the test section is uniform to within plus or minus 0.25 pct and the flow angularity is less than 0.25 deg. The total streamwise free-stream turbulence intensity level is approximately 0.15 pct. Currently the wind tunnel is being used in experiments designed to study the three-dimensional structure of plane mixing layers and wakes.

Highly buoyant bent-over plumes in a boundary layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tohidi, Ali; Kaye, Nigel B.

2016-04-01

Highly buoyant plumes, such as wildfire plumes, in low to moderate wind speeds have initial trajectories that are steeper than many industrial waste plumes. They will rise further into the atmosphere before bending significantly. In such cases the plume's trajectory will be influenced by the vertical variation in horizontal velocity of the atmospheric boundary layer. This paper examined the behavior of a plume in an unstratified environment with a power-law ambient velocity profile. Examination of previously published experimental measurements of plume trajectory show that inclusion of the boundary layer velocity profile in the plume model often provides better predictions of the plume trajectory compared to algebraic expressions developed for uniform flow plumes. However, there are many cases in which uniform velocity profile algebraic expressions are as good as boundary layer models. It is shown that it is only important to model the role of the atmospheric boundary layer velocity profile in cases where either the momentum length (square root of source momentum flux divided by the reference wind speed) or buoyancy length (buoyancy flux divided by the reference wind speed cubed) is significantly greater than the plume release height within the boundary layer. This criteria is rarely met with industrial waste plumes, but it is important in modeling wildfire plumes.

Design, testing and demonstration of a small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS) and payload for measuring wind speed and particulate matter in the atmospheric boundary layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riddell, Kevin Donald Alexander

The atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) is the layer of air directly influenced by the Earth's surface and is the layer of the atmosphere most important to humans as this is the air we live in. Methods for measuring the properties of the ABL include three general approaches: satellite based, ground based and airborne. A major research challenge is that many contemporary methods provide a restricted spatial resolution or coverage of variations of ABL properties such as how wind speed varies across a landscape with complex topography. To enhance our capacity to measure the properties of the ABL, this thesis presents a new technique that involves a small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS) equipped with a customized payload for measuring wind speed and particulate matter. The research presented herein outlines two key phases in establishing the proof of concept of the payload and its integration on the sUAS: (1) design and testing and (2) field demonstration. The first project focuses on measuring wind speed, which has been measured with fixed wing sUASs in previous research. but not with a helicopter sUAS. The second project focuses on the measurement of particulate matter, which is a major air pollutant typically measured with ground-based sensors. Results from both proof of concept projects suggest that ABL research could benefit from the proposed techniques. .

Large-Scale Wind-Tunnel Tests and Evaluation of the Low-Speed Performance of a 35 deg Sweptback Wing Jet Transport Model Equipped with a Blowing Boundary-Layer-Control Flap and Leading-Edge Slat

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hickey, David H.; Aoyagi, Kiyoshi

1960-01-01

A wind-tunnel investigation was conducted to determine the effect of trailing-edge flaps with blowing-type boundary-layer control and leading-edge slats on the low-speed performance of a large-scale jet transport model with four engines and a 35 deg. sweptback wing of aspect ratio 7. Two spanwise extents and several deflections of the trailing-edge flap were tested. Results were obtained with a normal leading-edge and with full-span leading-edge slats. Three-component longitudinal force and moment data and boundary-layer-control flow requirements are presented. The test results are analyzed in terms of possible improvements in low-speed performance. The effect on performance of the source of boundary-layer-control air flow is considered in the analysis.

Using Kites to Illustrate Some Features of Boundary Layer Winds.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tuller, Stanton E.

1983-01-01

Kites allow teachers to illustrate wind patterns by calling on past experience and by present demonstration. Features of the wind illustrated by kites--the effect of surface friction on wind speed, change of wind direction with elevation, gust and lull sequence, and atmospheric stability and turbulence type--are discussed. (SR)

Study of the blue-green laser scattering from the rough sea surface with foams by the improved two-scale method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xiangzhen; Qi, Xiao; Han, Xiang'e.

2015-10-01

The characteristics of laser scattering from sea surface have a great influence on application performance, from submarine communication, laser detection to laser diffusion communication. Foams will appear when the wind speed exceeds a certain value, so the foam can be seen everywhere in the upper layer of the ocean. Aiming at the volume-surface composite model of rough sea surface with foam layer driven by wind, and the similarities and differences of scattering characteristics between blue-green laser and microwave, an improved two-scale method for blue-green laser to calculate the scattering coefficient is presented in this paper. Based on the improved two-scale rough surface scattering theory, MIE theory and VRT( vector radiative transfer ) theory, the relations between the foam coverage of the sea surface and wind speed and air-sea temperature difference are analyzed. Aiming at the Gauss sea surface in blue-green laser, the dependence of back- and bistatie-scattering coefficient on the incident and azimuth angle, the coverage of foams, as well as the wind speed are discussed in detail. The results of numerical simulations are compared and analyzed in this paper. It can be concluded that the foam layer has a considerable effect on the laser scattering with the increase of wind speed, especially for a large incident angle. Theoretical analysis and numerical simulations show that the improved two-scale method is reasonable and efficient.

Initializing a Mesoscale Boundary-Layer Model with Radiosonde Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berri, Guillermo J.; Bertossa, Germán

2018-01-01

A mesoscale boundary-layer model is used to simulate low-level regional wind fields over the La Plata River of South America, a region characterized by a strong daily cycle of land-river surface-temperature contrast and low-level circulations of sea-land breeze type. The initial and boundary conditions are defined from a limited number of local observations and the upper boundary condition is taken from the only radiosonde observations available in the region. The study considers 14 different upper boundary conditions defined from the radiosonde data at standard levels, significant levels, level of the inversion base and interpolated levels at fixed heights, all of them within the first 1500 m. The period of analysis is 1994-2008 during which eight daily observations from 13 weather stations of the region are used to validate the 24-h surface-wind forecast. The model errors are defined as the root-mean-square of relative error in wind-direction frequency distribution and mean wind speed per wind sector. Wind-direction errors are greater than wind-speed errors and show significant dispersion among the different upper boundary conditions, not present in wind speed, revealing a sensitivity to the initialization method. The wind-direction errors show a well-defined daily cycle, not evident in wind speed, with the minimum at noon and the maximum at dusk, but no systematic deterioration with time. The errors grow with the height of the upper boundary condition level, in particular wind direction, and double the errors obtained when the upper boundary condition is defined from the lower levels. The conclusion is that defining the model upper boundary condition from radiosonde data closer to the ground minimizes the low-level wind-field errors throughout the region.

Area-Suction Boundary-Layer Control as Applied to the Trailing-Edge Flaps of a 35 Degree Swept-Wing Airplane

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cook, Woodrow L; Anderson, Seth B; Cooper, George E

1958-01-01

A wind-tunnel investigation was made to determine the effects on the aerodynamic characteristics of a 35 degree swept-wing airplane of applying area-suction boundary-layer control to the trailing-edge flaps. Flight tests of a similar airplane were then conducted to determine the effect of boundary-layer control in the handling qualities and operation of the airplane, particularly during landing. The wind-tunnel and flight tests indicated that area suction applied to the trailing-edge flaps produced significant increases in flap lift increment. Although the flap boundary-layer control reduced the stall speed only slightly, a reduction in minimum comfortable approach speed of about 12 knots was obtained.

Estimation of the CO2 fluxes between the ocean and atmosphere for the hurricane wind forces using remote sensing data.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sergeev, Daniil; Soustova, Irina; Balandina, Galina

2017-04-01

CO2 transfer between the hydrosphere and atmosphere in the boundary layer is an important part of the global cycle of the main greenhouse gas. Gas flux is determined by the difference of the partial pressures of the gas between the atmosphere and hydrosphere, near the border, as well as to a large extent processes involving turbulent boundary layer. The last is usually characterized by power dependence on the equivalent wind speed (10-m height). Hurricane-force winds lead to intensive wave breaking, with formation of spray in the air, and bubbles in the water. Such multiphase turbulent processes at the interface strongly intensify gas transfer. Currently, data characterizing the dependence of the gas exchange of the wind speed for the hurricane conditions demonstrate a strong variation. On the other hand there is an obvious problem of obtaining reliable data on the wind speed. Widely used reanalysis data typically underestimate wind speed, due to the low spatial and temporal resolution One of the most promising ways to measure near water wind speed is the use of the data of remote sensing. The present study used technique to obtain near water wind speed based on the processing of remote sensing of the ocean surface data obtained with C-band scattermeter of RADARSAT using geophysical model function, developed in a laboratory conditions for a wide range of wind speeds, including hurricanes (see [1]). This function binds wind speed with effective radar cross-section in cross-polarized mode. We used two different parameterizations of gas transfer velocity of the wind speed. Widely used in [2], and obtained by processing results of recent experiment in modeling winds up to hurricane on wind-wave facility [3]. The new method of calculating was tested by the example of hurricane Earl image (09.2010). Estimates showed 13-18 times excess CO2 fluxes rates in comparison with monitoring data NOAA (see. [4]). 1. Troitskaya Yu., Abramov V., Ermoshkin A., Zuikova E., Kazakov V., Sergeev D., Kandaurov A., Ermakova O. Laboratory study of cross-polarized radar return under gale-force wind conditions // Int. J. Remote Sens. 2016a. T. 37. № 9. C. 1981-1989. 2. Kanamitsu, M.,Ebisuzaki,W.,Woollen,J.,Yang,S.-K.,Hnilo,J.J.,Fiorino,M.,Potter, G.L.,.NCEP-DOEAMIP-IIreanalysis(R-2) // Bull. Am. Meteorol. Soc., 2002, 83, 1631-1643. 3. K. E. Krall and B. Jahne First laboratory study of air-sea gas exchange at hurricane wind speeds // Ocean Sci., 2014, 10, 257-265. 4. ERDDAP EXPERIMENTAL. AOML Monthly Global Carbon Fluxes dataset. - ИнTepнeT-pecypc. Peжin дocTyпa: http://cwcgom.aoml.noaa.gov/erddap/griddap/aomlcarbonfluxes.graph.

Passive air sampling using semipermeable membrane devices at different wind-speeds in situ calibrated by performance reference compounds.

PubMed

Söderström, Hanna S; Bergqvist, Per-Anders

2004-09-15

Semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) are passive samplers used to measure the vapor phase of organic pollutants in air. This study tested whether extremely high wind-speeds during a 21-day sampling increased the sampling rates of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and whether the release of performance reference compounds (PRCs) was related to the uptakes at different wind-speeds. Five samplers were deployed in an indoor, unheated, and dark wind tunnel with different wind-speeds at each site (6-50 m s(-1)). In addition, one sampler was deployed outside the wind tunnel and one outside the building. To test whether a sampler, designed to reduce the wind-speeds, decreased the uptake and release rates, each sampler in the wind tunnel included two SPMDs positioned inside a protective device and one unprotected SPMD outside the device. The highest amounts of PAHs and PCBs were found in the SPMDs exposed to the assumed highest wind-speeds. Thus, the SPMD sampling rates increased with increasing wind-speeds, indicating that the uptake was largely controlled by the boundary layer at the membrane-air interface. The coefficient of variance (introduced by the 21-day sampling and the chemical analysis) for the air concentrations of three PAHs and three PCBs, calculated using the PRC data, was 28-46%. Thus, the PRCs had a high ability to predict site effects of wind and assess the actual sampling situation. Comparison between protected and unprotected SPMDs showed that the sampler design reduced the wind-speed inside the devices and thereby the uptake and release rates.

Molecular Substrate Alteration by Solar Wind Radiation Documented on Flown Genesis Mission Array Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Calaway, Michael J.; Stansbery, Eileen K.

2006-01-01

The Genesis spacecraft sampling arrays were exposed to various regimes of solar wind during flight that included: 313.01 days of high-speed wind from coronal holes, 335.19 days of low-speed inter-stream wind, 191.79 days of coronal mass ejections, and 852.83 days of bulk solar wind at Lagrange 1 orbit. Ellipsometry measurements taken at NASA s Johnson Space Center show that all nine flown array materials from the four Genesis regimes have been altered by solar wind exposure during flight. These measurements show significant changes in the optical constant for all nine ultra-pure materials that flew on Genesis when compared with their non-flight material standard. This change in the optical constant (n and k) of the material suggests that the molecular structure of the all nine ultra-pure materials have been altered by solar radiation. In addition, 50 samples of float-zone and czochralski silicon bulk array ellipsometry results were modeled with an effective medium approximation layer (EMA substrate layer) revealing a solar radiation molecular damage zone depth below the SiO2 native oxide layer ranging from 392 to 613 . This bulk solar wind radiation penetration depth is comparable to the depth of solar wind implantation depth of Mg measured by SIMS and SARISA.

Improved upper winds models for several astronomical observatories.

PubMed

Roberts, Lewis C; Bradford, L William

2011-01-17

An understanding of wind speed and direction as a function of height are critical to the proper modeling of atmospheric turbulence. We have used radiosonde data from launch sites near significant astronomical observatories and created averaged profiles of wind speed and direction and have also computed Richardson number profiles. Using data from the last 30 years, we confirm a 1977 Greenwood wind profile, and extend it to include parameters that show seasonal variations and differences in location. The added information from our models is useful for the design of adaptive optics systems and other imaging systems. Our analysis of the Richardson number suggests that persistent turbulent layers may be inferred when low values are present in our long term averaged data. Knowledge of the presence of these layers may help with planning for adaptive optics and laser communications.

Sediment flux and airflow on the stoss slope of a barchan dune

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lancaster, N.; Nickling, W. G.; Neuman, C. K. McKenna; Wyatt, V. E.

1996-09-01

Measurements of sediment flux on the windward slope of an isolated barchan using an array of 30 sand traps provide new data that can constrain models of dune dynamics. The data show that at low wind incident speeds, flux increases up the dune exponentially, whereas at higher wind speeds the increase with distance approaches linearity. Wind profile measurements, conducted at the same time as the flux measurements, indicate that, although wind speed at a given height increases by 1.2 times from dune toe to brinkline, wind shear velocity derived from the profile data decreases up the dune and is in many cases below transport threshold values. This demonstrates that conventional wind profiles, derived from anemometry on dunes, do not measure the part of the boundary layer that is significant for sediment transport.

Wind energy resource modelling in Portugal and its future large-scale alteration due to anthropogenic induced climate changes =

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carvalho, David Joao da Silva

The high dependence of Portugal from foreign energy sources (mainly fossil fuels), together with the international commitments assumed by Portugal and the national strategy in terms of energy policy, as well as resources sustainability and climate change issues, inevitably force Portugal to invest in its energetic self-sufficiency. The 20/20/20 Strategy defined by the European Union defines that in 2020 60% of the total electricity consumption must come from renewable energy sources. Wind energy is currently a major source of electricity generation in Portugal, producing about 23% of the national total electricity consumption in 2013. The National Energy Strategy 2020 (ENE2020), which aims to ensure the national compliance of the European Strategy 20/20/20, states that about half of this 60% target will be provided by wind energy. This work aims to implement and optimise a numerical weather prediction model in the simulation and modelling of the wind energy resource in Portugal, both in offshore and onshore areas. The numerical model optimisation consisted in the determination of which initial and boundary conditions and planetary boundary layer physical parameterizations options provide wind power flux (or energy density), wind speed and direction simulations closest to in situ measured wind data. Specifically for offshore areas, it is also intended to evaluate if the numerical model, once optimised, is able to produce power flux, wind speed and direction simulations more consistent with in situ measured data than wind measurements collected by satellites. This work also aims to study and analyse possible impacts that anthropogenic climate changes may have on the future wind energetic resource in Europe. The results show that the ECMWF reanalysis ERA-Interim are those that, among all the forcing databases currently available to drive numerical weather prediction models, allow wind power flux, wind speed and direction simulations more consistent with in situ wind measurements. It was also found that the Pleim-Xiu and ACM2 planetary boundary layer parameterizations are the ones that showed the best performance in terms of wind power flux, wind speed and direction simulations. This model optimisation allowed a significant reduction of the wind power flux, wind speed and direction simulations errors and, specifically for offshore areas, wind power flux, wind speed and direction simulations more consistent with in situ wind measurements than data obtained from satellites, which is a very valuable and interesting achievement. This work also revealed that future anthropogenic climate changes can negatively impact future European wind energy resource, due to tendencies towards a reduction in future wind speeds especially by the end of the current century and under stronger radiative forcing conditions.

Testing and Performance Verification of a High Bypass Ratio Turbofan Rotor in an Internal Flow Component Test Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

VanZante, Dale E.; Podboy, Gary G.; Miller, Christopher J.; Thorp, Scott A.

2009-01-01

A 1/5 scale model rotor representative of a current technology, high bypass ratio, turbofan engine was installed and tested in the W8 single-stage, high-speed, compressor test facility at NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC). The same fan rotor was tested previously in the GRC 9x15 Low Speed Wind Tunnel as a fan module consisting of the rotor and outlet guide vanes mounted in a flight-like nacelle. The W8 test verified that the aerodynamic performance and detailed flow field of the rotor as installed in W8 were representative of the wind tunnel fan module installation. Modifications to W8 were necessary to ensure that this internal flow facility would have a flow field at the test package that is representative of flow conditions in the wind tunnel installation. Inlet flow conditioning was designed and installed in W8 to lower the fan face turbulence intensity to less than 1.0 percent in order to better match the wind tunnel operating environment. Also, inlet bleed was added to thin the casing boundary layer to be more representative of a flight nacelle boundary layer. On the 100 percent speed operating line the fan pressure rise and mass flow rate agreed with the wind tunnel data to within 1 percent. Detailed hot film surveys of the inlet flow, inlet boundary layer and fan exit flow were compared to results from the wind tunnel. The effect of inlet casing boundary layer thickness on fan performance was quantified. Challenges and lessons learned from testing this high flow, low static pressure rise fan in an internal flow facility are discussed.

A Case Study of the Weather Research and Forecasting Model Applied to the Joint Urban 2003 Tracer Field Experiment. Part 1. Wind and Turbulence

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nelson, Matthew A.; Brown, Michael J.; Halverson, Scot A.

We found that numerical-weather-prediction models are often used to supply the mean wind and turbulence fields for atmospheric transport and dispersion plume models as they provide dense horizontally- and vertically-resolved geographic coverage in comparison to typically sparse monitoring networks. Here, the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model was run over the month-long period of the Joint Urban 2003 field campaign conducted in Oklahoma City and the simulated fields important to transport and dispersion models were compared to measurements from a number of sodars, tower-based sonic anemometers, and balloon soundings located in the greater metropolitan area. Time histories of computed windmore » speed, wind direction, turbulent kinetic energy (e), friction velocity (u* ), and reciprocal Obukhov length (1 / L) were compared to measurements over the 1-month field campaign. Vertical profiles of wind speed, potential temperature (θ ), and e were compared during short intensive operating periods. The WRF model was typically able to replicate the measured diurnal variation of the wind fields, but with an average absolute wind direction and speed difference of 35° and 1.9 m s -1 , respectively. Then, using the Mellor-Yamada-Janjic (MYJ) surface-layer scheme, the WRF model was found to generally underpredict surface-layer TKE but overpredict u* that was observed above a suburban region of Oklahoma City. The TKE-threshold method used by the WRF model’s MYJ surface-layer scheme to compute the boundary-layer height (h) consistently overestimated h derived from a θ gradient method whether using observed or modelled θ profiles.« less

A Case Study of the Weather Research and Forecasting Model Applied to the Joint Urban 2003 Tracer Field Experiment. Part 1. Wind and Turbulence

DOE PAGES

Nelson, Matthew A.; Brown, Michael J.; Halverson, Scot A.; ...

2015-09-25

We found that numerical-weather-prediction models are often used to supply the mean wind and turbulence fields for atmospheric transport and dispersion plume models as they provide dense horizontally- and vertically-resolved geographic coverage in comparison to typically sparse monitoring networks. Here, the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model was run over the month-long period of the Joint Urban 2003 field campaign conducted in Oklahoma City and the simulated fields important to transport and dispersion models were compared to measurements from a number of sodars, tower-based sonic anemometers, and balloon soundings located in the greater metropolitan area. Time histories of computed windmore » speed, wind direction, turbulent kinetic energy (e), friction velocity (u* ), and reciprocal Obukhov length (1 / L) were compared to measurements over the 1-month field campaign. Vertical profiles of wind speed, potential temperature (θ ), and e were compared during short intensive operating periods. The WRF model was typically able to replicate the measured diurnal variation of the wind fields, but with an average absolute wind direction and speed difference of 35° and 1.9 m s -1 , respectively. Then, using the Mellor-Yamada-Janjic (MYJ) surface-layer scheme, the WRF model was found to generally underpredict surface-layer TKE but overpredict u* that was observed above a suburban region of Oklahoma City. The TKE-threshold method used by the WRF model’s MYJ surface-layer scheme to compute the boundary-layer height (h) consistently overestimated h derived from a θ gradient method whether using observed or modelled θ profiles.« less

Measuring wintertime surface fluxes at the Tiksi observatory in northern Sakha (Yakutia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laurila, Thomas; Aurela, Mika; Hatakka, Juha; Tuovinen, Juha-Pekka; Asmi, Eija; Kondratyev, Vladimir; Ivakhov, Victor; Reshetnikov, Alexander; Makshtas, Alexander; Uttal, Taneil

2013-04-01

Tiksi hydrometeorological observatory has been equipped by new instrumentation for meteorology, turbulence, trace gas and aerosols studies as a joint effort by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Roshydromet (Yakutian Hydrometeorological Service, Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute and Voeikov Main Geophysical Observatory units) and the Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI). The site is close to the coast of the Laptev Sea on deep permafrost soil with low tundra vegetation and patches of arctic semidesert. Near-by terrain is gently sloping to the south. Further away they are hills in the NE- and W-directions. Turbulence (3-d wind components and sonic temperature) was measured at 10 Hz by USA-1Scientific sonic by Metek, Gmbh. Concentrations of CO2 and H2O were measured by LiCor LI7000 analyzer and CH4 concentrations by Los Gatos RMT200 analyzer. Measurement height was 2.5m. Active layer freeze up took place in extended October period. Methane and carbon dioxide emissions were observed up to early December. Emissions to the atmosphere were enhanced by turbulence created by high wind speeds. Midwinter conditions existed from the end of October to the beginning of April based on rather constant negative net radiation between 20-30 Wm-2 that cools the surface and forms highly stable stratification. Weather conditions are characterized by either low or high wind speed modes. Roughly half of the time wind speed was low, below 2 ms-1. Then, katabatic winds were common and air temperature was between -40..-30°C. High wind speeds, up to 24 ms-1, were observed during synoptic disturbances which lasted typically a few days. In this presentation we will show climatology of surface layer characteristics in late autumn and winter. We will show frequency of well-developed turbulence vs. katabatic low wind speed conditions and related atmospheric stability. The effect of wind speed on methane and carbon dioxide emissions during the freezing period will be shown.

Optimal strategies for insects migrating in the flight boundary layer: mechanisms and consequences.

PubMed

Srygley, Robert B; Dudley, Robert

2008-07-01

Directed aerial displacement requires that a volant organism's airspeed exceeds ambient wind speed. For biologically relevant altitudes, wind speed increases exponentially with increased height above the ground. Thus, dispersal of most insects is influenced by atmospheric conditions. However, insects that fly close to the Earth's surface displace within the flight boundary layer where insect airspeeds are relatively high. Over the past 17 years, we have studied boundary-layer insects by following individuals as they migrate across the Caribbean Sea and the Panama Canal. Although most migrants evade either drought or cold, nymphalid and pierid butterflies migrate across Panama near the onset of the rainy season. Dragonflies of the genus Pantala migrate in October concurrently with frontal weather systems. Migrating the furthest and thereby being the most difficult to study, the diurnal moth Urania fulgens migrates between Central and South America. Migratory butterflies and dragonflies are capable of directed movement towards a preferred compass direction in variable winds, whereas the moths drift with winds over water. Butterflies orient using both global and local cues. Consistent with optimal migration theory, butterflies and dragonflies adjust their flight speeds in ways that maximize migratory distance traveled per unit fuel, whereas the moths do not. Moreover, only butterflies adjust their flight speed in relation to endogenous fat reserves. It is likely that these insects use optic flow to gauge their speed and drift, and thus must migrate where sufficient detail in the Earth's surface is visible to them. The abilities of butterflies and dragonflies to adjust their airspeed over water indicate sophisticated control and guidance systems pertaining to migration.

Level-crossing statistics of the horizontal wind speed in the planetary surface boundary layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edwards, Paul J.; Hurst, Robert B.

2001-09-01

The probability density of the times for which the horizontal wind remains above or below a given threshold speed is of some interest in the fields of renewable energy generation and pollutant dispersal. However there appear to be no analytic or conceptual models which account for the observed power law form of the distribution of these episode lengths over a range of over three decades, from a few tens of seconds to a day or more. We reanalyze high resolution wind data and demonstrate the fractal character of the point process generated by the wind speed level crossings. We simulate the fluctuating wind speed by a Markov process which approximates the characteristics of the real (non-Markovian) wind and successfully generates a power law distribution of episode lengths. However, fundamental questions concerning the physical basis for this behavior and the connection between the properties of a continuous-time stochastic process and the fractal statistics of the point process generated by its level crossings remain unanswered.

Flight, Wind-Tunnel, and Computational Fluid Dynamics Comparison for Cranked Arrow Wing (F-16XL-1) at Subsonic and Transonic Speeds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lamar, John E.; Obara, Clifford J.; Fisher, Bruce D.; Fisher, David F.

2001-01-01

Geometrical, flight, computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and wind-tunnel studies for the F-16XL-1 airplane are summarized over a wide range of test conditions. Details are as follows: (1) For geometry, the upper surface of the airplane and the numerical surface description compare reasonably well. (2) For flight, CFD, and wind-tunnel surface pressures, the comparisons are generally good at low angles of attack at both subsonic and transonic speeds, however, local differences are present. In addition, the shock location at transonic speeds from wind-tunnel pressure contours is near the aileron hinge line and generally is in correlative agreement with flight results. (3) For boundary layers, flight profiles were predicted reasonably well for attached flow and underneath the primary vortex but not for the secondary vortex. Flight data indicate the presence of an interaction of the secondary vortex system and the boundary layer and the boundary-layer measurements show the secondary vortex located more outboard than predicted. (4) Predicted and measured skin friction distributions showed qualitative agreement for a two vortex system. (5) Web-based data-extraction and computational-graphical tools have proven useful in expediting the preceding comparisons. (6) Data fusion has produced insightful results for a variety of visualization-based data sets.

Wind-tunnel modelling of the tip-speed ratio influence on the wake evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stein, Victor P.; Kaltenbach, Hans-Jakob

2016-09-01

Wind-tunnel measurements on the near-wake evolution of a three bladed horizontal axis wind turbine model (HAWT) in the scale 1:O(350) operating in uniform flow conditions and within a turbulent boundary layer at different tip speed ratios are presented. Operational conditions are chosen to exclude Reynolds number effects regarding the turbulent boundary layer as well as the rotor performance. Triple-wire anemometry is used to measure all three velocity components in the mid-vertical and mid-horizontal plane, covering the range from the near- to the far-wake region. In order to analyse wake properties systematically, power and thrust coefficients of the turbine were measured additionally. It is confirmed that realistic modelling of the wake evolution is not possible in a low-turbulence uniform approach flow. Profiles of mean velocity and turbulence intensity exhibit large deviations between the low-turbulence uniform flow and the turbulent boundary layer, especially in the far-wake region. For nearly constant thrust coefficients differences in the evolution of the near-wake can be identified for tip speed ratios in the range from 6.5 to 10.5. It is shown that with increasing downstream distances mean velocity profiles become indistinguishable whereas for turbulence statistics a subtle dependency on the tip speed ratio is still noticeable in the far-wake region.

Rugged, no-moving-parts windspeed and static pressure probe designs for measurements in planetary atmospheres

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bedard, A. J., Jr.; Nishiyama, R. T.

1993-01-01

Instruments developed for making meteorological observations under adverse conditions on Earth can be applied to systems designed for other planetary atmospheres. Specifically, a wind sensor developed for making measurements within tornados is capable of detecting induced pressure differences proportional to wind speed. Adding strain gauges to the sensor would provide wind direction. The device can be constructed in a rugged form for measuring high wind speeds in the presence of blowing dust that would clog bearings and plug passages of conventional wind speed sensors. Sensing static pressure in the lower boundary layer required development of an omnidirectional, tilt-insensitive static pressure probe. The probe provides pressure inputs to a sensor with minimum error and is inherently weather-protected. The wind sensor and static pressure probes have been used in a variety of field programs and can be adapted for use in different planetary atmospheres.

Wind-sea surface temperature-sea ice relationship in the Chukchi-Beaufort Seas during autumn

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Jing; Stegall, Steve T.; Zhang, Xiangdong

2018-03-01

Dramatic climate changes, especially the largest sea ice retreat during September and October, in the Chukchi-Beaufort Seas could be a consequence of, and further enhance, complex air-ice-sea interactions. To detect these interaction signals, statistical relationships between surface wind speed, sea surface temperature (SST), and sea ice concentration (SIC) were analyzed. The results show a negative correlation between wind speed and SIC. The relationships between wind speed and SST are complicated by the presence of sea ice, with a negative correlation over open water but a positive correlation in sea ice dominated areas. The examination of spatial structures indicates that wind speed tends to increase when approaching the ice edge from open water and the area fully covered by sea ice. The anomalous downward radiation and thermal advection, as well as their regional distribution, play important roles in shaping these relationships, though wind-driven sub-grid scale boundary layer processes may also have contributions. Considering the feedback loop involved in the wind-SST-SIC relationships, climate model experiments would be required to further untangle the underlying complex physical processes.

The turbulence structure of katabatic flows below and above wind-speed maximum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grachev, Andrey; Leo, Laura; Di Sabatino, Silvana; Fernando, Harindra; Pardyjak, Eric; Fairall, Christopher

2015-04-01

Measurements of atmospheric small-scale turbulence made over the complex-terrain at the US Army Dugway Proving Grounds in Utah during the Mountain Terrain Atmospheric Modeling and Observations (MATERHORN) Program are used to describe the turbulence structure of katabatic flows. Turbulent and mean meteorological data were continuously measured at multiple levels (up to seven) on four towers deployed along East lower slope (2-4 degrees) of Granite Mountain. The multi-level, multi-tower observations obtained during a 30-day long MATERHORN-Fall field campaign in September-October 2102 allow studying temporal and spatial structure of nocturnal slope flows in detail. In this study, we focus on the various statistics (fluxes, variances, spectra, cospectra, etc.) of the small-scale turbulence of katabatic winds. Observed vertical profiles of velocity, turbulent fluxes, and other quantities show steep gradients near the surface but in the layer above the slope jet these variables vary with height more slowly than near the surface. It is found that vertical momentum flux and horizontal heat (buoyancy) flux in a slope-following coordinate system change their sign below and above the wind maximum of a katabatic flow. The vertical momentum flux is directed downward (upward) whereas the horizontal heat flux is downslope (upslope) below (above) the wind maximum. Our study, therefore, suggests that a position of the jet speed maximum can be derived from linear interpolation between positive and negative values of the momentum flux (or the horizontal heat flux) and determination of a height where a flux becomes zero. It is shown that the standard deviations of all wind speed components (and therefore the turbulent kinetic energy) and the dissipation rate of turbulent kinetic energy have a local minimum, whereas the standard deviation of air temperature has an absolute maximum at the height of wind speed maximum. We report several cases when the destructive effect of vertical heat (buoyancy) flux is completely cancelled by the generation of turbulence due to the horizontal heat (buoyancy) flux. Turbulence in the layer above the wind-speed maximum is decoupled from the surface and it is consistent with the classical local z-less predictions for stably stratified boundary layer.

Watershed Scale Shear Stress From Tethersonde Wind Profile Measurements Under Near Neutral and Unstable Atmospheric Stability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parlange, M. B.; Katul, G. G.

1995-04-01

Mean wind speed profiles were measured in the atmospheric surface layer, using a tethersonde system, above the Ojai Valley Watershed in southern California. The valley is mainly planted with mature avocado and orange trees. The surface shear stress and latent and sensible heat fluxes were measured above the trees which are up to 9 m in height. Near-neutral wind speed profile measurements allowed the determination of the watershed surface roughness (z0 = 1.4 m) and the momentum displacement height (d0 = 7.0 m). The wind speed measurements obtained under unstable atmospheric stability were analyzed using Monin-Obukhov similarity theory. New stability correction functions proposed based on theory and experiments of Kader-Yaglom as well as the now classic Businger-Dyer type functions were tested. The watershed shear stress values calculated using the surface layer wind speed profiles with the new Monin-Obukhov stability functions were found to be improved in comparison with the values obtained with the Businger-Dyer functions under strongly unstable stability conditions. The Monin-Obukhov model with the Businger-Dyer stability correction function underpredicted the momentum flux by 25% under strongly unstable stability conditions, while the new Kader-Yaglom formulation compared well on average (R2 = 0.77) with the surface eddy correlation measurements for all atmospheric stability conditions. The unstable 100-m drag coefficient was found to be u*2/V1002 = 0.0182.

A Large-eddy Simulation Study of Vertical Axis Wind Turbine Wakes in the Atmospheric Boundary Layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shamsoddin, Sina; Porté-Agel, Fernando

2016-04-01

Vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) offer some advantages over their horizontal axis counterparts, and are being considered as a viable alternative to conventional horizontal axis wind turbines (HAWTs). Nevertheless, a relative shortage of scientific, academic and technical investigations of VAWTs is observed in the wind energy community with respect to HAWTs. Having this in mind, in this work, we aim to study the wake of a single VAWT, placed in the atmospheric boundary layer, using large-eddy simulation (LES) coupled with actuator line model (ALM). It is noteworthy that this is the first time that such a study is being performed. To do this, for a typical 1 MW VAWT design, first, the variation of power coefficient with both the chord length of the blades and the tip-speed ratio is analyzed using LES-ALM, and an optimum combination of chord length and tip-speed ratio is obtained. Subsequently, the wake of a VAWT with these optimum specifications is thoroughly examined by showing different relevant mean and turbulent wake flow statistics. Keywords: vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT); VAWT wake; Atmospheric Boundary Layer (ABL); large eddy simulation (LES); actuator line model (ALM); turbulence.

Measurement of Martian boundary layer winds by the displacement of jettisoned lander hardware

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paton, M. D.; Harri, A.-M.; Savijärvi, H.

2018-07-01

Martian boundary layer wind speed and direction measurements, from a variety of locations, seasons and times, are provided. For each lander sent to Mars over the last four decades a unique record of the winds blowing during their descent is preserved at each landing site. By comparing images acquired from orbiting spacecraft of the impact points of jettisoned hardware, such as heat shields and parachutes, to a trajectory model the winds can be measured. We start our investigations with the Viking lander 1 mission and end with Schiaparelli. In-between we extract wind measurements based on observations of the Beagle 2, Spirit, Opportunity, Phoenix and Curiosity landing sites. With one exception the wind at each site during the lander's descent were found to be < 8 m s-1. High speed winds were required to explain the displacement of jettisoned hardware at the Phoenix landing site. We found a tail wind ( > 20 m s-1), blowing from the north-west was required at a high altitude ( > 2 km) together with a gust close to the surface ( < 500 m altitude) originating from the north. All in all our investigations yielded a total of ten unique wind measurements in the PBL. One each from the Viking landers and one each from Beagle 2, Spirit, Opportunity and Schiaparelli. Two wind measurements, one above about 1 km altitude and one below, were possible from observations of the Curiosity and Phoenix landing site. Our findings are consistent with a turbulent PBL in the afternoon and calm PBL in the morning. When comparing our results to a GCM we found a good match in wind direction but not for wind speed. The information provided here makes available wind measurements previously unavailable to Mars atmosphere modellers and investigators.

The aeolian wind tunnel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Iversen, J. D.

1991-01-01

The aeolian wind tunnel is a special case of a larger subset of the wind tunnel family which is designed to simulate the atmospheric surface layer winds to small scale (a member of this larger subset is usually called an atmospheric boundary layer wind tunnel or environmental wind tunnel). The atmospheric boundary layer wind tunnel is designed to simulate, as closely as possible, the mean velocity and turbulence that occur naturally in the atmospheric boundary layer (defined as the lowest portion of the atmosphere, of the order of 500 m, in which the winds are most greatly affected by surface roughness and topography). The aeolian wind tunnel is used for two purposes: to simulate the physics of the saltation process and to model at small scale the erosional and depositional processes associated with topographic surface features. For purposes of studying aeolian effects on the surface of Mars and Venus as well as on Earth, the aeolian wind tunnel continues to prove to be a useful tool for estimating wind speeds necessary to move small particles on the three planets as well as to determine the effects of topography on the evolution of aeolian features such as wind streaks and dune patterns.

Evaluation of flow quality in two large NASA wind tunnels at transonic speeds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harvey, W. D.; Stainback, P. C.; Owen, F. K.

1980-01-01

Wind tunnel testing of low drag airfoils and basic transition studies at transonic speeds are designed to provide high quality aerodynamic data at high Reynolds numbers. This requires that the flow quality in facilities used for such research be excellent. To obtain a better understanding of the characteristics of facility disturbances and identification of their sources for possible facility modification, detailed flow quality measurements were made in two prospective NASA wind tunnels. Experimental results are presented of an extensive and systematic flow quality study of the settling chamber, test section, and diffuser in the Langley 8 foot transonic pressure tunnel and the Ames 12 foot pressure wind tunnel. Results indicate that the free stream velocity and pressure fluctuation levels in both facilities are low at subsonic speeds and are so high as to make it difficult to conduct meaningful boundary layer control and transition studies at transonic speeds.

Wind Measurements from Arc Scans with Doppler Wind Lidar

DOE PAGES

Wang, H.; Barthelmie, R. J.; Clifton, Andy; ...

2015-11-25

When defining optimal scanning geometries for scanning lidars for wind energy applications, we found that it is still an active field of research. Our paper evaluates uncertainties associated with arc scan geometries and presents recommendations regarding optimal configurations in the atmospheric boundary layer. The analysis is based on arc scan data from a Doppler wind lidar with one elevation angle and seven azimuth angles spanning 30° and focuses on an estimation of 10-min mean wind speed and direction. When flow is horizontally uniform, this approach can provide accurate wind measurements required for wind resource assessments in part because of itsmore » high resampling rate. Retrieved wind velocities at a single range gate exhibit good correlation to data from a sonic anemometer on a nearby meteorological tower, and vertical profiles of horizontal wind speed, though derived from range gates located on a conical surface, match those measured by mast-mounted cup anemometers. Uncertainties in the retrieved wind velocity are related to high turbulent wind fluctuation and an inhomogeneous horizontal wind field. Moreover, the radial velocity variance is found to be a robust measure of the uncertainty of the retrieved wind speed because of its relationship to turbulence properties. It is further shown that the standard error of wind speed estimates can be minimized by increasing the azimuthal range beyond 30° and using five to seven azimuth angles.« less

Abe Silverstein 10- by 10-Foot Supersonic Wind Tunnel Validated for Low-Speed (Subsonic) Operation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoffman, Thomas R.

2001-01-01

The NASA Glenn Research Center and Lockheed Martin Corporation tested an aircraft model in two wind tunnels to compare low-speed (subsonic) flow characteristics. Objectives of the test were to determine and document the similarities and uniqueness of the tunnels and to validate that Glenn's 10- by 10-Foot Supersonic Wind Tunnel (10x10 SWT) is a viable low-speed test facility. Results from two of Glenn's wind tunnels compare very favorably and show that the 10x10 SWT is a viable low-speed wind tunnel. The Subsonic Comparison Test was a joint effort by NASA and Lockheed Martin using the Lockheed Martin's Joint Strike Fighter Concept Demonstration Aircraft model. Although Glenn's 10310 and 836 SWT's have many similarities, they also have unique characteristics. Therefore, test data were collected for multiple model configurations at various vertical locations in the test section, starting at the test section centerline and extending into the ceiling and floor boundary layers.

Feasibility study of superconducting LSM rocket launcher system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yoshida, Kinjiro; Ohashi, Takaaki; Shiraishi, Katsuto; Takami, Hiroshi

1994-01-01

A feasibility study is presented concerning an application of a superconducting linear synchronous motor (LSM) to a large-scale rocket launcher, whose acceleration guide tube of LSM armature windings is constructed 1,500 meters under the ground. The rocket is released from the linear launcher just after it gets to a peak speed of about 900 kilometers per hour, and it flies out of the guide tube to obtain the speed of 700 kilometers per hour at the height of 100 meters above ground. The linear launcher is brought to a stop at the ground surface for a very short time of 5 seconds by a quick control of deceleration. Very large current variations in the single-layer windings of the LSM armature, which are produced at the higher speed region of 600 to 900 kilometers per hour, are controlled successfully by adopting the double-layer windings. The proposed control method makes the rocket launcher ascend stably in the superconducting LSM system, controlling the Coriolis force.

Intense sub-kilometer-scale boundary layer rolls observed in hurricane fran

PubMed

Wurman; Winslow

1998-04-24

High-resolution observations obtained with the Doppler On Wheels (DOW) mobile weather radar near the point of landfall of hurricane Fran (1996) revealed the existence of intense, sub-kilometer-scale, boundary layer rolls that strongly modulated the near-surface wind speed. It is proposed that these structures are one cause of geographically varying surface damage patterns that have been observed after some landfalling hurricanes and that they cause much of the observed gustiness, bringing high-velocity air from aloft to the lowest observable levels. High-resolution DOW radar observations are contrasted with lower-resolution observations obtained with an operational weather radar, which underestimated peak low-level wind speeds.

Wind-invariant saltation heights imply linear scaling of aeolian saltation flux with shear stress.

PubMed

Martin, Raleigh L; Kok, Jasper F

2017-06-01

Wind-driven sand transport generates atmospheric dust, forms dunes, and sculpts landscapes. However, it remains unclear how the flux of particles in aeolian saltation-the wind-driven transport of sand in hopping trajectories-scales with wind speed, largely because models do not agree on how particle speeds and trajectories change with wind shear velocity. We present comprehensive measurements, from three new field sites and three published studies, showing that characteristic saltation layer heights remain approximately constant with shear velocity, in agreement with recent wind tunnel studies. These results support the assumption of constant particle speeds in recent models predicting linear scaling of saltation flux with shear stress. In contrast, our results refute widely used older models that assume that particle speed increases with shear velocity, thereby predicting nonlinear 3/2 stress-flux scaling. This conclusion is further supported by direct field measurements of saltation flux versus shear stress. Our results thus argue for adoption of linear saltation flux laws and constant saltation trajectories for modeling saltation-driven aeolian processes on Earth, Mars, and other planetary surfaces.

Wind-invariant saltation heights imply linear scaling of aeolian saltation flux with shear stress

PubMed Central

Martin, Raleigh L.; Kok, Jasper F.

2017-01-01

Wind-driven sand transport generates atmospheric dust, forms dunes, and sculpts landscapes. However, it remains unclear how the flux of particles in aeolian saltation—the wind-driven transport of sand in hopping trajectories—scales with wind speed, largely because models do not agree on how particle speeds and trajectories change with wind shear velocity. We present comprehensive measurements, from three new field sites and three published studies, showing that characteristic saltation layer heights remain approximately constant with shear velocity, in agreement with recent wind tunnel studies. These results support the assumption of constant particle speeds in recent models predicting linear scaling of saltation flux with shear stress. In contrast, our results refute widely used older models that assume that particle speed increases with shear velocity, thereby predicting nonlinear 3/2 stress-flux scaling. This conclusion is further supported by direct field measurements of saltation flux versus shear stress. Our results thus argue for adoption of linear saltation flux laws and constant saltation trajectories for modeling saltation-driven aeolian processes on Earth, Mars, and other planetary surfaces. PMID:28630907

Wind-wave coupling in the atmospheric boundary layer over a reservoir: field measurements and verification of the model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Troitskaya, Yuliya; Papko, Vladislav; Baidakov, Georgy; Vdovin, Maxim; Kandaurov, Alexander; Sergeev, Daniil

2013-04-01

This paper presents the results of field experiments conducted at the Gorky Reservoir to test a quasi-linear model of the atmospheric boundary layer [1]. In the course of the experiment we simultaneously measured profiles of wind speed and surface wave spectra using instruments placed on the Froude buoy, which measures the following parameters: i) the module and the direction of the wind speed using ultrasonic wind sensor WindSonic Gill instruments, located on the 4 - levels from 0.1 x 5 m long; ii) profile of the surface waves with 3-channel string wave-gauge with a base of 5 cm, iii) the temperature of the water and air with a resistive sensor. From the measured profiles of wind speed, we calculated basic parameters of the atmospheric boundary layer: the friction velocity u*, the wind speed at the standard height of 10 m U10 and the drag coefficient CD. Data on CD(U10), obtained at the Gorky Reservoir, were compared with similar data obtained on Lake George in Australia during the Australian Shallow Water Experiment (AUSWEX) conducted in 1997 - 1999 [2,3]. A good agreement was obtained between measured data at two different on the parameters of inland waters: deep Gorky reservoir and shallow Lake George.To elucidate the reasons for this coincidence of the drag coefficients under strongly different conditions an analysis of surface waves was conducted.Measurements have shown that in both water bodies the surface wave spectra have almost the same asymptotics (spatial spectrum - k-3, the frequency spectrum -5), corresponding to the Phillips saturation spectrum.These spectra are typically observed for the steep surface waves, for which the basic dissipation mechanism is wave breaking. The similarity of the short-wave parts of the spectra can be regarded as a probable cause of coincidence of dependency of drag coefficient of the water surface on wind speed. Quantitative verification of this hypothesis was carried out in the framework of quasi-linear model of the wind over the waves [1]. In the calculations the input parameters are measured friction velocity of wind and surface wave spectrum. The appropriate wind speed at the standard height of 10 m and the resistance coefficient surface were calculated. It is shown that at a wind speed of 6 m/s, the model reproduces the measurements. Significant difference of model predictions and measurements at lower values may be due to large measurement error caused by the nonstationarity of weak winds. Authors are grateful to prof. A.Babanin for fruitful discussion and access to data of AUSWEX. This work was supported by RFBR (project 11-05-12047-ofi-m, 13-05-00865-a, 12-05-33070). References 1. Troitskaya, Y. I., D. A. Sergeev, A. A. Kandaurov, G. A.Baidakov, M A. Vdovin, and V. I. Kazakov Laboratory and theoretical modeling of air-sea momentum transfer under severe wind conditions J.Geophys. Res., 117, C00J21, doi:10.1029/2011JC007778 2. Donelan M.A., Babanin A.V., Young I.R., Banner M.L., McCormick C. Wave follower field measurements of the wind input spectral function. Part I: Measurements and calibrations // J. Atmos. Oceanic Technol., 2005. V. 22. P. 799-813. 3. Babanin, A.V., and V.K. Makin: Effects of wind trend and gustiness on the sea drag: Lake George study. Journal of Geophysical Research, 2008, 113, C02015, doi:10.1029/2007JC004233, 18p

Preliminary study of inphase gusts and moment force wind loads over the first 150 meters at KSC, Florida

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaufman, J. W.

1985-01-01

A mathematical/statistical analysis of inphase gusts and wind velocity moment forces over the first 150 m at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) is presented. The wind velocity profile data were acquired at the KSC 150 m ground wind tower. The results show that planetary boundary layer (PBL) winds can sustain near peak speeds for periods up to 60 sec and longer. This is proven from calculating the autocorrelation functions of moment forces for several 10 min cases of wind profile data. The results show that lower atmospheric planetary boundary layer winds have periodic variations for long periods of time. This flow characteristic is valuable as aerospace vehicle engineering and design criteria where wind loading must be determined.

Investigation of low-speed turbulent separated flow around airfoils

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wadcock, Alan J.

1987-01-01

Described is a low-speed wind tunnel experiment to measure the flowfield around a two-dimensional airfoil operating close to maximum lift. Boundary layer separation occurs on the upper surface at x/c=0.85. A three-component laser velocimeter, coupled with a computer-controlled data acquisition system, was used to obtain three orthogonal mean velocity components and three components of the Reynolds stress tensor in both the boundary layer and wake of the airfoil. Pressure distributions on the airfoil, skin friction distribution on the upper surface of the airfoil, and integral properties of the airfoil boudary layer are also documented. In addition to these near-field flow properties, static pressure distributions, both upstream and downstream from the airfoil and on the walls of the wind tunnel, are also presented.

Reply to comment by Mauder on "How well can we measure the vertical wind speed? Implications for fluxes of energy and mass"

Treesearch

John Kochendorfer; Tilden P. Meyers; John M. Frank; William J. Massman; Mark W. Heuer

2013-01-01

In Kochendorfer et al. (Boundary-Layer Meteorol 145:383-398, 2012, hereafter K2012) the vertical wind speed (w) measured by a non-orthogonal three-dimensional sonic anemometer was shown to be underestimated by 12%. Turbulent statistics and eddycovariance fluxes estimated using w were also affected by this underestimate in w. Methodologies used in K2012 are clarified...

Coyote unmanned aircraft system observations in Hurricane Edouard (2014)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cione, J. J.; Kalina, E. A.; Uhlhorn, E. W.; Farber, A. M.; Damiano, B.

2016-09-01

Horizontal wind, temperature, and moisture observations are presented from two Coyote unmanned aircraft system (UAS) flights in the boundary layer of Hurricane Edouard (2014). The first flight sampled the meteorological conditions in the eye and eyewall at altitudes from 900 to 1500 m while Edouard was a major hurricane (105 kt) on 16 September 2014. The following day, a second Coyote sampled the inflow layer outside of the storm core at 760 m altitude, when Edouard had weakened to an 80-kt hurricane. These flights represent the first deployments of a UAS from an airborne manned aircraft into a tropical cyclone. Comparisons between the Coyote data and the Lockheed WP-3D Orion (WP-3D) flight-level measurements and analyses constructed from dropsonde data are also provided. On 16 September 2014, the Coyote-measured horizontal wind speeds agree, on average, to within 1 m s-1 of the wind speeds observed by the WP-3D and reproduce the shape of the radial wind profile from the WP-3D measurements. For the inflow layer experiment on 17 September, the mean wind speeds from the Coyote and the dropsonde analysis differ by only 0.5 m s-1, while the Coyote captured increased variability (σ = 3.4 m s-1) in the horizontal wind field compared to the dropsonde analysis (σ = 2.2 m s-1). Thermodynamic data from the Coyote and dropsondes agree well for both flights, with average discrepancies of 0.4°C and 0.0°C for temperature and 0.7°C and 1.3°C for dew point temperature on 16 and 17 September, respectively

Quantifying error of lidar and sodar Doppler beam swinging measurements of wind turbine wakes using computational fluid dynamics

DOE PAGES

Lundquist, J. K.; Churchfield, M. J.; Lee, S.; ...

2015-02-23

Wind-profiling lidars are now regularly used in boundary-layer meteorology and in applications such as wind energy and air quality. Lidar wind profilers exploit the Doppler shift of laser light backscattered from particulates carried by the wind to measure a line-of-sight (LOS) velocity. The Doppler beam swinging (DBS) technique, used by many commercial systems, considers measurements of this LOS velocity in multiple radial directions in order to estimate horizontal and vertical winds. The method relies on the assumption of homogeneous flow across the region sampled by the beams. Using such a system in inhomogeneous flow, such as wind turbine wakes ormore » complex terrain, will result in errors. To quantify the errors expected from such violation of the assumption of horizontal homogeneity, we simulate inhomogeneous flow in the atmospheric boundary layer, notably stably stratified flow past a wind turbine, with a mean wind speed of 6.5 m s -1 at the turbine hub-height of 80 m. This slightly stable case results in 15° of wind direction change across the turbine rotor disk. The resulting flow field is sampled in the same fashion that a lidar samples the atmosphere with the DBS approach, including the lidar range weighting function, enabling quantification of the error in the DBS observations. The observations from the instruments located upwind have small errors, which are ameliorated with time averaging. However, the downwind observations, particularly within the first two rotor diameters downwind from the wind turbine, suffer from errors due to the heterogeneity of the wind turbine wake. Errors in the stream-wise component of the flow approach 30% of the hub-height inflow wind speed close to the rotor disk. Errors in the cross-stream and vertical velocity components are also significant: cross-stream component errors are on the order of 15% of the hub-height inflow wind speed (1.0 m s −1) and errors in the vertical velocity measurement exceed the actual vertical velocity. By three rotor diameters downwind, DBS-based assessments of wake wind speed deficits based on the stream-wise velocity can be relied on even within the near wake within 1.0 s -1 (or 15% of the hub-height inflow wind speed), and the cross-stream velocity error is reduced to 8% while vertical velocity estimates are compromised. Furthermore, measurements of inhomogeneous flow such as wind turbine wakes are susceptible to these errors, and interpretations of field observations should account for this uncertainty.« less

Quantifying error of lidar and sodar Doppler beam swinging measurements of wind turbine wakes using computational fluid dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lundquist, J. K.; Churchfield, M. J.; Lee, S.; Clifton, A.

2015-02-01

Wind-profiling lidars are now regularly used in boundary-layer meteorology and in applications such as wind energy and air quality. Lidar wind profilers exploit the Doppler shift of laser light backscattered from particulates carried by the wind to measure a line-of-sight (LOS) velocity. The Doppler beam swinging (DBS) technique, used by many commercial systems, considers measurements of this LOS velocity in multiple radial directions in order to estimate horizontal and vertical winds. The method relies on the assumption of homogeneous flow across the region sampled by the beams. Using such a system in inhomogeneous flow, such as wind turbine wakes or complex terrain, will result in errors. To quantify the errors expected from such violation of the assumption of horizontal homogeneity, we simulate inhomogeneous flow in the atmospheric boundary layer, notably stably stratified flow past a wind turbine, with a mean wind speed of 6.5 m s-1 at the turbine hub-height of 80 m. This slightly stable case results in 15° of wind direction change across the turbine rotor disk. The resulting flow field is sampled in the same fashion that a lidar samples the atmosphere with the DBS approach, including the lidar range weighting function, enabling quantification of the error in the DBS observations. The observations from the instruments located upwind have small errors, which are ameliorated with time averaging. However, the downwind observations, particularly within the first two rotor diameters downwind from the wind turbine, suffer from errors due to the heterogeneity of the wind turbine wake. Errors in the stream-wise component of the flow approach 30% of the hub-height inflow wind speed close to the rotor disk. Errors in the cross-stream and vertical velocity components are also significant: cross-stream component errors are on the order of 15% of the hub-height inflow wind speed (1.0 m s-1) and errors in the vertical velocity measurement exceed the actual vertical velocity. By three rotor diameters downwind, DBS-based assessments of wake wind speed deficits based on the stream-wise velocity can be relied on even within the near wake within 1.0 m s-1 (or 15% of the hub-height inflow wind speed), and the cross-stream velocity error is reduced to 8% while vertical velocity estimates are compromised. Measurements of inhomogeneous flow such as wind turbine wakes are susceptible to these errors, and interpretations of field observations should account for this uncertainty.

Gap Winds in a Fjord: Howe Sound, British Columbia.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jackson, Peter L.

1993-01-01

Gap, outflow, or Squamish wind, is the cold low level seaward flow of air through fjords which dissect the coastal mountain barrier of northwestern North America. These flows, occurring mainly during winter, can be strong, threatening safety, economic activity and comfort. Howe Sound gap winds were studied using a combination of observations and several types of models. Observations of winds in Howe Sound showed that gap wind strength varied considerably along the channel, across the channel and vertically. Generally, winds increase down the channel, are strongest along the eastern side, and are below 1000 m depth. Observations were unable to answer all questions about gap winds due to data sparseness, particularly in the vertical direction. Therefore, several modelling approaches were used. The modelling began with a complete 3-dimensional quasi-Boussinesq model (CSU RAMS) and ended with the creation and testing of models which are conceptually simpler, and more easily interpreted and manipulated. A gap wind simulation made using RAMS was shown to be mostly successful by statistical evaluation compared to other mesoscale simulations, and by visual inspection of the fields. The RAMS output, which has very high temporal and spatial resolution, provided much additional information about the details of gap flow. In particular, RAMS results suggested a close analogy between gap wind and hydraulic channel flow, with hydraulic features such as supercritical flow and hydraulic jumps apparent. These findings imply gap wind flow could potentially be represented by much simpler models. The simplest possible models containing pressure gradient, advection and friction but not incorporating hydraulic effects, were created, tested, and found lacking. A hydraulic model, which in addition incorporates varying gap wind height and channel geometry, was created and shown to successfully simulate gap winds. Force balance analysis from RAMS and the hydraulic model showed that pressure gradient and advection are the most important forces, followed by friction which becomes an important force in fast supercritical flow. The sensitivity of gap wind speed to various parameters was found from sensitivity tests using the hydraulic model. Results indicated that gap wind speed increases with increasing boundary layer height and speed at the head of channel, and increasing synoptic pressure gradient. Gap wind speed decreases with increasing friction, and increasing boundary layer height at the seaward channel end. Increasing temperature differences between the cold gap wind air and the warmer air aloft was found to increase the variability of the flow--higher maximum but lower mean wind speeds.

Fog water collection effectiveness: Mesh intercomparisons

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fernandez, Daniel; Torregrosa, Alicia; Weiss-Penzias, Peter; Zhang, Bong June; Sorensen, Deckard; Cohen, Robert; McKinley, Gareth; Kleingartner, Justin; Oliphant, Andrew; Bowman, Matthew

2018-01-01

To explore fog water harvesting potential in California, we conducted long-term measurements involving three types of mesh using standard fog collectors (SFC). Volumetric fog water measurements from SFCs and wind data were collected and recorded in 15-minute intervals over three summertime fog seasons (2014–2016) at four California sites. SFCs were deployed with: standard 1.00 m2 double-layer 35% shade coefficient Raschel; stainless steel mesh coated with the MIT-14 hydrophobic formulation; and FogHa-Tin, a German manufactured, 3-dimensional spacer fabric deployed in two orientations. Analysis of 3419 volumetric samples from all sites showed strong relationships between mesh efficiency and wind speed. Raschel mesh collected 160% more fog water than FogHa-Tin at wind speeds less than 1 m s–1 and 45% less for wind speeds greater than 5 m s–1. MIT-14 coated stainless-steel mesh collected more fog water than Raschel mesh at all wind speeds. At low wind speeds of < 1 m s–1 the coated stainless steel mesh collected 3% more and at wind speeds of 4–5 m s–1, it collected 41% more. FogHa-Tin collected 5% more fog water when the warp of the weave was oriented vertically, per manufacturer specification, than when the warp of the weave was oriented horizontally. Time series measurements of three distinct mesh across similar wind regimes revealed inconsistent lags in fog water collection and inconsistent performance. Since such differences occurred under similar wind-speed regimes, we conclude that other factors play important roles in mesh performance, including in-situ fog event and aerosol dynamics that affect droplet-size spectra and droplet-to-mesh surface interactions.

CWEX (Crop/Wind-Energy Experiment): Measurements of the interaction between crop agriculture and wind power

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rajewski, Daniel Andrew

The current expansion of wind farms in the U.S. Midwest promotes an alternative renewable energy portfolio to conventional energy sources derived from fossil fuels. The construction of wind turbines and large wind farms within several millions of cropland acres creates a unique interaction between two unlike energy sources: electric generation by wind and bio-fuel production derived from crop grain and plant tissues. Wind turbines produce power by extracting mean wind speed and converting a portion of the flow to turbulence downstream of each rotor. Turbine-scale turbulence modifies fluxes of momentum, heat, moisture, and other gaseous constituents (e.g. carbon dioxide) between the crop canopy and the atmospheric boundary layer. Conversely, crop surfaces and tillage elements produce drag on the hub-height wind resource, and the release of sensible and latent heat flux from the canopy or soil influences the wind speed profile. The Crop-Wind Energy Experiment (CWEX) measured momentum, energy, and CO2 fluxes at several locations within the leading line of turbines in a large operational wind farm, and overall turbines promote canopy mixing of wind speed, temperature, moisture, and carbon dioxide in both the day and night. Turbine-generated perturbations of these fluxes are dependent on several factors influencing the turbine operation (e.g. wind speed, wind direction, stability, orientation of surrounding turbines within a wind park) and the cropland surface (e.g. crop type and cultivar, planting density, chemical application, and soil composition and drainage qualities). Additional strategies are proposed for optimizing the synergy between crop and wind power.

Areal-averaged trace gas emission rates from long-range open-path measurements in stable boundary layer conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schäfer, K.; Grant, R. H.; Emeis, S.; Raabe, A.; von der Heide, C.; Schmid, H. P.

2012-07-01

Measurements of land-surface emission rates of greenhouse and other gases at large spatial scales (10 000 m2) are needed to assess the spatial distribution of emissions. This can be readily done using spatial-integrating micro-meteorological methods like flux-gradient methods which were evaluated for determining land-surface emission rates of trace gases under stable boundary layers. Non-intrusive path-integrating measurements are utilized. Successful application of a flux-gradient method requires confidence in the gradients of trace gas concentration and wind, and in the applicability of boundary-layer turbulence theory; consequently the procedures to qualify measurements that can be used to determine the flux is critical. While there is relatively high confidence in flux measurements made under unstable atmospheres with mean winds greater than 1 m s-1, there is greater uncertainty in flux measurements made under free convective or stable conditions. The study of N2O emissions of flat grassland and NH3 emissions from a cattle lagoon involves quality-assured determinations of fluxes under low wind, stable or night-time atmospheric conditions when the continuous "steady-state" turbulence of the surface boundary layer breaks down and the layer has intermittent turbulence. Results indicate that following the Monin-Obukhov similarity theory (MOST) flux-gradient methods that assume a log-linear profile of the wind speed and concentration gradient incorrectly determine vertical profiles and thus flux in the stable boundary layer. An alternative approach is considered on the basis of turbulent diffusivity, i.e. the measured friction velocity as well as height gradients of horizontal wind speeds and concentrations without MOST correction for stability. It is shown that this is the most accurate of the flux-gradient methods under stable conditions.

Could Crop Roughness Impact the Wind Resource at Agriculturally Productive Wind Farm Sites?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vanderwende, B. J.; Lundquist, J. K.

2014-12-01

The high concentration of both large-scale agriculture and wind power production in the United States Midwest region raises new questions concerning the interaction of the two activities. For instance, it is known from internal boundary layer theory that changes in the roughness of the land-surface resulting from crop choices could modify the momentum field aloft. Upward propagation of such an effect might impact the properties of the winds encountered by modern turbines, which typically span a layer from about 40 to 120 meters above the surface. As direct observation of such interaction would require impractical interference in the planting schedules of farmers, we use numerical modeling to quantify the magnitude of crop-roughness effects. To simulate a collocated farm and turbine array, we use version 3.4.1 of the Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF). The hypothetical farm is inserted near the real location of the 2013 Crop Wind Energy Experiment (CWEX). Reanalyses provide representative initial and boundary conditions. A month-long period spanning August 2013 is used to evaluate the differences in flows above corn (maize) and soybean crops at the mature, reproductive stage. Simulations are performed comparing the flow above each surface regime, both in the absence and presence of a wind farm, which consists of a parameterized 11x11 array of 1.8 MW Vestas V90 turbines. Appreciable differences in rotor-layer wind speeds emerge. The use of soybeans results in an increase in wind speeds and a corresponding reduction in rotor-layer shear when compared to corn. Despite the turbulent nature of flow within a wind farm, high stability reduces the impact of crop roughness on the flow aloft, particularly in the upper portion of the rotor disk. We use these results to estimate the economic impact of crop selection on wind power producers.

A data-driven multi-model methodology with deep feature selection for short-term wind forecasting

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Feng, Cong; Cui, Mingjian; Hodge, Bri-Mathias

With the growing wind penetration into the power system worldwide, improving wind power forecasting accuracy is becoming increasingly important to ensure continued economic and reliable power system operations. In this paper, a data-driven multi-model wind forecasting methodology is developed with a two-layer ensemble machine learning technique. The first layer is composed of multiple machine learning models that generate individual forecasts. A deep feature selection framework is developed to determine the most suitable inputs to the first layer machine learning models. Then, a blending algorithm is applied in the second layer to create an ensemble of the forecasts produced by firstmore » layer models and generate both deterministic and probabilistic forecasts. This two-layer model seeks to utilize the statistically different characteristics of each machine learning algorithm. A number of machine learning algorithms are selected and compared in both layers. This developed multi-model wind forecasting methodology is compared to several benchmarks. The effectiveness of the proposed methodology is evaluated to provide 1-hour-ahead wind speed forecasting at seven locations of the Surface Radiation network. Numerical results show that comparing to the single-algorithm models, the developed multi-model framework with deep feature selection procedure has improved the forecasting accuracy by up to 30%.« less

How well does wind speed predict air-sea gas transfer in the sea ice zone? A synthesis of radon deficit profiles in the upper water column of the Arctic Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loose, B.; Kelly, R. P.; Bigdeli, A.; Williams, W.; Krishfield, R.; Rutgers van der Loeff, M.; Moran, S. B.

2017-05-01

We present 34 profiles of radon-deficit from the ice-ocean boundary layer of the Beaufort Sea. Including these 34, there are presently 58 published radon-deficit estimates of air-sea gas transfer velocity (k) in the Arctic Ocean; 52 of these estimates were derived from water covered by 10% sea ice or more. The average value of k collected since 2011 is 4.0 ± 1.2 m d-1. This exceeds the quadratic wind speed prediction of weighted kws = 2.85 m d-1 with mean-weighted wind speed of 6.4 m s-1. We show how ice cover changes the mixed-layer radon budget, and yields an "effective gas transfer velocity." We use these 58 estimates to statistically evaluate the suitability of a wind speed parameterization for k, when the ocean surface is ice covered. Whereas the six profiles taken from the open ocean indicate a statistically good fit to wind speed parameterizations, the same parameterizations could not reproduce k from the sea ice zone. We conclude that techniques for estimating k in the open ocean cannot be similarly applied to determine k in the presence of sea ice. The magnitude of k through gaps in the ice may reach high values as ice cover increases, possibly as a result of focused turbulence dissipation at openings in the free surface. These 58 profiles are presently the most complete set of estimates of k across seasons and variable ice cover; as dissolved tracer budgets they reflect air-sea gas exchange with no impact from air-ice gas exchange.

Online Bayesian Learning with Natural Sequential Prior Distribution Used for Wind Speed Prediction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheggaga, Nawal

2017-11-01

Predicting wind speed is one of the most important and critic tasks in a wind farm. All approaches, which directly describe the stochastic dynamics of the meteorological data are facing problems related to the nature of its non-Gaussian statistics and the presence of seasonal effects .In this paper, Online Bayesian learning has been successfully applied to online learning for three-layer perceptron's used for wind speed prediction. First a conventional transition model based on the squared norm of the difference between the current parameter vector and the previous parameter vector has been used. We noticed that the transition model does not adequately consider the difference between the current and the previous wind speed measurement. To adequately consider this difference, we use a natural sequential prior. The proposed transition model uses a Fisher information matrix to consider the difference between the observation models more naturally. The obtained results showed a good agreement between both series, measured and predicted. The mean relative error over the whole data set is not exceeding 5 %.

Chemical effect on ozone deposition over seawater

EPA Science Inventory

Surface layer resistance plays an important role in determining ozone deposition velocity over seawater. Recent studies suggest that surface layer resistance over sea-water is influenced by wind-speed and chemical interaction at the air-water interface. Here, we investigate the e...

Lidar determination of winds by aerosol inhomogeneities: motion velocity in the planetary boundary layer.

PubMed

Kolev, I; Parvanov, O; Kaprielov, B

1988-06-15

The paper presents results from lidar measurements of wind velocity in the planetary boundary layer using correlation data processing. Two lidars are used in our experiments: a ruby lidar operating along slant paths and a YAG:Nd lidar operating for near vertical sounding used by us for the first time. On the basis of our experience the optimal sizes of aerosol inhomogeneities (30-300 m), the duration of the experiments (2-10 min), and the repetition rate of laser shots (fractions of hertz to several hertz) are determined. The results are compared to independent data obtained from anemometer measurements, theodolite- and radar-tracked pilot balloons. The range of differences is ~1-2 m/s in speed and 10-15 degrees in direction. Preliminary results from the use of lidar data to remotely sound the wind speed for various atmospheric stratifications and synoptic situations are described as well.

Non-monotonous dependence of the ocean surface drag coefficient on the hurricane wind speed due to the fragmentation of the ocean-atmosphere interface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Troitskaya, Yu. I.; Ermakova, O. S.; Kandaurov, A. A.; Kozlov, D. S.; Sergeev, D. A.; Zilitinkevich, S. S.

2017-11-01

Influence of the spray generation due to the fragmentation of the "bag-breakup" type on momentum exchange in the atmospheric boundary layer above the sea surface at hurricane winds was investigated on the basis of the analysis of the results of laboratory experiments. It was shown that aerodynamic drag is determined by the contribution of three factors: first, the drag of the "bag-breakup" canopies as obstacles; second, acceleration of the spray formed during fragmentation by the air flow; and the third factor is related to the stratification of the near-water atmospheric layer due to the presence of levitated water droplets. Combination of all three factors leads to a non-monotonous dependence of the aerodynamic drag coefficient on wind speed, which confirms the results of the field and laboratory measurements.

Foraging at the edge of the world: low-altitude, high-speed manoeuvering in barn swallows

PubMed Central

Warrick, Douglas R.; Hedrick, Tyson L.; Crandell, Kristen E.

2016-01-01

While prior studies of swallow manoeuvering have focused on slow-speed flight and obstacle avoidance in still air, swallows survive by foraging at high speeds in windy environments. Recent advances in field-portable, high-speed video systems, coupled with precise anemometry, permit measures of high-speed aerial performance of birds in a natural state. We undertook the present study to test: (i) the manner in which barn swallows (Hirundo rustica) may exploit wind dynamics and ground effect while foraging and (ii) the relative importance of flapping versus gliding for accomplishing high-speed manoeuvers. Using multi-camera videography synchronized with wind-velocity measurements, we tracked coursing manoeuvers in pursuit of prey. Wind speed averaged 1.3–2.0 m s−1 across the atmospheric boundary layer, exhibiting a shear gradient greater than expected, with instantaneous speeds of 0.02–6.1 m s−1. While barn swallows tended to flap throughout turns, they exhibited reduced wingbeat frequency, relying on glides and partial bounds during maximal manoeuvers. Further, the birds capitalized on the near-earth wind speed gradient to gain kinetic and potential energy during both flapping and gliding turns; providing evidence that such behaviour is not limited to large, fixed-wing soaring seabirds and that exploitation of wind gradients by small aerial insectivores may be a significant aspect of their aeroecology. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Moving in a moving medium: new perspectives on flight'. PMID:27528781

Laboratory modeling of air-sea interaction under severe wind conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Troitskaya, Yuliya; Vasiliy, Kazakov; Nicolay, Bogatov; Olga, Ermakova; Mikhail, Salin; Daniil, Sergeev; Maxim, Vdovin

2010-05-01

Wind-wave interaction at extreme wind speed is of special interest now in connection with the problem of explanation of the sea surface drag saturation at the wind speed exceeding 30 m/s. The idea on saturation (and even reduction) of the coefficient of aerodynamic resistance of the sea surface at hurricane wind speed was first suggested by Emanuel (1995) on the basis of theoretical analysis of sensitivity of maximum wind speed in a hurricane to the ratio of the enthalpy and momentum exchange coefficients. Both field (Powell, Vickery, Reinhold, 2003, French et al, 2007, Black, et al, 2007) and laboratory (Donelan et al, 2004) experiments confirmed that at hurricane wind speed the sea surface drag coefficient is significantly reduced in comparison with the parameterization obtained at moderate to strong wind conditions. Two groups of possible theoretical mechanisms for explanation of the effect of the sea surface drag reduction can be specified. In the first group of models developed by Kudryavtsev & Makin (2007) and Kukulka,Hara Belcher (2007), the sea surface drag reduction is explained by peculiarities of the air flow over breaking waves. Another approach more appropriate for the conditions of developed sea exploits the effect of sea drops and sprays on the wind-wave momentum exchange (Andreas, 2004; Makin, 2005; Kudryavtsev, 2006). The main objective of this work is investigation of factors determining momentum exchange under high wind speeds basing on the laboratory experiment in a well controlled environment. The experiments were carried out in the Thermo-Stratified WInd-WAve Tank (TSWIWAT) of the Institute of Applied Physics. The parameters of the facility are as follows: airflow 0 - 25 m/s (equivalent 10-m neutral wind speed U10 up to 60 m/s), dimensions 10m x 0.4m x 0.7 m, temperature stratification of the water layer. Simultaneous measurements of the airflow velocity profiles and wind waves were carried out in the wide range of wind velocities. Airflow velocity profile was measured by WindSonic ultrasonic wind sensor. The water elevation was measured by the three-channel wave-gauge. Top and side views of the water surface were fixed by CCD-camera. Wind friction velocity and surface drag coefficients were retrieved from the measurements by the profile method. Obtained values are in good agreement with the data of measurements by Donelan et al (2004). The directional frequency-wave-number spectra of surface waves were retrieved by the wavelet directional method (Donelan et al, 1996). The obtained dependencies of parameters of the wind waves indicate existing of two regimes of the waves with the critical wind speed Ucr about 30 m/s. For U10Ucr the dependencies of peak wave period, peak wavelength, significant wave height on the wind speed tend to saturation, in the same time the peak wave slope has the maximum at approximately Ucr and then decreases with the tendency to saturation. The surface drag also tends to saturation for U10>Ucr similarly to (Donelan et al, 2004). Video filming indicates onset of wave breaking with white-capping and spray generation at wind speeds approximately equal to Ucr. We compared the obtained experimental dependencies with the predictions of the quasi-linear model of the turbulent boundary layer over the waved water surface (Reutov&Troitskaya, 1995). Comparing shows that theoretical predictions give low estimates for the measured drag coefficient and wave fields. Taking into account momentum flux associated with the spray generation yields theoretical estimations in good agreement with the experimental data. Basing on the experimental data a possible physical mechanism of the drag is suggested. Tearing of the wave crests at severe wind conditions leads to the effective smoothing (decreasing wave slopes) of the water surface, which in turn reduces the aerodynamic roughness of the water surface. Quantitative agreement of the experimental data and theoretical estimations od the surface drag occurs if spray and drop momentum flux is taken into account. This study was supported by Russian Foundation for basic research (project code 07-05-00565, 10-05-00339). References Andreas E. L. Spray stress revised, J. Phys. Oceanogr., 2004, v.34, p.1429--1440. Black P.G., et al, Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 2007, v. 88, №3, p.357-374. Donelan M.A., et al, J. Phys. Oceanogr., 26, 1901-1914, 1996 Donelan M.A., et al, Geophys. Res. Lett., 2004, v.31, L18306. Emanuel, K.A. , J. Atmos. Sci/, 1995, v.52, p.3969-3976. Fairall C.W., et al, J. Climate, 2003, v.16, № 4, p.571-591. French, J. R., et al, J. Atmos. Sci., 2007, v.64, p.1089-1102. Garratt J.R., Mon. Weather Rev., 1977, v.105, p.915-929. Kudryavtsev V. N., J. Geophys. Res., 2006, v.111, C07020. Kudryavtsev V., Makin V. , Boundary-Layer Meteorol., 2007, v.125, p. 289--303. Kukulka, T., T. Hara, and S. E. Belcher., J. Phys. Oceanogr., 37, 1811-1828, 2007 Makin V. K. ,Boundary Layer Meteorol., 2005, v. 115, №1, p.169-176. Powell, M.D., Vickery P.J., Reinhold T.A., Nature, 2003, v.422, p.279-283. Reutov V.P., Troitskaya Yu.I. ,. Izvestiya RAN, FAO, 31, 825-834, 1995

Wind Resource Assessment in Complex Terrain with a High-Resolution Numerical Weather Prediction Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gruber, Karin; Serafin, Stefano; Grubišić, Vanda; Dorninger, Manfred; Zauner, Rudolf; Fink, Martin

2014-05-01

A crucial step in planning new wind farms is the estimation of the amount of wind energy that can be harvested in possible target sites. Wind resource assessment traditionally entails deployment of masts equipped for wind speed measurements at several heights for a reasonably long period of time. Simplified linear models of atmospheric flow are then used for a spatial extrapolation of point measurements to a wide area. While linear models have been successfully applied in the wind resource assessment in plains and offshore, their reliability in complex terrain is generally poor. This represents a major limitation to wind resource assessment in Austria, where high-altitude locations are being considered for new plant sites, given the higher frequency of sustained winds at such sites. The limitations of linear models stem from two key assumptions in their formulation, the neutral stratification and attached boundary-layer flow, both of which often break down in complex terrain. Consequently, an accurate modeling of near-surface flow over mountains requires the adoption of a NWP model with high horizontal and vertical resolution. This study explores the wind potential of a site in Styria in the North-Eastern Alps. The WRF model is used for simulations with a maximum horizontal resolution of 800 m. Three nested computational domains are defined, with the innermost one encompassing a stretch of the relatively broad Enns Valley, flanked by the main crest of the Alps in the south and the Nördliche Kalkalpen of similar height in the north. In addition to the simulation results, we use data from fourteen 10-m wind measurement sites (of which 7 are located within valleys and 5 near mountain tops) and from 2 masts with anemometers at several heights (at hillside locations) in an area of 1600 km2 around the target site. The potential for wind energy production is assessed using the mean wind speed and turbulence intensity at hub height. The capacity factor is also evaluated, considering the frequency of wind speed between cut-in and cut-out speed and of winds with a low vertical velocity component only. Wind turbines do not turn on at wind speeds below cut-in speed. Wind turbines are taken off from the generator in the case of wind speeds higher than cut-out speed and inclination angles of the wind vector greater than 8o. All of these parameters were computed at each model grid point in the innermost domain in order to map their spatial variability. The results show that in complex terrain the annual mean wind speed at hub height is not sufficient to predict the capacity factor of a turbine; vertical wind speed and the frequency of horizontal wind speed out of the range of cut-in and cut-out speed contribute substantially to a reduction of the energy harvest and locally high turbulence may considerably raise the building costs.

Large-Eddy Simulation Sensitivities to Variations of Configuration and Forcing Parameters in Canonical Boundary-Layer Flows for Wind Energy Applications

DOE PAGES

Mirocha, Jeffrey D.; Churchfield, Matthew J.; Munoz-Esparza, Domingo; ...

2017-08-28

Here, the sensitivities of idealized Large-Eddy Simulations (LES) to variations of model configuration and forcing parameters on quantities of interest to wind power applications are examined. Simulated wind speed, turbulent fluxes, spectra and cospectra are assessed in relation to variations of two physical factors, geostrophic wind speed and surface roughness length, and several model configuration choices, including mesh size and grid aspect ratio, turbulence model, and numerical discretization schemes, in three different code bases. Two case studies representing nearly steady neutral and convective atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) flow conditions over nearly flat and homogeneous terrain were used to force andmore » assess idealized LES, using periodic lateral boundary conditions. Comparison with fast-response velocity measurements at five heights within the lowest 50 m indicates that most model configurations performed similarly overall, with differences between observed and predicted wind speed generally smaller than measurement variability. Simulations of convective conditions produced turbulence quantities and spectra that matched the observations well, while those of neutral simulations produced good predictions of stress, but smaller than observed magnitudes of turbulence kinetic energy, likely due to tower wakes influencing the measurements. While sensitivities to model configuration choices and variability in forcing can be considerable, idealized LES are shown to reliably reproduce quantities of interest to wind energy applications within the lower ABL during quasi-ideal, nearly steady neutral and convective conditions over nearly flat and homogeneous terrain.« less

Large-Eddy Simulation Sensitivities to Variations of Configuration and Forcing Parameters in Canonical Boundary-Layer Flows for Wind Energy Applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mirocha, Jeffrey D.; Churchfield, Matthew J.; Munoz-Esparza, Domingo

Here, the sensitivities of idealized Large-Eddy Simulations (LES) to variations of model configuration and forcing parameters on quantities of interest to wind power applications are examined. Simulated wind speed, turbulent fluxes, spectra and cospectra are assessed in relation to variations of two physical factors, geostrophic wind speed and surface roughness length, and several model configuration choices, including mesh size and grid aspect ratio, turbulence model, and numerical discretization schemes, in three different code bases. Two case studies representing nearly steady neutral and convective atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) flow conditions over nearly flat and homogeneous terrain were used to force andmore » assess idealized LES, using periodic lateral boundary conditions. Comparison with fast-response velocity measurements at five heights within the lowest 50 m indicates that most model configurations performed similarly overall, with differences between observed and predicted wind speed generally smaller than measurement variability. Simulations of convective conditions produced turbulence quantities and spectra that matched the observations well, while those of neutral simulations produced good predictions of stress, but smaller than observed magnitudes of turbulence kinetic energy, likely due to tower wakes influencing the measurements. While sensitivities to model configuration choices and variability in forcing can be considerable, idealized LES are shown to reliably reproduce quantities of interest to wind energy applications within the lower ABL during quasi-ideal, nearly steady neutral and convective conditions over nearly flat and homogeneous terrain.« less

Application and verification of ECMWF seasonal forecast for wind energy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Žagar, Mark; Marić, Tomislav; Qvist, Martin; Gulstad, Line

2015-04-01

A good understanding of long-term annual energy production (AEP) is crucial when assessing the business case of investing in green energy like wind power. The art of wind-resource assessment has emerged into a scientific discipline on its own, which has advanced at high pace over the last decade. This has resulted in continuous improvement of the AEP accuracy and, therefore, increase in business case certainty. Harvesting the full potential output of a wind farm or a portfolio of wind farms depends heavily on optimizing operation and management strategy. The necessary information for short-term planning (up to 14 days) is provided by standard weather and power forecasting services, and the long-term plans are based on climatology. However, the wind-power industry is lacking quality information on intermediate scales of the expected variability in seasonal and intra-annual variations and their geographical distribution. The seasonal power forecast presented here is designed to bridge this gap. The seasonal power production forecast is based on the ECMWF seasonal weather forecast and the Vestas' high-resolution, mesoscale weather library. The seasonal weather forecast is enriched through a layer of statistical post-processing added to relate large-scale wind speed anomalies to mesoscale climatology. The resulting predicted energy production anomalies, thus, include mesoscale effects not captured by the global forecasting systems. The turbine power output is non-linearly related to the wind speed, which has important implications for the wind power forecast. In theory, the wind power is proportional to the cube of wind speed. However, due to the nature of turbine design, this exponent is close to 3 only at low wind speeds, becomes smaller as the wind speed increases, and above 11-13 m/s the power output remains constant, called the rated power. The non-linear relationship between wind speed and the power output generally increases sensitivity of the forecasted power to the wind speed anomalies. On the other hand, in some cases and areas where turbines operate close to, or above the rated power, the sensitivity of power forecast is reduced. Thus, the seasonal power forecasting system requires good knowledge of the changes in frequency of events with sufficient wind speeds to have acceptable skill. The scientific background for the Vestas seasonal power forecasting system is described and the relationship between predicted monthly wind speed anomalies and observed wind energy production are investigated for a number of operating wind farms in different climate zones. Current challenges will be discussed and some future research and development areas identified.

Gusts and shear within hurricane eyewalls can exceed offshore wind turbine design standards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Worsnop, Rochelle P.; Lundquist, Julie K.; Bryan, George H.; Damiani, Rick; Musial, Walt

2017-06-01

Offshore wind energy development is underway in the U.S., with proposed sites located in hurricane-prone regions. Turbine design criteria outlined by the International Electrotechnical Commission do not encompass the extreme wind speeds and directional shifts of hurricanes stronger than category 2. We examine a hurricane's turbulent eyewall using large-eddy simulations with Cloud Model 1. Gusts and mean wind speeds near the eyewall of a category 5 hurricane exceed the current Class I turbine design threshold of 50 m s-1 mean wind and 70 m s-1 gusts. Largest gust factors occur at the eye-eyewall interface. Further, shifts in wind direction suggest that turbines must rotate or yaw faster than current practice. Although current design standards omit mention of wind direction change across the rotor layer, large values (15-50°) suggest that veer should be considered.

Gusts and shear within hurricane eyewalls can exceed offshore wind turbine design standards

DOE PAGES

Worsnop, Rochelle P.; Lundquist, Julie K.; Bryan, George H.; ...

2017-05-30

Here, offshore wind energy development is underway in the U.S., with proposed sites located in hurricane-prone regions. Turbine design criteria outlined by the International Electrotechnical Commission do not encompass the extreme wind speeds and directional shifts of hurricanes stronger than category 2. We examine a hurricane's turbulent eyewall using large-eddy simulations with Cloud Model 1. Gusts and mean wind speeds near the eyewall of a category 5 hurricane exceed the current Class I turbine design threshold of 50 m s –1 mean wind and 70 m s –1 gusts. Largest gust factors occur at the eye-eyewall interface. Further, shifts inmore » wind direction suggest that turbines must rotate or yaw faster than current practice. Although current design standards omit mention of wind direction change across the rotor layer, large values (15–50°) suggest that veer should be considered.« less

Gusts and shear within hurricane eyewalls can exceed offshore wind turbine design standards

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Worsnop, Rochelle P.; Lundquist, Julie K.; Bryan, George H.

Here, offshore wind energy development is underway in the U.S., with proposed sites located in hurricane-prone regions. Turbine design criteria outlined by the International Electrotechnical Commission do not encompass the extreme wind speeds and directional shifts of hurricanes stronger than category 2. We examine a hurricane's turbulent eyewall using large-eddy simulations with Cloud Model 1. Gusts and mean wind speeds near the eyewall of a category 5 hurricane exceed the current Class I turbine design threshold of 50 m s –1 mean wind and 70 m s –1 gusts. Largest gust factors occur at the eye-eyewall interface. Further, shifts inmore » wind direction suggest that turbines must rotate or yaw faster than current practice. Although current design standards omit mention of wind direction change across the rotor layer, large values (15–50°) suggest that veer should be considered.« less

Investigations of Compression Shocks and Boundary Layers in Gases Moving at High Speed

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ackeret, J.; Feldmann, F.; Rott, N.

1947-01-01

The mutual influences of compression shocks and friction boundary layers were investigated by means of high speed wind tunnels.Schlieren optics provided a clear picture of the flow phenomena and were used for determining the location of the compression shocks, measurement of shock angles, and also for Mach angles. Pressure measurement and humidity measurements were also taken into consideration.Results along with a mathematical model are described.

Atmospheric boundary layer effects induced by the 20 March 2015 solar eclipse

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gray, Suzanne L.; Harrison, R. Giles

2016-04-01

The British Isles benefits from dense meteorological observation networks, enabling insights into the still-unresolved effects of solar eclipse events on the near-surface wind field. The near-surface effects of the solar eclipse of 20 March 2015 are derived through comparison of output from the Met Office's operational weather forecast model (which is ignorant of the eclipse) with data from two meteorological networks: the Met Office's land surface station (MIDAS) network and a roadside measurement network operated by Vaisala. Synoptic-evolution relative calculations reveal the cooling and increase in relative humidity almost universally attributed to eclipse events. In addition, a slackening of wind speeds by up to about 2 knots in already weak winds and backing in wind direction of about 20 degrees under clear skies across middle England are attributed to the eclipse event. The slackening of wind speed is consistent with the previously reported boundary layer stabilisation during eclipse events. Wind direction changes have previously been attributed to a large-scale `eclipse-induced cold-cored cyclone', mountain slope flows, and changes in the strength of sea breezes. A new explanation is proposed here by analogy with nocturnal wind changes at sunset and shown to predict direction changes consistent with those observed.

Evaluation of the WRF-Urban Modeling System Coupled to Noah and Noah-MP Land Surface Models Over a Semiarid Urban Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salamanca, Francisco; Zhang, Yizhou; Barlage, Michael; Chen, Fei; Mahalov, Alex; Miao, Shiguang

2018-03-01

We have augmented the existing capabilities of the integrated Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF)-urban modeling system by coupling three urban canopy models (UCMs) available in the WRF model with the new community Noah with multiparameterization options (Noah-MP) land surface model (LSM). The WRF-urban modeling system's performance has been evaluated by conducting six numerical experiments at high spatial resolution (1 km horizontal grid spacing) during a 15 day clear-sky summertime period for a semiarid urban environment. To assess the relative importance of representing urban surfaces, three different urban parameterizations are used with the Noah and Noah-MP LSMs, respectively, over the two major cities of Arizona: Phoenix and Tucson metropolitan areas. Our results demonstrate that Noah-MP reproduces somewhat better than Noah the daily evolution of surface skin temperature and near-surface air temperature (especially nighttime temperature) and wind speed. Concerning the urban areas, bulk urban parameterization overestimates nighttime 2 m air temperature compared to the single-layer and multilayer UCMs that reproduce more accurately the daily evolution of near-surface air temperature. Regarding near-surface wind speed, only the multilayer UCM was able to reproduce realistically the daily evolution of wind speed, although maximum winds were slightly overestimated, while both the single-layer and bulk urban parameterizations overestimated wind speed considerably. Based on these results, this paper demonstrates that the new community Noah-MP LSM coupled to an UCM is a promising physics-based predictive modeling tool for urban applications.

A Self-Organizing Map Based Evaluation of the Antarctic Mesoscale Prediction System Using Observations from a 30-m Instrumented Tower on the Ross Ice Shelf, Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nigro, M. A.; Cassano, J. J.; Wille, J.; Bromwich, D. H.; Lazzara, M. A.

2015-12-01

An accurate representation of the atmospheric boundary layer in numerical weather prediction models is important for predicting turbulence and energy exchange in the atmosphere. This study uses two years of observations from a 30-m automatic weather station (AWS) installed on the Ross Ice Shelf, Antarctica to evaluate forecasts from the Antarctic Mesoscale Prediction System (AMPS), a numerical weather prediction system based on the polar version of the Weather Research and Forecasting (Polar WRF) model that uses the MYJ planetary boundary layer scheme and that primarily supports the extensive aircraft operations of the U.S. Antarctic Program. The 30-m AWS has six levels of instrumentation, providing vertical profiles of temperature, wind speed, and wind direction. The observations show the atmospheric boundary layer over the Ross Ice Shelf is stable approximately 80% of the time, indicating the influence of the permanent ice surface in this region. The observations from the AWS are further analyzed using the method of self-organizing maps (SOM) to identify the range of potential temperature profiles that occur over the Ross Ice Shelf. The SOM analysis identified 30 patterns, which range from strong inversions to slightly unstable profiles. The corresponding AMPS forecasts were evaluated for each of the 30 patterns to understand the accuracy of the AMPS near surface layer under different atmospheric conditions. The results indicate that under stable conditions AMPS with MYJ under predicts the inversion strength by as much as 7.4 K over the 30-m depth of the tower and over predicts the near surface wind speed by as much as 3.8 m s-1. Conversely, under slightly unstable conditions, AMPS predicts both the inversion strength and near surface wind speeds with reasonable accuracy.

Winds Measured by the Rover Environmental Monitoring Station (REMS) During the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Rover's Bagnold Dunes Campaign and Comparison with Numerical Modeling Using MarsWRF

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Newman, Claire E.; Gomez-Elvira, Javier; Marin, Mercedes; Navarro, Sara; Torres, Josefina; Richardson, Mark I.; Battalio, J. Michael; Guzewich, Scott D.; Sullivan, Robert; de la Torre, Manuel;

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Safaei Pirooz, Amir A.; Flay, Richard G. J.

2018-03-01

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.

Dust aerosol radiative effect and influence on urban atmospheric boundary layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, L.; Chen, M.; Li, L.

2007-11-01

An 1.5-level-closure and 3-D non-stationary atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) model and a radiation transfer model with the output of Weather Research and Forecast (WRF) Model and lidar AML-1 are employed to simulate the dust aerosol radiative effect and its influence on ABL in Beijing for the period of 23-26 January 2002 when a dust storm occurred. The simulation shows that daytime dust aerosol radiative effect heats up the ABL at the mean rate of about 0.68 K/h. The horizontal wind speed from ground to 900 m layer is also overall increased, and the value changes about 0.01 m/s at 14:00 LT near the ground. At night, the dust aerosol radiative effect cools the ABL at the mean rate of -0.21 K/h and the wind speed lowers down at about -0.19 m/s at 02:00 LT near the ground.

Aeolian sediment transport on a beach: Surface moisture, wind fetch, and mean transport

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bauer, B. O.; Davidson-Arnott, R. G. D.; Hesp, P. A.; Namikas, S. L.; Ollerhead, J.; Walker, I. J.

2009-04-01

Temporal and spatial changes in wind speed, wind direction, and moisture content are ubiquitous across sandy coastal beaches. Often these factors interact in unknown ways to create complexity that confounds our ability to model sediment transport at any point across the beach as well as our capacity to predict sediment delivery into the adjacent foredunes. This study was designed to measure wind flow and sediment transport over a beach and foredune at Greenwich Dunes, Prince Edward Island National Park, with the express purpose of addressing these complex interactions. Detailed measurements are reported for one stormy day, October 11, 2004, during which meteorological conditions were highly variable. Wind speed ranged from 4 ms - 1 to over 20 ms - 1 , wind direction was highly oblique varying between 60° and 85° from shore perpendicular, and moisture content of the sand surface ranged from a minimum of about 3% (by mass) to complete saturation depending on precipitation, tidal excursion, and storm surge that progressively inundated the beach. The data indicate that short-term variations (i.e., minutes to hours) in sediment transport across this beach arise predominantly because of short-term changes in wind speed, as is expected, but also because of variations in wind direction, precipitation intensity, and tide level. Even slight increases in wind speed are capable of driving more intense saltation events, but this relationship is mediated by other factors on this characteristically narrow beach. As the angle of wind approach becomes more oblique, the fetch distance increases and allows greater opportunity for the saltation system to evolve toward an equilibrium transport state before reaching the foredunes. Whether the theoretically-predicted maximum rate of transport is ever achieved depends on the character of the sand surface (e.g., grain size, slope, roughness, vegetation, moisture content) and on various attributes of the wind field (e.g., average wind speed, unsteadiness, approach angle, flow compression, boundary layer development). Moisture content is widely acknowledged as an important factor in controlling release of sediment from the beach surface. All other things being equal, the rate of sediment transport over a wet surface is lesser than over a dry surface. On this beach, the moisture effect has two important influences: (a) in a temporal sense, the rate of sediment transport typically decreases in association with rainfall and increases when surface drying takes place; and (b) in a spatio-temporal sense, shoreline excursions associated with nearshore processes (such as wave run-up, storm surge, and tidal excursions) have the effect of constraining the fetch geometry of the beach—i.e., narrowing the width of the beach. Because saturated sand surfaces, such as found in the swash zone, will only reluctantly yield sediments to aeolian entrainment, the available beach surface across which aeolian transport can occur becomes narrower as the sea progressively inundates the beach. Under these constrained conditions, the transport system begins to shut down unless wind angle becomes highly oblique (thereby increasing fetch distance). In this study, maximum sediment transport was usually measured on the mid-beach rather than the upper beach (i.e., closer to the foredunes). This unusual finding is likely because of internal boundary layer development across the beach, which yields a decrease in near-surface wind speed (and hence, transport capacity) in the landward direction. Although widely recognized in the fluid mechanics literature, this decrease in near-surface shear stress as a by-product of a developing boundary layer in the downwind direction has not been adequately investigated in the context of coastal aeolian geomorphology.

Inventory of File gfs.t06z.pgrb2.1p00.f006

Science.gov Websites

fcst U-Component of Wind [m/s] 002 planetary boundary layer VGRD 6 hour fcst V-Component of Wind [m/s Wind Speed (Gust) [m/s] 005 10 mb HGT 6 hour fcst Geopotential Height [gpm] 006 10 mb TMP 6 hour fcst Temperature [K] 007 10 mb RH 6 hour fcst Relative Humidity [%] 008 10 mb UGRD 6 hour fcst U-Component of Wind

Inventory of File gfs.t06z.pgrb2.0p25.f006

Science.gov Websites

fcst U-Component of Wind [m/s] 002 planetary boundary layer VGRD 6 hour fcst V-Component of Wind [m/s Wind Speed (Gust) [m/s] 005 10 mb HGT 6 hour fcst Geopotential Height [gpm] 006 10 mb TMP 6 hour fcst Temperature [K] 007 10 mb RH 6 hour fcst Relative Humidity [%] 008 10 mb UGRD 6 hour fcst U-Component of Wind

Inventory of File gfs.t06z.pgrb2.0p50.f006

Science.gov Websites

fcst U-Component of Wind [m/s] 002 planetary boundary layer VGRD 6 hour fcst V-Component of Wind [m/s Wind Speed (Gust) [m/s] 005 10 mb HGT 6 hour fcst Geopotential Height [gpm] 006 10 mb TMP 6 hour fcst Temperature [K] 007 10 mb RH 6 hour fcst Relative Humidity [%] 008 10 mb UGRD 6 hour fcst U-Component of Wind

Inventory of File gfs.t06z.pgrb2.2p50.f006

Science.gov Websites

fcst U-Component of Wind [m/s] 002 planetary boundary layer VGRD 6 hour fcst V-Component of Wind [m/s Wind Speed (Gust) [m/s] 005 10 mb HGT 6 hour fcst Geopotential Height [gpm] 006 10 mb TMP 6 hour fcst Temperature [K] 007 10 mb RH 6 hour fcst Relative Humidity [%] 008 10 mb UGRD 6 hour fcst U-Component of Wind

A single wind-mediated mechanism explains high-altitude ‘non-goal oriented’ headings and layering of nocturnally migrating insects

PubMed Central

Reynolds, Andy M.; Reynolds, Don R.; Smith, Alan D.; Chapman, Jason W.

2010-01-01

Studies made with both entomological and meteorological radars over the last 40 years have frequently reported the occurrence of insect layers, and that the individuals forming these layers often show a considerable degree of uniformity in their headings—behaviour known as ‘common orientation’. The environmental cues used by nocturnal migrants to select and maintain common headings, while flying in low illumination levels at great heights above the ground, and the adaptive benefits of this behaviour have long remained a mystery. Here we show how a wind-mediated mechanism accounts for the common orientation patterns of ‘medium-sized’ nocturnal insects. Our theory posits a mechanism by which migrants are able to align themselves with the direction of the flow using a turbulence cue, thus adding their air speed to the wind speed and significantly increasing their migration distance. Our mechanism also predicts that insects flying in the Northern Hemisphere will typically be offset to the right of the mean wind line when the atmosphere is stably stratified, with the Ekman spiral in full effect. We report on the first evidence for such offsets, and show that they have significant implications for the accurate prediction of the flight trajectories of migrating nocturnal insects. PMID:19889697

Mixed layer depths via Doppler lidar during low-level jet events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carroll, Brian; Demoz, Belay; Bonin, Timothy; Delgado, Ruben

2018-04-01

A low-level jet (LLJ) is a prominent wind speed peak in the lower troposphere. Nocturnal LLJs have been shown to transport and mix atmospheric constituents from the residual layer down to the surface, breaching quiescent nocturnal conditions due to high wind shear. A new fuzzy logic algorithm combining turbulence and aerosol information from Doppler lidar scans can resolve the strength and depth of this mixing below the jet. Conclusions will be drawn about LLJ relations to turbulence and mixing.

Preliminary results on ocean dynamics from Skylab and their implications for future spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hayes, J.; Pierson, W. J.; Cardone, V. J.

1975-01-01

The instrument aboard Skylab designated S193 - a combined passive and active microwave radar system acting as a radiometer, scatterometer, and altimeter - is used to measure the surface vector wind speeds in the planetary boundary layer over the oceans. Preliminary results corroborate the hypothesis that sea surface winds in the planetary boundary layer can be determined from satellite data. Future spacecraft plans for measuring a geoid with an accuracy up to 10 cm are discussed.

Atmospheric structure prior to tornadoes as derived from proximity and precedent upper-air soundings, covering the period April 1977-June 1979

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Taylor, G.E.; Darkow, G.L.

1982-05-01

The uniqueness of the thermodynamic and dynamic structure of the atmosphere in the area of imminent tornado bearing storm development is analyzed by comparing 115 tornado proximity soundings with upper air soundings made at the same location 6 and 12 hours earlier (precedent soundings) and with soundings made simultaneously at neighboring upper air stations. The comparisons suggest that both the proximity station and the neighboring station upstream with respect to the mean flow in the low level moist air display very similar degrees of hydrostatic and potential-convective instability by late afternoon. The principal difference is in the wind profiles atmore » the two locations. The tornado proximity station displays significantly stronger wind speeds above 1 km with the most striking difference being in the vertical shear of the wind in the layer from 1 to 3 km above ground level. In this layer the winds at the proximity station show an average increase of about 3 m sec/sup -1/ while the upstream, non-tornadic, station shows a slight decrease of wind speed with height.« less

Flow unsteadiness effects on boundary layers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murthy, Sreedhara V.

1989-01-01

The development of boundary layers at high subsonic speeds in the presence of either mass flux fluctuations or acoustic disturbances (the two most important parameters in the unsteadiness environment affecting the aerodynamics of a flight vehicle) was investigated. A high quality database for generating detailed information concerning free-stream flow unsteadiness effects on boundary layer growth and transition in high subsonic and transonic speeds is described. The database will be generated with a two-pronged approach: (1) from a detailed review of existing literature on research and wind tunnel calibration database, and (2) from detailed tests in the Boundary Layer Apparatus for Subsonic and Transonic flow Affected by Noise Environment (BLASTANE). Special instrumentation, including hot wire anemometry, the buried wire gage technique, and laser velocimetry were used to obtain skin friction and turbulent shear stress data along the entire boundary layer for various free stream noise levels, turbulence content, and pressure gradients. This database will be useful for improving the correction methodology of applying wind tunnel test data to flight predictions and will be helpful for making improvements in turbulence modeling laws.

Project "Convective Wind Gusts" (ConWinG)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohr, Susanna; Richter, Alexandra; Kunz, Michael; Ruck, Bodo

2017-04-01

Convectively-driven strong winds usually associated with thunderstorms frequently cause substantial damage to buildings and other structures in many parts of the world. Decisive for the high damage potential are the short-term wind speed maxima with duration of a few seconds, termed as gusts. Several studies have shown that convectively-driven gusts can reach even higher wind speeds compared to turbulent gusts associated with synoptic-scale weather systems. Due to the small-scale and non-stationary nature of convective wind gusts, there is a considerable lack of knowledge regarding their characteristics and statistics. Furthermore, their interaction with urban structures and their influence on buildings is not yet fully understood. For these two reasons, convective wind events are not included in the present wind load standards of buildings and structures, which so far have been based solely on the characteristics of synoptically-driven wind gusts in the near-surface boundary layer (e. g., DIN EN 1991-1-4:2010-12; ASCE7). However, convective and turbulent gusts differ considerably, e.g. concerning vertical wind-speed profiles, gust factors (i.e., maximum to mean wind speed), or exceedance probability curves. In an effort to remedy this situation, the overarching objective of the DFG-project "Convective Wind Gusts" (ConWinG) is to investigate the characteristics and statistics of convective gusts as well as their interaction with urban structures. Based on a set of 110 climate stations of the German Weather Service (DWD) between 1992 and 2014, we analyzed the temporal and spatial distribution, intensity, and occurrence probability of convective gusts. Similar to thunderstorm activity, the frequency of convective gusts decreases gradually from South to North Germany. A relation between gust intensity/probability to orography or climate conditions cannot be identified. Rather, high wind speeds, e.g., above 30 m/s, can be expected everywhere in Germany with almost similar occurrence probabilities. A laboratory experiment with an impinging jet simulating the downdraft was performed to investigate the propagation of a gust within built environment. The aim is to investigate the interaction of the resulting convective gusts along the near-surface layers with different urban structures - from single street canyons up to more complex block array structures. It was shown that high velocities are conserved within street canyons over longer distances compared to open terrain conditions. In addition, the experiments revealed the ratio of building height to downdraft size as a crucial factor with regard to vertical velocities at roof level and the pressure distribution on the facades.

Magnetosheath for almost-aligned solar wind magnetic field and flow vectors: Wind observations across the dawnside magnetosheath at X = -12 Re

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farrugia, C. J.; Erkaev, N. V.; Torbert, R. B.; Biernat, H. K.; Gratton, F. T.; Szabo, A.; Kucharek, H.; Matsui, H.; Lin, R. P.; Ogilvie, K. W.; Lepping, R. P.; Smith, C. W.

2010-08-01

While there are many approximations describing the flow of the solar wind past the magnetosphere in the magnetosheath, the case of perfectly aligned (parallel or anti-parallel) interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) and solar wind flow vectors can be treated exactly in a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) approach. In this work we examine a case of nearly-opposed (to within 15°) interplanetary field and flow vectors, which occurred on October 24-25, 2001 during passage of the last interplanetary coronal mass ejection in an ejecta merger. Interplanetary data are from the ACE spacecraft. Simultaneously Wind was crossing the near-Earth (X ˜ -13 Re) geomagnetic tail and subsequently made an approximately 5-hour-long magnetosheath crossing close to the ecliptic plane (Z = -0.7 Re). Geomagnetic activity was returning steadily to quiet, “ground” conditions. We first compare the predictions of the Spreiter and Rizzi theory with the Wind magnetosheath observations and find fair agreement, in particular as regards the proportionality of the magnetic field strength and the product of the plasma density and bulk speed. We then carry out a small-perturbation analysis of the Spreiter and Rizzi solution to account for the small IMF components perpendicular to the flow vector. The resulting expression is compared to the time series of the observations and satisfactory agreement is obtained. We also present and discuss observations in the dawnside boundary layer of pulsed, high-speed (v ˜ 600 km/s) flows exceeding the solar wind flow speeds. We examine various generating mechanisms and suggest that the most likely cause is a wave of frequency 3.2 mHz excited at the inner edge of the boundary layer by the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability.

Adjustment of the summertime marine atmospheric boundary layer to the western Iberia coastal morphology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monteiro, Isabel T.; Santos, Aires J.; Belo-Pereira, Margarida; Oliveira, Paulo B.

2016-04-01

During summer (June, July, and August), northerly winds driven by the Azores anticyclone are prevalent over western Iberia. The Quick Scatterometer Satellite 2000 to 2009 summertime estimates reveal a broad high wind speed (≥7 ms-1) area extending about 300 km from shore and along the entire Iberian west coast. Nested in this large high-speed region, preferred maximum regions anchored in the Iberian major capes, Finisterre, Roca, and S. Vicente, are found. Composite analyses of wind maxima were performed to diagnose the typical summertime synoptic-scale pressure distribution associated with these smaller size high-speed regions. The flow low-level structure was further studied with a mesoscale numerical prediction model for three northerly events characterized by typical summertime synoptic conditions. A low-level coastal jet, setting the background conditions to the marine atmospheric boundary layer (MABL) response to topography, was found in the three cases. The causes for wind maximum downwind capes were investigated, focusing on the hypothesis that western Iberia MABL responds to hydraulic forcing. For the three events supercritical and transcritical flow conditions were identified and expansion fan signatures were found downwind each cape. Aircraft measurements, performed during one of the events, gave additional evidence of the expansion fan leeward Cape Roca. The importance of other forcing mechanisms was also assessed by considering the hypothesis of downslope wind acceleration and found to be in direct conflict with soundings and surface observations.

Boundary-Layer Transition on the N.A.C.A. 0012 and 23012 Airfoils in the 8-Foot High-Speed Wind Tunnel, Special Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Becker, John V.

1940-01-01

Determinations of boundary-layer transition on the NACA 0012 and 2301 airfoils were made in the 8-foot high-speed wind tunnel over a range of Reynolds Numbers from 1,600,000 to 16,800,000. The results are of particular significance as compared with flight tests and tests in wind tunnels of appreciable turbulence because of the extremely low turbulence in the high-speed tunnel. A comparison of the results obtained on NACA 0012 airfoils of 2-foot and 5-foot chord at the same Reynolds Number permitted an evaluation of the effect of compressibility on transition. The local skin friction along the surface of the NACA 0012 airfoil was measured at a Reynolds Number of 10,000,000. For all the lift coefficient at which tests were made, transition occurred in the region of estimated laminar separation at the low Reynolds Numbers and approach the point of minimum static pressure as a forward limit at the high Reynolds Numbers. The effect of compressibility on transition was slight. None of the usual parameters describing the local conditions in the boundary layer near the transition point served as an index for locating the transition point. As a consequence of the lower turbulence in the 8-foot high-speed tunnel, the transition points occurred consistently farther back along the chord than those measured in the NACA full-scale tunnel. An empirical relation for estimating the location of the transition point for conventional airfoils on the basis of static-pressure distribution and Reynolds Number is presented.

A Free-flight Wind Tunnel for Aerodynamic Testing at Hypersonic Speeds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Seiff, Alvin

1954-01-01

The supersonic free-flight wind tunnel is a facility at the Ames Laboratory of the NACA in which aerodynamic test models are gun-launched at high speed and directed upstream through the test section of a supersonic wind tunnel. In this way, test Mach numbers up to 10 have been attained and indications are that still higher speeds will be realized. An advantage of this technique is that the air and model temperatures simulate those of flight through the atmosphere. Also the Reynolds numbers are high. Aerodynamic measurements are made from photographic observation of the model flight. Instruments and techniques have been developed for measuring the following aerodynamic properties: drag, initial lift-curve slope, initial pitching-moment-curve slope, center of pressure, skin friction, boundary-layer transition, damping in roll, and aileron effectiveness. (author)

Analysis of Wind Characteristics at United States Tall Tower Measurement Sites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elliott, D.; Schwartz, M.; Scott, G.; Haymes, S.

2008-12-01

A major initiative of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is to ensure that 20% of the country's electricity is produced by wind energy by the year 2030. An understanding of the boundary layer characteristics, especially at elevated heights greater than 80 meters (m) above the surface is a key factor for wind turbine design, wind plant layout, and identifying potential markets for advanced wind technology. The wind resource group at the DOE National Renewable Energy Laboratory is analyzing wind data collected at tall (80+ m) towers across the United States. The towers established by both public and private initiative, measure wind characteristics at multiple levels above the surface, with the highest measurement levels generally between 80 and 110 m. A few locations have measurements above 200 m. Measurements of wind characteristics over a wide range of heights are useful to: (1) characterize the local and regional wind climate; (2) validate wind resource estimates derived from numerical models; and (3) directly assess and analyze specific wind resource characteristics such as wind speed shear over the turbine blade swept area. The majority of the available public tall tower measurement sites are located between the Appalachian and Rocky Mountains. The towers are not evenly distributed among the states. The states with the largest number of towers include Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, and Kansas. These states have five or six towers collecting data. Other states with multiple tower locations include Texas, Oklahoma, Minnesota, and Ohio. The primary consideration when analyzing the data from the tall towers is identifying tower flow effects that not only can produce slightly misleading average wind speeds, but also significantly misleading wind speed shear values. In addition, the periods-of-record of most tall tower data are only one to two years in length. The short data collection time frame does not significantly affect the diurnal wind speed pattern though it does complicate analysis of seasonal wind patterns. The tall tower data analysis revealed some distinct regional features of wind shear climatology. For example, the wind shear exponent (alpha) at the towers in the Central Plains is generally between 0.15 and 0.25, greater than the commonly used 1/7 power law exponent value of 0.143. Another characteristic of Central Plains wind climatology was that winds from the south had alpha values of 0.2 to 0.3, while northerly winds had lower alpha values from 0.1 to 0.2. The wind resource at a particular tower is affected not only by the regional climatology but also by local conditions such as terrain, surface roughness, and structure of the lower boundary layer.

Comparison of weak-wind characteristics across different Surface Types in stable stratification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Freundorfer, Anita; Rehberg, Ingo; Thomas, Christoph

2017-04-01

Atmospheric transport in weak winds and very stable conditions is often characterized by phenomena collectively referred to as submeso motions since their time and spatial scales exceed those of turbulence, but are smaller than synoptic motions. Evidence is mounting that submeso motions invalidate models for turbulent dispersion and diffusion since their physics are not captured by current similarity theories. Typical phenomena in the weak-wind stable boundary layer include meandering motions, quasi two-dimensional pancake-vortices or wavelike motions. These motions may be subject to non-local forcing and sensitive to small topographic undulations. The invalidity of Taylor's hypothesis of frozen turbulence for submeso motions requires the use of sensor networks to provide observations in both time and space domains simultaneously. We present the results from the series of Advanced Resolution Canopy Flow Observations (ARCFLO) experiments using a sensor network consisting of 12 sonic anemometers and 12 thermohygrometers. The objective of ARCFLO was to observe the flow and the turbulent and submeso transport at a high spatial and temporal resolution at 4 different sites in the Pacific Northwest, USA. These sites represented a variable degree of terrain complexity (flat to mountainous) and vegetation architecture (grass to forest, open to dense). In our study, a distinct weak-wind regime was identified for each site using the threshold velocity at which the friction velocity becomes dependent upon the mean horizontal wind speed. Here we used the scalar mean of the wind speed because the friction velocity showed a clearer dependence on the scalar mean compared to the vector mean of the wind velocity. It was found that the critical speed for the weak wind regime is higher in denser vegetation. For an open agricultural area (Botany and Plant Pathology Farm) we found a critical wind speed of v_crit= (0.24±0.05) ms-1 while for a very dense forest (Mary's River Douglas Fir site) with a Leaf Area Index of LAI=9.4 m2m-2, the critical wind speed measures v_crit= (1.0±0.1) ms-1. Further analyses include developing an identification scheme to sample submeso motions using their quasi two-dimensional nature. Once separated from turbulence the properties of submeso motions and the impact of different canopy densities on those motions can be explored. We hypothesize that submeso motions are the main generating mechanism for the locally confined and intermittent turbulence in the weak-wind and stable boundary layers.

Clothing resultant thermal insulation determined on a movable thermal manikin. Part I: effects of wind and body movement on total insulation.

PubMed

Lu, Yehu; Wang, Faming; Wan, Xianfu; Song, Guowen; Shi, Wen; Zhang, Chengjiao

2015-10-01

In this serial study, 486 thermal manikin tests were carried out to examine the effects of air velocity and walking speed on both total and local clothing thermal insulations. Seventeen clothing ensembles with different layers (i.e., one, two, or three layers) were selected for the study. Three different wind speeds (0.15, 1.55, 4.0 m/s) and three levels of walking speed (0, 0.75, 1.2 m/s) were chosen. Thus, there are totally nine different testing conditions. The clothing total insulation and local clothing insulation at different body parts under those nine conditions were determined. In part I, empirical equations for estimating total resultant clothing insulation as a function of the static thermal insulation, relative air velocity, and walking speed were developed. In part II, the local thermal insulation of various garments was analyzed and correction equations on local resultant insulation for each body part were developed. This study provides critical database for potential applications in thermal comfort study, modeling of human thermal strain, and functional clothing design and engineering.

A model for the estimation of the surface fluxes of momentum, heat and moisture of the cloud topped marine atmospheric boundary layer from satellite measurable parameters. M.S. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allison, D. E.

1984-01-01

A model is developed for the estimation of the surface fluxes of momentum, heat, and moisture of the cloud topped marine atmospheric boundary layer by use of satellite remotely sensed parameters. The parameters chosen for the problem are the integrated liquid water content, q sub li, the integrated water vapor content, q sub vi, the cloud top temperature, and either a measure of the 10 meter neutral wind speed or the friction velocity at the surface. Under the assumption of a horizontally homogeneous, well-mixed boundary layer, the model calculates the equivalent potential temperature and total water profiles of the boundary layer along with the boundary layer height from inputs of q sub li, q sub vi, and cloud top temperature. These values, along with the 10m neutral wind speed or friction velocity and the sea surface temperature are then used to estimate the surface fluxes. The development of a scheme to parameterize the integrated water vapor outside of the boundary layer for the cases of cold air outbreak and California coastal stratus is presented.

Using Model Helicopters for Meteorological Observations in Support of Tornado Forecasting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harrison, William; Roscoe, Bryan; Schafer, David; Bluestein, Howard; Lary, David

2012-10-01

In order to gain a better understanding of the physical factors involved in tornadogenesis, a complete 3-D profile of winds, temperature, and humidity in the forward-flank and rear-flank gust front regions in supercells is required. Conventional methods of making comparative measurements in and around storms are very limited. Measurements that comprehensively profile the boundary layer winds and thermodynamics are valuable but rare. A better understanding of the physical properties in these boundary layers will improve forecasts and increase warning times in affected areas. Remote-controlled model helicopters are a uniquely qualified platform for this application, allowing us to fully profile these boundary layers. Our system will consist of a swarm of autonomous acrobatic helicopters, each outfitted with temperature, pressure, humidity, and wind speed sensors.

Boundary Layer Model for Air Pollutant Concentrations Due to Highway Traffic

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ragland, Kenneth W.; Peirce, J. Jeffrey

1975-01-01

A numerical solution of the three-dimensional steady-state diffusion equation for a finite width line source is presented. The wind speed and eddy diffusivity as a function of height above the roadway are obtained. Normalized ground level and elevated concentrations near a highway are obtained for winds perpendicular, parallel, and at 45 degrees.…

Viscous Forces in Velocity Boundary Layers around Planetary Ionospheres.

PubMed

Pérez-De-Tejada

1999-11-01

A discussion is presented to examine the role of viscous forces in the transport of solar wind momentum to the ionospheric plasma of weakly magnetized planets (Venus and Mars). Observational data are used to make a comparison of the Reynolds and Maxwell stresses that are operative in the interaction of the solar wind with local plasma (planetary ionospheres). Measurements show the presence of a velocity boundary layer formed around the flanks of the ionosphere where the shocked solar wind has reached super-Alfvénic speeds. It is found that the Reynolds stresses in the solar wind at that region can be larger than the Maxwell stresses and thus are necessary in the local acceleration of the ionospheric plasma. From an order-of-magnitude calculation of the Reynolds stresses, it is possible to derive values of the kinematic viscosity and the Reynolds number that are suitable to the gyrotropic motion of the solar wind particles across the boundary layer. The value of the kinematic viscosity is comparable to those inferred from studies of the transport of solar wind momentum to the earth's magnetosphere and thus suggest a common property of the solar wind around planetary obstacles. Similar conditions could also be applicable to velocity boundary layers formed in other plasma interaction problems in astrophysics.

Protection of surface assets on Mars from wind blown jettisoned spacecraft components

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paton, Mark

2017-07-01

Jettisoned Entry, Descent and Landing System (EDLS) hardware from landing spacecraft have been observed by orbiting spacecraft, strewn over the Martian surface. Future Mars missions that land spacecraft close to prelanded assets will have to use a landing architecture that somehow minimises the possibility of impacts from these jettisoned EDLS components. Computer modelling is used here to investigate the influence of wind speed and direction on the distribution of EDLS components on the surface. Typical wind speeds encountered in the Martian Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL) were found to be of sufficient strength to blow items having a low ballistic coefficient, i.e. Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerators (HIADs) or parachutes, onto prelanded assets even when the lander itself touches down several kilometres away. Employing meteorological measurements and careful characterisation of the Martian PBL, e.g. appropriate wind speed probability density functions, may then benefit future spacecraft landings, increase safety and possibly help reduce the delta v budget for Mars landers that rely on aerodynamic decelerators.

Atmospheric tides on Venus. III - The planetary boundary layer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dobrovolskis, A. R.

1983-01-01

Diurnal solar heating of Venus' surface produces variable temperatures, winds, and pressure gradients within a shallow layer at the bottom of the atmosphere. The corresponding asymmetric mass distribution experiences a tidal torque tending to maintain Venus' slow retrograde rotation. It is shown that including viscosity in the boundary layer does not materially affect the balance of torques. On the other hand, friction between the air and ground can reduce the predicted wind speeds from about 5 to about 1 m/sec in the lower atmosphere, more consistent with the observations from Venus landers and descent probes. Implications for aeolian activity on Venus' surface and for future missions are discussed.

Development of an analytical Lagrangian model for passive scalar dispersion in low-wind speed meandering conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stefanello, M. B.; Degrazia, G. A.; Mortarini, L.; Buligon, L.; Maldaner, S.; Carvalho, J. C.; Acevedo, O. C.; Martins, L. G. N.; Anfossi, D.; Buriol, C.; Roberti, D.

2018-02-01

Describing the effects of wind meandering motions on the dispersion of scalars is a challenging task, since this type of flow represents a physical state characterized by multiple scales. In this study, a Lagrangian stochastic diffusion model is derived to describe scalar transport during the horizontal wind meandering phenomenon that occurs within a planetary boundary layer. The model is derived from the linearization of the Langevin equation, and it employs a heuristic functional form that represents the autocorrelation function of meandering motion. The new solutions, which describe the longitudinal and lateral wind components, were used to simulate tracer experiments that were performed in low-wind speed conditions. The results of the comparison indicate that the new model can effectively reproduce the observed concentrations of the contaminants, and therefore, it can satisfactorily describe enhanced dispersion effects due to the presence of meandering.

The relationship between the microwave radar cross section and both wind speed and stress: Model function studies using Frontal Air-Sea Interaction Experiment data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weissman, David E.; Davidson, Kenneth L.; Brown, Robert A.; Friehe, Carl A.; Li, Fuk

1994-05-01

The Frontal Air-Sea Interaction Experiment (FASINEX) provided a unique data set with coincident airborne scatterometer measurements of the ocean surface radar cross section (RCS) (at Ku band) and near-surface wind and wind stress. These data have been analyzed to study new model functions which relate wind speed and surface friction velocity (square root of the kinematic wind stress) to the radar cross section and to better understand the processes in the boundary layer that have a strong influence on the radar backscatter. Studies of data from FASINEX indicate that the RCS has a different relation to the friction velocity than to the wind speed. The difference between the RCS models using these two variables depends on the polarization and the incidence angle. The radar data have been acquired from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory airborne scatterometer. These data span 10 different flight days. Stress measurements were inferred from shipboard instruments and from aircraft flying at low altitudes, closely following the scatterometer. Wide ranges of radar incidence angles and environmental conditions needed to fully develop algorithms are available from this experiment.

The relationship between the microwave radar cross section and both wind speed and stress: Model function studies using Frontal Air-Sea Interaction Experiment data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weissman, David E.; Davidson, Kenneth L.; Brown, Robert A.; Friehe, Carl A.; Li, Fuk

1994-01-01

The Frontal Air-Sea Interaction Experiment (FASINEX) provided a unique data set with coincident airborne scatterometer measurements of the ocean surface radar cross section (RCS)(at Ku band) and near-surface wind and wind stress. These data have been analyzed to study new model functions which relate wind speed and surface friction velocity (square root of the kinematic wind stress) to the radar cross section and to better understand the processes in the boundary layer that have a strong influence on the radar backscatter. Studies of data from FASINEX indicate that the RCS has a different relation to the friction velocity than to the wind speed. The difference between the RCS models using these two variables depends on the polarization and the incidence angle. The radar data have been acquired from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory airborne scatterometer. These data span 10 different flight days. Stress measurements were inferred from shipboard instruments and from aircraft flying at low altitudes, closely following the scatterometer. Wide ranges of radar incidence angles and environmental conditions needed to fully develop algorithms are available from this experiment.

Characteristics of the turbulence in the stable boundary layer over complex terrain of the Loess Plateau, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, J.; Zhang, L.; Yuan, G.

2017-12-01

Accurate determination of surface turbulent fluxes in a stable boundary layer is of great practical importance in weather prediction and climate simulations, as well as applications related to air pollution. To gain an insight into the characteristics of turbulence in a stable boundary layer over the complex terrain of the Loess Plateau, we analyzed the data from the Semi-Arid Climate and Environment Observatory of Lanzhou University (SACOL). We proposed a method to identify and efficiently isolate nonstationary motions from turbulence series, and examined the characteristics of nonstationary motions (nonstationary motions refer to gusty events on a greater scale than local shear-generated turbulence). The occurrence frequency of nonstationary motions was found to depend on the mean flow, being more frequent in weak wind conditions and vanishing when the wind speed, U, was greater than 3.0 m s-1. When U exceeded the threshold value of 1.0 m s-1 for the gradient Richardson number Ri ≤ 0.3 and 1.5 m s-1 for Ri > 0.3, local shear-generated turbulence depended systematically on U with an average rate of 0.05 U. However, for the weak wind condition, neither the mean wind speed nor the stability was an important factor for local turbulence. Under the weak wind stable condition, affected by topography-induced nonstationary motions, the local turbulence was anisotropic with a strong horizontal fluctuation and a weak vertical fluctuation, resulting in weakened heat mixing in the vertical direction and stronger un-closure of energy. These findings accessed the validity of similarity theory in the stable boundary layer over complex terrain, and revealed one reason for the stronger un-closure of energy in the night.

Investigation of boundary-layer wind predictions during nocturnal low-level jet events using the Weather Research and Forecasting model

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mirocha, Jeff D.; Simpson, Matthew D.; Fast, Jerome D.

Simulations of two periods featuring three consecutive low level jet (LLJ) events in the US Upper Great Plains during the autumn of 2011 were conducted to explore the impacts of various setup configurations and physical process models on simulated flow parameters within the lowest 200 m above the surface, using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. Sensitivities of simulated flow parameters to the horizontal and vertical grid spacing, planetary boundary layer (PBL) and land surface model (LSM) physics options, were assessed. Data from a Light Detection and Ranging (lidar) system, deployed to the Weather Forecast Improvement Project (WFIP; Finleymore » et al. 2013) were used to evaluate the accuracy of simulated wind speed and direction at 80 m above the surface, as well as their vertical distributions between 120 and 40 m, covering the typical span of contemporary tall wind turbines. All of the simulations qualitatively captured the overall diurnal cycle of wind speed and stratification, producing LLJs during each overnight period, however large discrepancies occurred at certain times for each simulation in relation to the observations. 54-member ensembles encompassing changes of the above discussed configuration parameters displayed a wide range of simulated vertical distributions of wind speed and direction, and potential temperature, reflecting highly variable representations of stratification during the weakly stable overnight conditions. Root mean square error (RMSE) statistics show that different ensemble members performed better and worse in various simulated parameters at different times, with no clearly superior configuration . Simulations using a PBL parameterization designed specifically for the stable conditions investigated herein provided superior overall simulations of wind speed at 80 m, demonstrating the efficacy of targeting improvements of physical process models in areas of known deficiencies. However, the considerable magnitudes of the RMSE values of even the best performing simulations indicate ample opportunities for further improvements.« less

Test of Monin-Obukhov similarity theory using distributed temperature sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Y.; Sayde, C.; Li, Q.; Gentine, P.

2017-12-01

Monin-Obukhov similarity theory [Monin and Obukhov, 1954] (MOST) has been widely used to calculate atmospheric surface fluxes applying the structure correction functions [Stull, 1988]. The exact forms of the structure correction functions for momentum and heat, which depend on the vertical gradient velocity and temperature, have been determined empirically mostly from the Kansas experiment [Kaimal et al., 1972]. However, due to the limitation of point measurement, the vertical gradient of temperature and horizontal wind speed are not well captured. Here we propose a way to measure the vertical gradient of temperature and horizontal wind speed with high resolution in space (every 12.7 cm) and time (every second) using the Distributed Temperature Sensing [Selker et al., 2006] (DTS), thus determining the exact form of the structure correction functions of MOST under various stability conditions. Two parallel vertical fiber optics will be placed on a tower at the central facility of ARM SGP site. Vertical air temperature will be measured every 12.7 cm by the fiber optics and horizontal wind speed along fiber will be measured. Then vertical gradient of temperature and horizontal wind speed will be calculated and stability correction functions for momentum and heat will be determined. ReferencesKaimal, J. C., Wyngaard, J. C., Izumi, Y., and Cote, O. R. (1972), Spectral characteristics of surface-layer turbulence, Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society, 98(417), 563-589, doi: 10.1002/qj.49709841707. Monin, A., and Obukhov, A. (1954), Basic laws of turbulent mixing in the surface layer of the atmosphere, Contrib. Geophys. Inst. Acad. Sci. USSR, 24(151), 163-187. Selker, J., Thévenaz, L., Huwald, H., Mallet, A., Luxemburg, W., van de Giesen, N., Stejskal, M., Zeman, J., Westhoff, M., and Parlange, M. B. (2006), Distributed fiber-optic temperature sensing for hydrologic systems, Water Resources Research, 42, W12202, doi: 10.1029/2006wr005326. Stull, R. (1988), An Introduction to Boundary Layer Meteorology, pp. 666, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht.

Gusts and Shear in an Idealized LES-modeled Hurricane

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Worsnop, R.; Lundquist, J. K.; Bryan, G. H.; Damiani, R.; Musial, W.

2016-12-01

Tropical cyclone winds can cause extreme loading and damage to coastal structures such as buildings and energy infrastructure. Offshore wind energy development is underway along the US East Coast where hurricanes pose a substantial risk. Understanding wind gusts, gust factor, shear, and veer in the hurricane boundary layer (HBL) can help manufacturers assess risk and design wind turbines to better withstand these extreme wind conditions. Because of the paucity of observational data at low-levels (200 m and below), we use the Cloud Model Version I (CM1) large-eddy simulation numerical model to simulate high spatial- (10 m) and temporal- (0.1 s) resolution data. This unique dataset is used to answer the following questions: do severe mean wind speeds and gusts that exceed current design limits occur?; how does the gust factor vary with distance from the eye?; and lastly, how does wind direction vary horizontally and with height? We find that mean winds and gusts near the eyewall can exceed current turbine design thresholds of 50 m s-1 and 70 m s-1, respectively. Gust factors are greatest at the eye-eyewall interface just inward of the peak gust location and can exceed the 1.4 value used to convert a 50 m s-1 reference wind speed to a 50-year 3-second gust. Strong veer (15-30 degrees) across a 120 m-layer suggests that veer should be assessed against standard design prescriptions. Lastly, wind directions can shift 10-25 degrees in durations shorter than 10 minutes, which can challenge structures designed to endure winds from a consistent direction for periods longer than 10 minutes, including wind turbines.

On the variability of the Charnock constant and the functional dependence of the drag coefficient on wind speed: Part II-Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bye, John A. T.; Wolff, Jörg-Olaf; Lettmann, Karsten A.

2014-07-01

An analytical expression for the 10 m drag law in terms of the 10 m wind speed at the maximum in the 10 m drag coefficient, and the Charnock constant is presented, which is based on the results obtained from a model of the air-sea interface derived in Bye et al. (2010). This drag law is almost independent of wave age and over the mid-range of wind speeds (5-17 ms-1) is very similar to the drag law based on observed data presented in Foreman and Emeis (2010). The linear fit of the observed data which incorporates a constant into the traditional definition of the drag coefficient is shown to arise to first-order as a consequence of the momentum exchange across the air-sea boundary layer brought about by wave generation and spray production which are explicitly represented in the theoretical model.

Clothing resultant thermal insulation determined on a movable thermal manikin. Part II: effects of wind and body movement on local insulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Yehu; Wang, Faming; Wan, Xianfu; Song, Guowen; Zhang, Chengjiao; Shi, Wen

2015-10-01

Part II of this two-part series study was focused on examining the effects of wind and body movement on local clothing thermal insulation. Seventeen clothing ensembles with different layers (i.e., 1, 2, or 3 layers) were selected for this study. Local thermal insulation with different air velocities (0.15, 1.55, and 4.0 m/s) and walking speeds (0, 0.75, and 1.17 m/s) were investigated on a thermal manikin. Empirical equations for estimating local resultant clothing insulation as a function of local insulation, air velocity, and walking speed were developed. The results showed that the effects of wind and body movement on local resultant thermal resistance are complex and differ distinctively among different body parts. In general, the reductions of local insulation with wind at the chest, abdomen, and pelvis were greater than those at the lower leg and back, and the changes at the body extremity such as the forearm, thigh, and lower leg were higher than such immobile body parts as the chest and back. In addition, the wind effect interacted with the walking effect. This study may have important applications in human local thermal comfort modeling and functional clothing design.

Clothing resultant thermal insulation determined on a movable thermal manikin. Part II: effects of wind and body movement on local insulation.

PubMed

Lu, Yehu; Wang, Faming; Wan, Xianfu; Song, Guowen; Zhang, Chengjiao; Shi, Wen

2015-10-01

Part II of this two-part series study was focused on examining the effects of wind and body movement on local clothing thermal insulation. Seventeen clothing ensembles with different layers (i.e., 1, 2, or 3 layers) were selected for this study. Local thermal insulation with different air velocities (0.15, 1.55, and 4.0 m/s) and walking speeds (0, 0.75, and 1.17 m/s) were investigated on a thermal manikin. Empirical equations for estimating local resultant clothing insulation as a function of local insulation, air velocity, and walking speed were developed. The results showed that the effects of wind and body movement on local resultant thermal resistance are complex and differ distinctively among different body parts. In general, the reductions of local insulation with wind at the chest, abdomen, and pelvis were greater than those at the lower leg and back, and the changes at the body extremity such as the forearm, thigh, and lower leg were higher than such immobile body parts as the chest and back. In addition, the wind effect interacted with the walking effect. This study may have important applications in human local thermal comfort modeling and functional clothing design.

Exploratory Calibration of Adjustable-Protrusion Surface-Obstacle (APSO) Skin Friction Vector Gage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hakkinen, Raimo J.; Neubauer, Jeremy S.; Hamory, Philip J.; Bui, Trong T.; Noffz, Gregory K.; Young, Ron (Technical Monitor)

2003-01-01

The design of an adjustable-protrusion surface-obstacle (APSO) skin friction vector gage is presented. Results from exploratory calibrations conducted in laminar and turbulent boundary layers at the Washington University Low-Speed Wind Tunnel and for turbulent boundary layers at speeds up to Mach 2 on the ceiling of the NASA Glenn Research Center 8- X 6-ft Supersonic Wind Tunnel are also discussed. The adjustable-height gage was designed to yield both the magnitude and direction of the surface shear stress vector and to measure the local static pressure distribution. Results from the NASA test show good correlation for subsonic and low supersonic conditions covering several orders of magnitude in terms of the adopted similarity variables. Recommendations for future work in this area consist of identifying the physical parameters responsible for the disagreement between the university and NASA data sets, developing a compressibility correction specific to the APSO geometry, and examining the effect that static pressure distribution and skewed boundary layers have on the results from the APSO.

Magnetosheath for almost-aligned solar wind magnetic field and flow vectors: Windobservations across the dawnside magnetosheath at X = -12 Re

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farrugia, Charles

While there are many approximations describing the flow of the solar wind past the mag-netosphere in the magnetosheath, the case of perfectly aligned (parallel or anti-parallel) in-terplanetary magnetic field (IMF) and solar wind flow vectors can be treated exactly in an magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) approach (Spreiter and Rizzi, 1974). In this work we examine a case of nearly-opposed (to within 15 deg) interplanetary field and flow vectors, which occurred on October 24-25, 2001 during passage of the last interplanetary coronal mass ejection in an ejecta merger. Interplanetary data are from the ACE spacecraft. Simultaneously Wind was crossing the near-Earth (X -13 Re) geomagnetic tail and subsequently made a 5-hour-long magnetosheath crossing close to the ecliptic plane (Z = -0.7 Re). Geomagnetic activity was returning steadily to quiet, "ground" conditions. We first compare the predictions of the Spre-iter and Rizzi theory with the Wind magnetosheath observations and find fair agreement, in particular as regards the proportionality of the magnetic field strength and the product of the plasma density and bulk speed. We then carry out a small-perturbation analysis of the Spreiter and Rizzi solution to account for the small IMF components perpendicular to the flow vector. The resulting expression is compared to the time series of the observations and satisfactory agreement is obtained. We also present and discuss observations in the dawnside boundary layer of pulsed, high-speed (v 600 km/s) flows exceeding the solar wind flow speeds. We examine various generating mechanisms and suggest that the most likely causeis a wave of frequency 3.2 mHz excited at the inner edge of the boundary layer.

Sensitivity analysis of WRF model PBL schemes in simulating boundary-layer variables in southern Italy: An experimental campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avolio, E.; Federico, S.; Miglietta, M. M.; Lo Feudo, T.; Calidonna, C. R.; Sempreviva, A. M.

2017-08-01

The sensitivity of boundary layer variables to five (two non-local and three local) planetary boundary-layer (PBL) parameterization schemes, available in the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) mesoscale meteorological model, is evaluated in an experimental site in Calabria region (southern Italy), in an area characterized by a complex orography near the sea. Results of 1 km × 1 km grid spacing simulations are compared with the data collected during a measurement campaign in summer 2009, considering hourly model outputs. Measurements from several instruments are taken into account for the performance evaluation: near surface variables (2 m temperature and relative humidity, downward shortwave radiation, 10 m wind speed and direction) from a surface station and a meteorological mast; vertical wind profiles from Lidar and Sodar; also, the aerosol backscattering from a ceilometer to estimate the PBL height. Results covering the whole measurement campaign show a cold and moist bias near the surface, mostly during daytime, for all schemes, as well as an overestimation of the downward shortwave radiation and wind speed. Wind speed and direction are also verified at vertical levels above the surface, where the model uncertainties are, usually, smaller than at the surface. A general anticlockwise rotation of the simulated flow with height is found at all levels. The mixing height is overestimated by all schemes and a possible role of the simulated sensible heat fluxes for this mismatching is investigated. On a single-case basis, significantly better results are obtained when the atmospheric conditions near the measurement site are dominated by synoptic forcing rather than by local circulations. From this study, it follows that the two first order non-local schemes, ACM2 and YSU, are the schemes with the best performance in representing parameters near the surface and in the boundary layer during the analyzed campaign.

Effect of leading-edge roughness on stability and transition of wind turbine blades

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kutz, Douglas; Freels, Justin; Hidore, John; White, Edward

2011-11-01

Over time, wind turbine blades erode due to impacts with sand and other debris. The resulting surface roughness degrades the blades' aerodynamic performance. Experimental studies conducted at the Texas A&M University Low-Speed Wind Tunnel examine roughness effects using a 2D NACA 63-418 airfoil with interchangeable leading edges of varying roughness at chord Reynolds numbers up to 3 . 0 ×106 . These data reveal decreased CL , max and increased CD , min as roughness increases. At very high roughness levels, even the lift curve slope is reduced. To better understand these findings and improve modeling of roughness effects, extensive boundary layer measurements including surface-mounted hotfilms and boundary-layer velocity profiles are used to assess how laminar-to-turbulent transition is promoted by roughness. As expected, roughness accelerates transition. Tollmien-Schlichting (TS) transition is observed only for a smooth leading edge while bypass transition is observed for the moderate and high roughness levels. Results are compared to N-factor transition predictions generated with software used by the wind industry. Predictions are successful for the smooth leading edge but even the low roughness level prevents correct transition prediction using TS-based methods. Support for this work by Vestas Technology Americas, Inc., is gratefully acknowledged as is the support of the wind-energy research group and the Low-Speed Wind Tunnel staff.

Stability of the surface layer and its relation to the dispersion of primary pollutants in St. Louis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Remsberg, E. E.; Woodbury, G. E.

1983-01-01

The effects of atmospheric stability on the dispersion of primary pollutants such as CO, total hydrocarbons (THC), and NO were examined in St. Louis. The pollutant levels were measured at 25 stations, temperature at 12 stations at 5 and 30 m height, and wind speed and direction at the 30 m level at 12 stations. Correlation coefficients were generated for pairs of the vertical temperature differences, the log of the mean wind speed reciprocal, the bulk Richardson number, and specific pollutant concentrations. A high correlation was obtained between the thermal stability and the urban concentration of the primary pollutants in the lowest part of the boundary layer. A restricted nighttime dispersion of the pollutants was observed, indicating near-ground increased concentrations at times when the source emissions actually decrease.

Characteristics of nocturnal coastal boundary layer in Ahtopol based on averaged SODAR profiles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barantiev, Damyan; Batchvarova, Ekaterina; Novitzky, Mikhail

2014-05-01

The ground-based remote sensing instruments allow studying the wind regime and the turbulent characteristics of the atmosphere with height, achieving new knowledge and solving practical problems, such as air quality assessments, mesoscale models evaluation with high resolution data, characterization of the exchange processes between the surface and the atmosphere, the climate comfort conditions and the risk for extreme events, etc. Very important parameter in such studies is the height of the atmospheric boundary layer. Acoustic remote sensing data of the coastal atmospheric boundary layer were explored based on over 4-years continuous measurements at the meteorological observatory of Ahtopol (Bulgarian Southern Black Sea Coast) under Bulgarian - Russian scientific agreement. Profiles of 12 parameters from a mid-range acoustic sounding instrument type SCINTEC MFAS are derived and averaged up to about 600 m according filtering based on wind direction (land or sea type of night fowls). From the whole investigated period of 1454 days with 10-minute resolution SODAR data 2296 profiles represented night marine air masses and 1975 profiles represented the night flow from land during the months May to September. Graphics of averaged profiles of 12 SODAR output parameters with different availability of data in height are analyzed for both cases. A marine boundary-layer height of about 300 m is identified in the profiles of standard deviation of vertical wind speed (σw), Turbulent Kinetic Energy (TKE) and eddy dissipation rate (EDR). A nocturnal boundary-layer height of about 420 m was identified from the profiles of the same parameters under flows from land condition. In addition, the Buoyancy Production (BP= σw3/z) profiles were calculated from the standard deviation of the vertical wind speed and the height z above ground.

Thermodynamic and Turbulence Characteristics of the Southern Great Plains Nocturnal Boundary Layer Under Differing Turbulent Regimes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonin, Timothy A.; Blumberg, William G.; Klein, Petra M.; Chilson, Phillip B.

2015-12-01

The nocturnal stable boundary layer (SBL) can generally be classified into the weakly stable boundary layer (wSBL) and very stable boundary layer (vSBL). Within the wSBL, turbulence is relatively continuous, whereas in the vSBL, turbulence is intermittent and not well characterized. Differentiating characteristics of each type of SBL are still unknown. Herein, thermodynamic and kinematic data collected by a suite of instruments in north central Oklahoma in autumn 2012 are analyzed to better understand both SBL regimes and their differentiating characteristics. Many low-level jets were observed during the experiment, as it took place near a climatological maximum. A threshold wind speed, above which bulk shear-generated turbulence develops, is found to exist up to 300 m. The threshold wind speed must also be exceeded at lower heights (down to the surface) in order for strong turbulence to develop. Composite profiles, which are normalized using low-level jet scaling, of potential temperature, wind speed, vertical velocity variance, and the third-order moment of vertical velocity (overline{w'^3}) are produced for weak and moderate/strong turbulence regimes, which exhibit features of the vSBL and wSBL, respectively. Within the wSBL, turbulence is generated at the surface and transported upward. In the vSBL, values of vertical velocity variance are small throughout the entire boundary layer, likely due to the fact that a strong surface inversion typically forms after sunset. The temperature profile tends to be approximately isothermal in the lowest portions of the wSBL, and it did not substantially change over the night. Within both types of SBL, stability in the residual layer tends to increase as the night progresses. It is thought that this stability increase is due to differential warm air advection, which frequently occurs in the southern Great Plains when southerly low-level jets and a typical north-south temperature gradient are present. Differential radiative flux divergence also contributes to this increase in stability.

Monte Carlo simulation of spectral reflectance and BRDF of the bubble layer in the upper ocean.

PubMed

Ma, Lanxin; Wang, Fuqiang; Wang, Chengan; Wang, Chengchao; Tan, Jianyu

2015-09-21

The presence of bubbles can significantly change the radiative properties of seawater and these changes will affect remote sensing and underwater target detection. In this work, the spectral reflectance and bidirectional reflectance characteristics of the bubble layer in the upper ocean are investigated using the Monte Carlo method. The Hall-Novarini (HN) bubble population model, which considers the effect of wind speed and depth on the bubble size distribution, is used. The scattering coefficients and the scattering phase functions of bubbles in seawater are calculated using Mie theory, and the inherent optical properties of seawater for wavelengths between 300 nm and 800 nm are related to chlorophyll concentration (Chl). The effects of bubble coating, Chl, and bubble number density on the spectral reflectance of the bubble layer are studied. The bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) of the bubble layer for both normal and oblique incidence is also investigated. The results show that bubble populations in clear waters under high wind speed conditions significantly influence the reflection characteristics of the bubble layer. Furthermore, the contribution of bubble populations to the reflection characteristics is mainly due to the strong backscattering of bubbles that are coated with an organic film.

The problem of the second wind turbine - a note on a common but flawed wind power estimation method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gans, F.; Miller, L. M.; Kleidon, A.

2012-06-01

Several recent wind power estimates suggest that this renewable energy resource can meet all of the current and future global energy demand with little impact on the atmosphere. These estimates are calculated using observed wind speeds in combination with specifications of wind turbine size and density to quantify the extractable wind power. However, this approach neglects the effects of momentum extraction by the turbines on the atmospheric flow that would have effects outside the turbine wake. Here we show with a simple momentum balance model of the atmospheric boundary layer that this common methodology to derive wind power potentials requires unrealistically high increases in the generation of kinetic energy by the atmosphere. This increase by an order of magnitude is needed to ensure momentum conservation in the atmospheric boundary layer. In the context of this simple model, we then compare the effect of three different assumptions regarding the boundary conditions at the top of the boundary layer, with prescribed hub height velocity, momentum transport, or kinetic energy transfer into the boundary layer. We then use simulations with an atmospheric general circulation model that explicitly simulate generation of kinetic energy with momentum conservation. These simulations show that the assumption of prescribed momentum import into the atmospheric boundary layer yields the most realistic behavior of the simple model, while the assumption of prescribed hub height velocity can clearly be disregarded. We also show that the assumptions yield similar estimates for extracted wind power when less than 10% of the kinetic energy flux in the boundary layer is extracted by the turbines. We conclude that the common method significantly overestimates wind power potentials by an order of magnitude in the limit of high wind power extraction. Ultimately, environmental constraints set the upper limit on wind power potential at larger scales rather than detailed engineering specifications of wind turbine design and placement.

Surface-layer turbulence, energy balance and links to atmospheric circulations over a mountain glacier in the French Alps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Litt, Maxime; Sicart, Jean-Emmanuel; Six, Delphine; Wagnon, Patrick; Helgason, Warren D.

2017-04-01

Over Saint-Sorlin Glacier in the French Alps (45° N, 6.1° E; ˜ 3 km2) in summer, we study the atmospheric surface-layer dynamics, turbulent fluxes, their uncertainties and their impact on surface energy balance (SEB) melt estimates. Results are classified with regard to large-scale forcing. We use high-frequency eddy-covariance data and mean air-temperature and wind-speed vertical profiles, collected in 2006 and 2009 in the glacier's atmospheric surface layer. We evaluate the turbulent fluxes with the eddy-covariance (sonic) and the profile method, and random errors and parametric uncertainties are evaluated by including different stability corrections and assuming different values for surface roughness lengths. For weak synoptic forcing, local thermal effects dominate the wind circulation. On the glacier, weak katabatic flows with a wind-speed maximum at low height (2-3 m) are detected 71 % of the time and are generally associated with small turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) and small net turbulent fluxes. Radiative fluxes dominate the SEB. When the large-scale forcing is strong, the wind in the valley aligns with the glacier flow, intense downslope flows are observed, no wind-speed maximum is visible below 5 m, and TKE and net turbulent fluxes are often intense. The net turbulent fluxes contribute significantly to the SEB. The surface-layer turbulence production is probably not at equilibrium with dissipation because of interactions of large-scale orographic disturbances with the flow when the forcing is strong or low-frequency oscillations of the katabatic flow when the forcing is weak. In weak forcing when TKE is low, all turbulent fluxes calculation methods provide similar fluxes. In strong forcing when TKE is large, the choice of roughness lengths impacts strongly the net turbulent fluxes from the profile method fluxes and their uncertainties. However, the uncertainty on the total SEB remains too high with regard to the net observed melt to be able to recommend one turbulent flux calculation method over another.

Fast Laser Holographic Interferometry For Wind Tunnels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, George

1989-01-01

Proposed system makes holographic interferograms quickly in wind tunnels. Holograms reveal two-dimensional flows around airfoils and provide information on distributions of pressure, structures of wake and boundary layers, and density contours of flow fields. Holograms form quickly in thermoplastic plates in wind tunnel. Plates rigid and left in place so neither vibrations nor photgraphic-development process degrades accuracy of holograms. System processes and analyzes images quickly. Semiautomatic micro-computer-based desktop image-processing unit now undergoing development moves easily to wind tunnel, and its speed and memory adequate for flows about airfoils.

An experimental investigation of a two and a three-dimensional low speed turbulent boundary layer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Winkelmann, A. E.; Melnik, W. L.

1976-01-01

Experimental studies of a two and a three-dimensional low speed turbulent boundary layer were conducted on the side wall of a boundary layer wind tunnel. The 20 ft. long test section, with a rectangular cross section measuring 17.5 in. x 46 in., produced a 3.5 in. thick turbulent boundary layer at a free stream Reynolds number. The three-dimensional turbulent boundary layer was produced by a 30 deg swept wing-like model faired into the side wall of the test section. Preliminary studies in the two-dimensional boundary layer indicated that the flow was nonuniform on the 46 in. wide test wall. The nonuniform boundary layer is characterized by transverse variations in the wall shear stress and is primarily caused by nonuniformities in the inlet damping screens.

A case study of effects of atmospheric boundary layer turbulence, wind speed, and stability on wind farm induced temperature changes using observations from a field campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xia, Geng; Zhou, Liming; Freedman, Jeffrey M.; Roy, Somnath Baidya; Harris, Ronald A.; Cervarich, Matthew Charles

2016-04-01

Recent studies using satellite observations show that operational wind farms in west-central Texas increase local nighttime land surface temperature (LST) by 0.31-0.70 °C, but no noticeable impact is detected during daytime, and that the diurnal and seasonal variations in the magnitude of this warming are likely determined by those in the magnitude of wind speed. This paper further explores these findings by using the data from a year-long field campaign and nearby radiosonde observations to investigate how thermodynamic profiles and surface-atmosphere exchange processes work in tandem with the presence of wind farms to affect the local climate. Combined with satellite data analyses, we find that wind farm impacts on LST are predominantly determined by the relative ratio of turbulence kinetic energy (TKE) induced by the wind turbines compared to the background TKE. This ratio explains not only the day-night contrast of the wind farm impact and the warming magnitude of nighttime LST over the wind farms, but also most of the seasonal variations in the nighttime LST changes. These results indicate that the diurnal and seasonal variations in the turbine-induced turbulence relative to the background TKE play an essential role in determining those in the magnitude of LST changes over the wind farms. In addition, atmospheric stability determines the sign and strength of the net downward heat transport as well as the magnitude of the background TKE. The study highlights the need for better understanding of atmospheric boundary layer and wind farm interactions, and for better parameterizations of sub-grid scale turbulent mixing in numerical weather prediction and climate models.

Surface waves on the tailward flanks of the Earth's magnetopause

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Seon, J.; Frank, L. A.; Lazarus, A. J.; Lepping, R. P.

1995-01-01

Forty-three examples of ISEE 1 tailward flank side magnetopause crossings are examined and directly compared with upstream solar wind parameters. The crossings are classified into two groups. In the first group, a few sudden magnetopause crossings are observed, whereas repeated magnetopause crossings and oscillatory motions, often with boundary layer signatures, are observed in the second group. These distinctive characteristics of the two groups are interpreted in terms of the surface waves due to the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability. It is found that low solar wind speed tends to favor characteristics of the first group, whereas high solar wind speed yields those of the second group. However, no evident correlations between the groups and the interplanetary magnetic field directions are found.

Examples of the Influence of Turbine Wakes on Downwind Power Output, Surface Wind Speed, Turbulence and Flow Convergence in Large Wind Farms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takle, E. S.; Rajewski, D. A.; Lundquist, J. K.; Doorenbos, R. K.

2014-12-01

We have analyzed turbine power and concurrent wind speed, direction and turbulence data from surface 10-m flux towers in a large wind farm for experiments during four summer periods as part of the Crop Wind Energy Experiment (CWEX). We use these data to analyze surface differences for a near-wake (within 2.5 D of the turbine line), far wake (17 D downwind of the turbine line), and double wake (impacted by two lines of turbines about 34 D downwind of the first turbine line) locations. Composites are categorized by10 degree directional intervals and three ambient stability categories as defined by Rajewski et al. (2013): neutral (|z/L|<0.05), stable (z/L>0.05) and unstable (z/L<-0.05), where z is the height of the measurement and L is the Monin-Obhukov length. The dominant influence of the turbines is under stably stratified conditions (i. e., mostly at night). A 25% to 40% increase in mean wind speed occurs when turbine wakes are moving over the downwind station at a distance of 2.8 D and 5.4 D (D = fan diameter). For the double wake condition (flux station leeward of two lines of turbines) we find a daytime (unstable conditions) speed reduction of 20% for southerly wind, but for nighttime (stable conditions) the surface speeds are enhancedby 40-60% for SSW-SW winds. The speedup is reduced as wind directions shift to the west. We interpret these speed variations as due to the rotation of the wake and interaction (or not) with higher speed air above the rotor layer in highly sheared nocturnal low-level jet conditions. From a cluster of flux stations and three profiling lidars deployed within and around a cluster of turbines in 2013 (CWEX-13) we found evidence of mesoscale influences. In particular, surface convergence (wind direction deflection of 10-20 degrees) was observed during periods of low nighttime winds (hub-height winds of 4-6 m/s) with power reduction of 50-75%. This is consistent with a similar range of deflection observed from a line of turbines in CWEX-11, In the mid to late afternoon hours when hub-height wind speeds are between 5-10 m/s convergence periods have been observed, with power enhancements of 20-40% at several locations around the farm.

Basic principles and recent observations of rotationally sampled wind

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Connell, James R.

1995-01-01

The concept of rotationally sampled wind speed is described. The unusual wind characteristics that result from rotationally sampling the wind are shown first for early measurements made using an 8-point ring of anemometers on a vertical plane array of meteorological towers. Quantitative characterization of the rotationally sampled wind is made in terms of the power spectral density function of the wind speed. Verification of the importance of the new concept is demonstrated with spectral analyses of the response of the MOD-OA blade flapwise root bending moment and the corresponding rotational analysis of the wind measured immediately upwind of the MOD-OA using a 12-point ring of anemometers on a 7-tower vertical plane array. The Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) theory of the rotationally sampled wind speed power spectral density function is tested successfully against the wind spectrum measured at the MOD-OA vertical plane array. A single-tower empirical model of the rotationally sampled wind speed is also successfully tested against the measurements from the full vertical plane array. Rotational measurements of the wind velocity with hotfilm anemometers attached to rotating blades are shown to be accurate and practical for research on winds at the blades of wind turbines. Some measurements at the rotor blade of a MOD-2 turbine using the hotfilm technique in a pilot research program are shown. They are compared and contrasted to the expectations based upon application of the PNL theory of rotationally sampled wind to the MOD-2 size and rotation rate but without teeter, blade bending, or rotor induction accounted for. Finally, the importance of temperature layering and of wind modifications due to flow over complex terrain is demonstrated by the use of hotfilm anemometer data, and meteorological tower and acoustic doppler sounder data from the MOD-2 site at Goodnoe Hills, Washington.

An operational large-scale marine planetary boundary layer model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, R. A.; Liu, W. T.

1982-01-01

A marine planetary boundary layer (PBL) model is presented and compared with data from sea-based experiments. The PBL model comprises two layers, the outer an Ekman-Taylor layer with stratification-dependent secondary flow, and the logarithmic surface layer corrected for stratification and humidity effects and variable surface roughness. Corrections are noted for air much warmer than water in stable conditions and for low wind speeds. The layers are analytically defined along with similarity relations and a resistance law for inclusion in a program. An additional interfacial layer correction is developed and shown to be significant for heat flux calculations. Experimental data from GOASEX were used to predict the windfield in the Gulf of Alaska, and JASIN data was used for windfields SE of Iceland. The JASIN-derived wind field predictions were accurate to within 1 m/sec and 10 deg in a 200 km triangle.

Observations From the Coupled Boundary Layer Air-Sea Transfer Experiment in Hurricanes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Black, P. G.

2006-12-01

The CBLAST field program conducted from 2002-2004 has shown that the wind speed range for which turbulent momentum and moisture exchange coefficients have been derived based upon direct flux measurements has been extended by 30 and 60 percent, respectively, from airborne observations in Hurricanes Fabian and Isabel in 2003. The drag coefficient (CD) values derived from CBLAST momentum flux measurements show CD becoming invariant with wind speed near a 23 ms-1 threshold rather than a hurricane-force threshold near 33 ms-1. Values above 23 ms-1 are lower than previous open ocean measurements. The Dalton number estimates (CE) derived from CBLAST moisture flux measurements are shown to be invariant with wind speed to 30 ms-1, in approximate agreement with previous measurements at lower winds. These observations imply a CE/CD ratio of approximately 0.7, suggesting that additional energy sources are necessary for hurricanes to achieve their maximum potential intensity. Two such additional mechanisms for augmented moisture flux in the boundary layer might be 1) augmented wave breaking by short-crested, fetch limited waves suggested by whitecap aerial coverage measurements, and 2) sea spray at high winds suggested by laboratory spray source function measurements. Linear coherent features in the hurricane boundary layer are a third mechanism, observed during CBLAST 2002 aircraft measurements, to have wavelengths of 0.9 to 1.2 km. Linear features of the same wavelength range were observed in nearly-concurrent RADARSAT Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery. Arrays of drifting buoys and subsurface floats were successfully deployed ahead of Hurricanes Fabian (2003) and Frances (2004): 16 (6) and 38 (14) drifters (floats). Two types of surface drifters and three types of floats provided observations of surface and subsurface oceanic currents, temperature, salinity, gas exchange, bubble concentrations and surface wave spectra to a depth of 200 m on a continuous basis before, during and after storm passage. Float observations indicated deepening of the mixed layer from 40 to 120 m in approximately 8 hr with a corresponding decrease in SST in the right-rear quadrant of 3.2 ºC in 11 hr, roughly one-half inertial period. Strong inertial currents with a peak amplitude of 1.5 ms-1 were observed. Vertical structure showed the critical Richardson number was reached sporadically during the mixed-layer deepening event, suggesting shear-induced mixing as a prominent mechanism during storm passage.

Stellar wind erosion of protoplanetary discs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schnepf, N. R.; Lovelace, R. V. E.; Romanova, M. M.; Airapetian, V. S.

2015-04-01

An analytic model is developed for the erosion of protoplanetary gas discs by high-velocity magnetized stellar winds. The winds are centrifugally driven from the surface of rapidly rotating, strongly magnetized young stars. The presence of the magnetic field in the wind leads to Reynolds numbers sufficiently large to cause a strongly turbulent wind/disc boundary layer which entrains and carries away the disc gas. The model uses the conservation of mass and momentum in the turbulent boundary layer. The time-scale for significant erosion depends on the disc accretion speed, disc accretion rate, the wind mass-loss rate, and the wind velocity. The time-scale is estimated to be ˜2 × 106 yr. The analytic model assumes a steady stellar wind with mass- loss rate dot {M}}_w ˜ 10^{-10} M_{⊙} yr-1 and velocity vw ˜ 103 km s-1. A significant contribution to the disc erosion can come from frequent powerful coronal mass ejections (CMEs) where the average mass-loss rate in CMEs, dot{M}_CME, and velocities, vCME, have values comparable to those for the steady wind.

Effect of thermal stability/complex terrain on wind turbine model(s): a wind tunnel study to address complex atmospheric conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guala, M.; Hu, S. J.; Chamorro, L. P.

2011-12-01

Turbulent boundary layer measurements in both wind tunnel and in the near-neutral atmospheric surface layer revealed in the last decade the significant contribution of the large scales of motions to both turbulent kinetic energy and Reynolds stresses, for a wide range of Reynolds number. These scales are known to grow throughout the logarithmic layer and to extend several boundary layer heights in the streamwise direction. Potentially, they are a source of strong unsteadiness in the power output of wind turbines and in the aerodynamic loads of wind turbine blades. However, the large scales in realistic atmospheric conditions deserves further study, with well controlled boundary conditions. In the atmospheric wind tunnel of the St. Anthony Falls Laboratory, with a 16 m long test section and independently controlled incoming flow and floor temperatures, turbulent boundary layers in a range of stability conditions, from the stratified to the convective case, can be reproduced and monitored. Measurements of fluctuating temperature, streamwise and wall normal velocity components are simultaneously obtained by an ad hoc calibrated and customized triple-wire sensor. A wind turbine model with constant loading DC motor, constant tip speed ratio, and a rotor diameter of 0.128m is used to mimic a large full scale turbine in the atmospheric boundary layer. Measurements of the fluctuating voltage generated by the DC motor are compared with measurements of the blade's angular velocity by laser scanning, and eventually related to velocity measurements from the triple-wire sensor. This study preliminary explores the effect of weak stability and complex terrain (through a set of spanwise aligned topographic perturbations) on the large scales of the flow and on the fluctuations in the wind turbine(s) power output.

Blowing-Type Boundary-Layer Control as Applied to the Trailing-Edge Flaps of a 35 Degree Swept-Wing Airplane

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kelly, Mark W; Anderson, Seth B; Innis, Robert C

1958-01-01

A wind-tunnel investigation was made to determine the effects on the aerodynamic characteristics of a 35 degree swept-wing airplane of applying blowing-type boundary-layer control to the trailing-edge flaps. Flight tests of a similar airplane were then conducted to determine the effects of boundary-layer control on the handling qualities and operation of the airplane, particularly during landing and take-off. The wind-tunnel and flight tests indicated that blowing over the flaps produced large increases in flap lift increment, and significant increases in maximum lift. The use of blowing permitted reductions in the landing approach speeds of as much as 12 knots.

Implementation of a turbulent orographic form drag scheme in WRF and its application to the Tibetan Plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Xu; Yang, Kun; Wang, Yan

2018-04-01

Sub-grid-scale orographic variation (smaller than 5 km) exerts turbulent form drag on atmospheric flows and significantly retards the wind speed. The Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF) includes a turbulent orographic form drag (TOFD) scheme that adds the drag to the surface layer. In this study, another TOFD scheme has been incorporated in WRF3.7, which exerts an exponentially decaying drag from the surface layer to upper layers. To investigate the effect of the new scheme, WRF with the old scheme and with the new one was used to simulate the climate over the complex terrain of the Tibetan Plateau from May to October 2010. The two schemes were evaluated in terms of the direct impact (on wind fields) and the indirect impact (on air temperature and precipitation). The new TOFD scheme alleviates the mean bias in the surface wind components, and clearly reduces the root mean square error (RMSEs) in seasonal mean wind speed (from 1.10 to 0.76 m s-1), when referring to the station observations. Furthermore, the new TOFD scheme also generally improves the simulation of wind profile, as characterized by smaller biases and RMSEs than the old one when referring to radio sounding data. Meanwhile, the simulated precipitation with the new scheme is improved, with reduced mean bias (from 1.34 to 1.12 mm day-1) and RMSEs, which is due to the weakening of water vapor flux at low-level atmosphere with the new scheme when crossing the Himalayan Mountains. However, the simulation of 2-m air temperature is little improved.

Sea spray contributions to the air-sea fluxes at moderate and hurricane wind speeds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mueller, J. A.; Veron, F.

2009-12-01

At sufficiently high wind speed conditions, the surface of the ocean separates to form a substantial number of sea spray drops, which can account for a significant fraction of the total air-sea surface area and thus make important contributions to the aggregate air-sea momentum, heat and mass fluxes. Although consensus around the qualitative impacts of these drops has been building in recent years, the quantification of their impacts has remained elusive. Ultimately, the spray-mediated fluxes depend on three controlling factors: the number and size of drops formed at the surface, the duration of suspension within the atmospheric marine boundary layer, and the rate of momentum, heat and mass transfer between the drops and the atmosphere. While the latter factor can be estimated from an established, physically-based theory, the estimates for the former two are not well established. Using a recent, physically-based model of the sea spray source function along with the results from Lagrangian stochastic simulations of individual drops, we estimate the aggregate spray-mediated fluxes, finding reasonable agreement with existing models and estimates within the empirical range of wind speed conditions. At high wind speed conditions that are outside the empirical range, however, we find somewhat lower spray-mediated fluxes than previously reported in the literature, raising new questions about the relative air-sea fluxes at high wind speeds as well as the development and sustainment of hurricanes.

Wind tunnel study of the wind turbine interaction with a boundary-layer flow: Upwind region, turbine performance, and wake region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bastankhah, M.; Porté-Agel, F.

2017-06-01

Comprehensive wind tunnel experiments were carried out to study the interaction of a turbulent boundary layer with a wind turbine operating under different tip-speed ratios and yaw angles. Force and power measurements were performed to characterize the variation of thrust force (both magnitude and direction) and generated power of the wind turbine under different operating conditions. Moreover, flow measurements, collected using high-resolution particle-image velocimetry as well as hot-wire anemometry, were employed to systematically study the flow in the upwind, near-wake, and far-wake regions. These measurements provide new insights into the effect of turbine operating conditions on flow characteristics in these regions. For the upwind region, the results show a strong lateral asymmetry under yawed conditions. For the near-wake region, the evolution of tip and root vortices was studied with the use of both instantaneous and phase-averaged vorticity fields. The results suggest that the vortex breakdown position cannot be determined based on phase-averaged statistics, particularly for tip vortices under turbulent inflow conditions. Moreover, the measurements in the near-wake region indicate a complex velocity distribution with a speed-up region in the wake center, especially for higher tip-speed ratios. In order to elucidate the meandering tendency of far wakes, particular focus was placed on studying the characteristics of large turbulent structures in the boundary layer and their interaction with wind turbines. Although these structures are elongated in the streamwise direction, their cross sections are found to have a size comparable to the rotor area, so that they can be affected by the presence of the turbine. In addition, the study of spatial coherence in turbine wakes reveals that any statistics based on streamwise velocity fluctuations cannot provide reliable information about the size of large turbulent structures in turbine wakes due to the effect of wake meandering. The results also suggest that the magnitude of wake meandering does not depend on turbine-operating conditions. Finally, the suitability of the proper orthogonal decomposition for studying wake meandering is examined.

The effect of solidity on the performance of H-rotor Darrieus turbine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hassan, S. M. Rakibul; Ali, Mohammad; Islam, Md. Quamrul

2016-07-01

Utilization of wind energy has been investigated for a long period of time by different researchers in different ways. Out of which, the Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine and the Vertical Axis Wind Turbine have now advanced design, but still there is scope to improve their efficiency. The Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT) has the advantage over Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine (HAWT) for working on omnidirectional air flow without any extra control system. A modified H-rotor Darrieus type VAWT is analysed in this paper, which is a lift based wind turbine. The effect of solidity (i.e. chord length, no. of blades) on power coefficient (CP) of H-rotor for different tip speed ratios is numerically investigated. The study is conducted using time dependent RANS equations using SST k-ω model. SIMPLE scheme is used as pressure-velocity coupling and in all cases, the second order upwind discretization scheme is chosen for getting more accurate solution. In results, different parameters are compared, which depict the performance of the modified H-rotor Darrieus type VAWT. Double layered H-rotor having inner layer blades with longer chord gives higher power coefficient than those have inner layer blades with smaller chord.

Gasdynamic simulations of the solar wind interaction with Venus - Boundary layer formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McGary, J. E.

1993-05-01

A 2D gasdynamic simulation of the mass-loaded solar wind flow around the dayside of Venus is presented. For average ionopause conditions near 300 km, the simulations show that mass loading from the pickup of oxygen ions produces a boundary layer of finite thickness along the ionopause. Within this layer and toward the ionopause, the temperature decreases and the total mass density increases significantly. Furthermore, there is a shear in the bulk flow velocity across the boundary layer, such that the tangential flow decreases in speed as the ionopause is approached and remains low along the ionopause which is consistent with Pioneer Venus observations. Numerical simulations are carried out for various mass addition rates and demonstrate that the boundary layer develops when oxygen ion production exceeds approximately 2 x 10 exp 5/cu m per s.

Dissipation in the Baltic proper during winter stratification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lass, Hans Ulrich; Prandke, Hartmut; Liljebladh, Bengt

2003-06-01

Profiles of dissipation rates and stratification between 10 and 120 m depth were measured with a loosely tethered profiler over a 9-day winter period in the Gotland Basin of the Baltic Sea. Supplementary measurements of current profiles were made with moored ADCPs. Temporal and spatial patterns of the stratification were observed by means of towed CTD. Shallow freshwater lenses in the surface mixed layer, mesoscale eddies, inertial oscillations, and inertial waves as part of the internal wave spectrum provided the marine physical environment for the small-scale turbulence. Two well-separated turbulence regimes were detected. The turbulence in the surface mixed layer was well correlated with the wind. The majority of the energy flux from the wind to the turbulent kinetic energy was dissipated within the surface mixed layer. A minor part of this flux was consumed by changes of the potential energy of the fresh water lenses. The penetration depth Hpen of the wind-driven turbulence into the weakly stratified surface mixed layer depended on the local wind speed (W10) as Hpen = cW103/2 Active erosion of the Baltic halocline by wind-driven turbulence is expected for wind speeds greater than 14 m/s. The turbulence in the strongly stratified interior of the water column was quite independent of the meteorological forcing at the sea surface. The integrated production of turbulent kinetic energy exceeded the energy loss of inertial oscillations in the surface layer suggesting additional energy sources which might have been provided by inertial wave radiation during geostrophic adjustment of coastal jets and mesoscale eddies. The averaged dissipation rate profile in the stratified part of the water column, best fitted by ɛ ∝ EN, was different from the scaling of the dissipation in the thermocline of the ocean [, 1986]. The diapycnical mixing coefficient (Kv) was best fit by Kv = a0/N according to [1987] with a0 ≈ 0.87 × 10-7 m2/s2. The diapycnal diffusivity estimated from the dissipation rate was lower than those estimated by the bulk method.

Wind-induced flow velocity effects on nutrient concentrations at Eastern Bay of Lake Taihu, China.

PubMed

Jalil, Abdul; Li, Yiping; Du, Wei; Wang, Jianwei; Gao, Xiaomeng; Wang, Wencai; Acharya, Kumud

2017-07-01

Shallow lakes are highly sensitive to respond internal nutrient loading due to wind-induced flow velocity effects. Wind-induced flow velocity effects on nutrient suspension were investigated at a long narrow bay of large shallow Lake Taihu, the third largest freshwater lake in China. Wind-induced reverse/compensation flow and consistent flow field probabilities at vertical column of the water were measured. The probabilities between the wind field and the flow velocities provided a strong correlation at the surface (80.6%) and the bottom (65.1%) layers of water profile. Vertical flow velocity profile analysis provided the evidence of delay response time to wind field at the bottom layer of lake water. Strong wind field generated by the west (W) and west-north-west (WNW) winds produced displaced water movements in opposite directions to the prevailing flow field. An exponential correlation was observed between the current velocities of the surface and the bottom layers while considering wind speed as a control factor. A linear model was developed to correlate the wind field-induced flow velocity impacts on nutrient concentration at the surface and bottom layers. Results showed that dominant wind directions (ENE, E, and ESE) had a maximum nutrient resuspension contribution (nutrient resuspension potential) of 34.7 and 43.6% at the surface and the bottom profile layers, respectively. Total suspended solids (TSS), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) average concentrations were 6.38, 1.5, and 0.03 mg/L during our field experiment at Eastern Bay of Lake Taihu. Overall, wind-induced low-to-moderate hydrodynamic disturbances contributed more in nutrient resuspension at Eastern Bay of Lake Taihu. The present study can be used to understand the linkage between wind-induced flow velocities and nutrient concentrations for shallow lakes (with uniform morphology and deep margins) water quality management and to develop further models.

Analysis of urban boundary layer flow and turbulence parameters on the basis of an experimental campaign in Turin city

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trini Castelli, S.; Falabino, S.; Mortarini, L.; Ferrero, E.; Richiardone, R.; Anfossi, D.

2010-09-01

The flow and turbulence structure of the atmospheric boundary layer above urban areas is significantly perturbed by the density and distribution of buildings and other obstacles, by the thermal effect of the so-called ‘urban heat island' and by the possible presence of topographical inhomogeneities. A thorough investigation of the characteristics of the flow and turbulence in urban canopy was pursued both with an experimental approach, carrying out an intensive observational field campaign and analysing the observed data, and evaluating the boundary layer and turbulence parameterisations, which are used in the numerical meteorological and air pollution models. The experimental activity was carried out along a continuous 15-months observational period at four measurement sites, located in the city of Turin. Here we analyse the data gathered at a 25 m mast, displaced at one of the measuring stations and equipped with sonic anemometers at 5 m, 9 m, 25 m height. Close to the mast, a station measuring solar radiation, humidity and temperature at ground level was also active. Since Turin is characterised both by a complex urban fabric and by a very frequent low wind regime, the dataset allows also investigating and estimating the boundary layer parameters in the peculiar conditions of low wind speed. With regard to the dataset, a stationary test singled out that each anemometer recorded about 25-30% of stationary data, but only the 9% of data were simultaneously stationary at the three anemometers. Concerning the stability for the whole dataset, a neutral stratification developed in only the 3% of the cases, while the percentages raise to the 47% and 50% respectively for the stable and the unstable cases. In some cases different stability conditions occurred at different levels, this peculiarity was investigated. At the three levels the distributions of the observed horizontal turbulent velocity fluctuations do not present remarkable differences, whereas the vertical component assumes rather different values. Considering the whole observed data set, low wind speeds, here defined as speed values less than 1.5 m/s, occurred in more than 90% of the cases. A comprehensive analysis of the observed wind velocity and turbulent velocity fluctuations, of the calculated stability parameters, surface layer parameters and boundary layer height is illustrated and discussed. A comparison of the measured wind standard deviation profiles as a function of stability with the values predicted by literature parameterisations for flat undisturbed terrain is also presented.

Wave-Induced Momentum Flux over Wind-driven Surface Waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yousefi, Kianoosh; Veron, Fabrice; Buckley, Marc; Husain, Nyla; Hara, Tetsu

2017-11-01

In recent years, the exchange of momentum between the atmosphere and the ocean has been the subject of several investigations. Although the role of surface waves on the air-sea momentum flux is now well established, detailed quantitative measurements of wave-induced momentum fluxes are lacking. In the current study, using a combined Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) and Laser Induced Fluorescence (LIF) system, we obtained laboratory measurements of the airflow velocity above surface waves for wind speeds ranging from 0.86 to 16.63 m s-1. The mean, turbulent, and wave-coherent velocity fields are then extracted from instantaneous measurements. Wave-induced stress can, therefore, be estimated. In strongly forced cases in high wind speeds, the wave-induced stress near the surface is a significant fraction of the total stress. At lower wind speeds and larger wave ages, the wave-induced stress is positive very close to the surface, below the critical height and decreases to a negative value further above the critical height. This indicates a shift in the direction of the wave-coherent momentum flux across the critical layer. NSF OCE1458977, NSF OCE1634051.

Determination of surface layer parameters at the edge of a suburban area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Likso, T.; Pandžić, K.

2012-05-01

Vertical wind and air temperature profile related parameters in the surface layer at the edge of suburban area of Zagreb (Croatia) have been considered. For that purpose, adopted Monin-Obukhov similarity theory and a set of observations of wind and air temperature at 2 and 10 m above ground, recorded in 2005, have been used. The root mean square differences (errors) principle has been used as a tool to estimate the effective roughness length as well as standard deviations of wind speed and wind gusts. The results of estimation are effective roughness lengths dependent on eight wind direction sectors unknown before. Gratefully to that achievement, representativeness of wind data at standard 10-m height can be clarified more deeply for an area of at least about 1 km in upwind direction from the observation site. Extrapolation of wind data for lower or higher levels from standard 10-m height are thus properly representative for a wider inhomogeneous suburban area and can be used as such in numerical models, flux and wind energy estimation, civil engineering, air pollution and climatological applications.

Investigation of mesoscale cloud features viewed by LANDSAT

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sherr, P. E. (Principal Investigator); Feteris, P. J.; Lisa, A. S.; Bowley, C. J.; Fowler, M. G.; Barnes, J. C.

1976-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. Some 50 LANDSAT images displaying mesoscale cloud features were analyzed. This analysis was based on the Rayleigh-Kuettner model describing the formation of that type of mesoscale cloud feature. This model lends itself to computation of the average wind speed in northerly flow from the dimensions of the cloud band configurations measured from a LANDSAT image. In nearly every case, necessary conditions of a curved wind profile and orientation of the cloud streets within 20 degrees of the direction of the mean wind in the convective layer were met. Verification of the results by direct observation was hampered, however, by the incompatibility of the resolution of conventional rawinsonde observations with the scale of the banded cloud patterns measured from LANDSAT data. Comparison seems to be somewhat better in northerly flows than in southerly flows, with the largest discrepancies in wind speed being within 8m/sec, or a factor of two.

Recent research on V/STOL test limits at the University of Washington aeronautical laboratory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shindo, S.; Rae, W. H., Jr.

1980-01-01

The occurence of flow breakdown during the wind tunnel testing of a powered V/STOL aircraft was studied. Flow breakdown is the low forward speed test limit in a solid wall wind tunnel and is characterized by a vortex which forms on the floor and walls of the wind tunnel thereby failing to simulate free air conditions. The flow is caused by the interaction of the model wake and tunnel boundary layer and affects the model's aerodynamic characteristics in such fashion as to negate their reliability as correctable wind tunnel data. The low speed test limit was examined using a model that possessed a discretely concentrated powered lift system using a pair of lift jets. The system design is discussed and the tests and results which show that flow breakdown occurs at a velocity ratio of approximately 0.20 are reported.

Estimates of Sputter Yields of Solar-Wind Heavy Ions of Lunar Regolith Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barghouty, Abdulmasser F.; Adams, James H., Jr.

2008-01-01

At energies of approximately 1 keV/amu, solar-wind protons and heavy ions interact with the lunar surface materials via a number of microscopic interactions that include sputtering. Solar-wind induced sputtering is a main mechanism by which the composition of the topmost layers of the lunar surface can change, dynamically and preferentially. This work concentrates on sputtering induced by solar-wind heavy ions. Sputtering associated with slow (speeds the electrons speed in its first Bohr orbit) and highly charged ions are known to include both kinetic and potential sputtering. Potential sputtering enjoys some unique characteristics that makes it of special interest to lunar science and exploration. Unlike the yield from kinetic sputtering where simulation and approximation schemes exist, the yield from potential sputtering is not as easy to estimate. This work will present a preliminary numerical scheme designed to estimate potential sputtering yields from reactions relevant to this aspect of solar-wind lunar-surface coupling.

Identification of wind turbine testing practices and investigation of the performance benefits of closely-spaced lateral wind farm configurations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McTavish, Sean

The current thesis investigates the development of guidelines for testing small-scale wind turbines and identifies a method that can be used to increase the performance of wind farms. The research was conducted using two scaled wind turbine designs. The first design was a three-bladed wind turbine designed in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAAE) to operate in a low Reynolds number regime and to generate a thrust coefficient representative of commercial-scale wind turbines. An Eppler E387 airfoil was selected for the wind turbine due to its behaviour at low Reynolds numbers and the chord of the turbine was increased relative to full-scale designs in order to increase the range of Reynolds numbers that could be attained. The second design was a geometrically-scaled version of an existing two-bladed wind turbine with a NACA 0012 airfoil that was originally designed at the Delft University of Technology. Experiments were conducted in a 0.61 m x 0.81 m water channel in order to independently evaluate the effects of increasing blockage and Reynolds number on the development of the wind turbine wake. Quantitative dye visualisation was used to identify the position of tip vortex cores relative to the blade tip in order to assess how blockage and Reynolds number effects modified the initial expansion in the near wake. Blockage effects on the wake development were assessed using five wind turbines with diameters ranging from 20 cm to 40 cm, corresponding to blockage of 6.3% to 25.4%. The rotors were all operated at a similar tip speed ratio of 6 and a Reynolds number of 23,000 based on the blade tip speed and tip chord. One Outcome of the research was the identification of a limit beyond which blockage narrowed the expansion in the near wake of a wind turbine. It was observed that blockage should be maintained at less than 10% in order to prevent the wake from narrowing artificially due to the flow acceleration around the turbine caused by excessive blockage. The experimental results were compared to a freestream computational simulation of the same turbine using the vortex particle method code GENUVP. The magnitude of the wake expansion in the freestream computation was similar to the experimental wake expansion observed with 6.3% and 9.9% blockage. Following the identification of testing practices related to blockage, the effect of the Reynolds number on the development of the initial wake expansion was investigated using two different rotors. The wake expansion downstream of a 25 cm diameter, three-bladed MAAE wind turbine became less sensitive to the Reynolds number above a Reynolds number of 20,000. This behaviour may be related to the laminar-to-turbulent transition behaviour of the E387 airfoil on the rotor blades. The wake downstream of the geometrically-scaled rotor was found to be 40% to 60% narrower than the initial wake expansion downstream of the corresponding medium-scale rotor. The work identified the need to develop a wind turbine design for a particular Reynolds number regime as opposed to merely geometrically-scaling a turbine. The performance of scaled wind farm configurations was then evaluated using 20 cm diameter MAAE wind turbines installed in the 1.68 m x 1.12 m atmospheric boundary layer wind tunnel at Carleton University. A scaled boundary layer was generated using triangular boundary layer spires and roughness elements installed along the upstream fetch of the tunnel. Each wind turbine was outfitted with a DC generator and the power output generated by the scaled turbines was used to characterise their performance. A single-normal hot-wire probe was used to determine the mean speed profiles in the fiowfield. Two laterally-aligned wind turbines were separated by a gap and it was observed that when the gap was less than 3 diameters (D), the speed of the flow between the rotors was increased from the rotor plane to approximately 2.5D downstream. This behaviour was identified as an in-field blockage effect and is analogous to the increase in wind speed caused by blockage in a closed test section. The increased flow speed was associated with a narrowing of the wake between the closely-spaced rotors and the concept of capitalising on this in-field blockage effect using a third, offset rotor was investigated. Performance measurements were conducted using 3 gap widths between the outer two turbines and a third, central turbine was placed at 9 different downstream positions. The middle turbine experienced an increase in power when placed within 2.5D of the upstream rotor plane due to the increase in speed in this region. This approach to planning wind farms will help to limit power losses due to downstream wake effects while providing an increase in power output at mean annual wind speeds.

Drag of two-dimensional small-amplitude symmetric and asymmetric wavy walls in turbulent boundary layers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lin, J. C.; Walsh, M. J.; Balasubramanian, R.

1984-01-01

Included are results of an experimental investigation of low-speed turbulent flow over multiple two-dimensional transverse rigid wavy surfaces having a wavelength on the order of the boundary-layer thickness. Data include surface pressure and total drag measurements on symmetric and asymmetric wall waves under a low-speed turbulent boundary-layer flow. Several asymmetric wave configurations exhibited drag levels below the equivalent symmetric (sine) wave. The experimental results compare favorably with numerical predictions from a Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes spectral code. The reported results are of particular interest for the estimation of drag, the minimization of fabrication waviness effects, and the study of wind-wave interactions.

Evaluation of WRF-Predicted Near-Hub-Height Winds and Ramp Events over a Pacific Northwest Site with Complex Terrain

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yang, Qing; Berg, Larry K.; Pekour, Mikhail

The WRF model version 3.3 is used to simulate near hub-height winds and power ramps utilizing three commonly used planetary boundary-layer (PBL) schemes: Mellor-Yamada-Janjic (MYJ), University of Washington (UW), and Yonsei University (YSU). The predicted winds have small mean biases compared with observations. Power ramps and step changes (changes within an hour) consistently show that the UW scheme performed better in predicting up ramps under stable conditions with higher prediction accuracy and capture rates. Both YSU and UW scheme show good performance predicting up- and down- ramps under unstable conditions with YSU being slightly better for ramp durations longer thanmore » an hour. MYJ is the most successful simulating down-ramps under stable conditions. The high wind speed and large shear associated with low-level jets are frequently associated with power ramps, and the biases in predicted low-level jet explain some of the shown differences in ramp predictions among different PBL schemes. Low-level jets were observed as low as ~200 m in altitude over the Columbia Basin Wind Energy Study (CBWES) site, located in an area of complex terrain. The shear, low-level peak wind speeds, as well as the height of maximum wind speed are not well predicted. Model simulations with 3 PBL schemes show the largest variability among them under stable conditions.« less

Intraday evaporation and heat fluxes variation at air-water interface of extremely shallow lakes in Chilean Andean Plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vergara, Jaime; de la Fuente, Alberto

2016-04-01

Salars are landscapes formed by evapo-concentration of salts that usually have extremely shallow terminal lagoons (de la Fuente & Niño, 2010). They are located in the altiplanic region of the Andes Mountains of Chile, Argentina, Bolivia and Peru, and they sustain highly vulnerable and isolated ecosystems in the Andean Desert. These ecosystems are sustained by benthic primary production, which is directly linked to mass, heat and momentum transfer between the water column and the atmosphere (de la Fuente, 2014). Despite the importance of these transport processes across the air-water interface, there are few studies describing their intraday variation and how they are influenced by the stability of the atmospheric boundary layer in the altiplano. The main objective of this work is to analyze the intraday vertical transport variation of water vapor, temperature and momentum between the atmosphere and a shallow water body on Salar del Huasco located in northern Chile (20°19'40"S, 68°51'25"W). To achieve this goal, we measured atmospheric and water variables in a campaign realized on late October 2015, using high frequency meteorological instruments (a sonic anemometer with an incorporated infrared gas analyzer, and a standard meteorological station) and water sensors. From these data, we characterize the intraday variation of water vapor, temperature and momentum fluxes, we quantify the influence of the atmospheric boundary layer stability on them, and we estimate transfer coefficients associated to latent heat, sensible heat, hydrodynamic drag and vertical transport of water vapor. As first results, we found that latent and sensible heat fluxes are highly influenced by wind speed rather buoyancy, and we can identify four intraday intervals with different thermo-hydrodynamic features: (1) cooling under stable condition with wind speed near 0 from midnight until sunrise; (2) free convection with nearly no wind speed under unstable condition from sunrise until midday; (3) forced convection with high wind speed (near 15 m/s) and unstable condition close to neutral condition from noon to sunset; and (4) cooling under unstable conditions with significant wind speed, from sunset until midnight.

Low-speed flowfield characterization by infrared measurements of surface temperatures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gartenberg, E.; Roberts, A. S., Jr.; Mcree, G. J.

1989-01-01

An experimental program was aimed at identifying areas in low speed aerodynamic research where infrared imaging systems can make significant contributions. Implementing a new technique, a long electrically heated wire was placed across a laminar jet. By measuring the temperature distribution along the wire with the IR imaging camera, the flow behavior was identified. Furthermore, using Nusselt number correlations, the velocity distribution could be deduced. The same approach was used to survey wakes behind cylinders in a wind-tunnel. This method is suited to investigate flows with position dependent velocities, e.g., boundary layers, confined flows, jets, wakes, and shear layers. It was found that the IR imaging camera cannot accurately track high gradient temperature fields. A correlation procedure was devised to account for this limitation. Other wind-tunnel experiments included tracking the development of the laminar boundary layer over a warmed flat plate by measuring the chordwise temperature distribution. This technique was applied also to the flow downstream from a rearward facing step. Finally, the IR imaging system was used to study boundary layer behavior over an airfoil at angles of attack from zero up to separation. The results were confirmed with tufts observable both visually and with the IR imaging camera.

Low-Speed Wind-Tunnel Investigation of Blowing Boundary-Layer Control on Leading- and Trailing-Edge Flaps of a Large-Scale, Low-Aspect-Ratio, 45 Swept-wing Airplane Configuration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maki, Ralph L.

1959-01-01

Blowing boundary-layer control was applied to the leading- and trailing-edge flaps of a 45 deg sweptback-wing complete model in a full-scale low-speed wind-tunnel study. The principal purpose of the study was to determine the effects of leading-edge flap deflection and boundary-layer control on maximum lift and longitudinal stability. Leading-edge flap deflection alone was sufficient to maintain static longitudinal stability without trailing-edge flaps. However, leading-edge flap blowing was required to maintain longitudinal stability by delaying leading-edge flow separation when trailing-edge flaps were deflected either with or without blowing. Partial-span leading-edge flaps deflected 60 deg with moderate blowing gave the major increase in maximum lift, although higher deflection and additional blowing gave some further increase. Inboard of 0.4 semispan leading-edge flap deflection could be reduced to 40 deg and/or blowing could be omitted with only small loss in maximum lift. Trailing-edge flap lift increments were increased by boundary-layer control for deflections greater than 45 deg. Maximum lift was not increased with deflected trailing-edge flaps with blowing.

Environmental and internal controls of tropical cyclone intensity change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Desflots, Melicie

Tropical cyclone (TC) intensity change is governed by internal dynamics and environmental conditions. This study aims to gain a better understanding of the physical mechanisms responsible for TC intensity changes with a particular focus to those related to the vertical wind shear and the impact of sea spray on the hurricane boundary layer, by using high resolution, full physics numerical simulations. The coupled model consists of three components: the non-hydrostatic, 5th generation Pennsylvania State University-NCAR mesoscale model (MM5), the NOAA/NCEP WAVEWATCH III (WW3) ocean surface wave model, and the WHOI three-dimensional upper ocean circulation model (3DPWP). Sea spray parameterizations (SSP) were developed at NOAA/ESRL, modified by the author and introduced in uncoupled and coupled simulations. The 0.5 km grid resolution MM5 simulation of Hurricane Lili showed a rapid intensification associated with a contracting eyewall. Hurricane Lili weakened in a 5-10 m s-1 vertical wind shear environment. The simulated storm experienced wind shear direction normal to the storm motion, which produced a strong wavenumber one rainfall asymmetry in the downshear-left quadrant of the storm. The increasing vertical wind shear induced a vertical tilt of the vortex with a time lag of 5-6 hours after the wavenumber one rainfall asymmetry was first observed in the model simulation. Other factors controlling intensity and intensity change in tropical cyclones are the air-sea fluxes. Recent studies have shown that the momentum exchange coefficient levels off at high wind speed. However, the behavior of the exchange coefficient for enthalpy flux in high wind and the potential impact of sea spray on it is still uncertain. The current SSP are closely tied to wind speed and overestimate the mediated heat fluxes by sea spray in the hurricane boundary layer. As the sea spray generation depends on wind speed and the variable wave state, a new SSP based on the surface wave energy dissipation (WED) is introduced in the coupled model. In the coupled simulations, the WED is used to quantify the amount of wave breaking related to the generation of spray. The SSP coupled to the waves offers an improvement compared to the wind dependent SSP.

Surface-Streamline Flow Visualization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Langston, L.; Boyle, M.

1985-01-01

Matrix of ink dots covers matte surface of polyester drafting film. Film placed against wind-tunnel wall. Layer of methyl salicylate (oil of wintergreen) sprayed over dotted area. Ink dot streaklines show several characteristics of flow, including primary saddle point of separations, primary horseshoe vortex and smaller vortex at cylinder/ endwall junction. Surface streamline flow visualization technique suitable for use in low-speed windtunnels or other low-speed gas flows.

Variation of the low level winds during the passage of a thunderstorm gust front

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sinclair, R. W.; Anthes, R. A.; Panofsky, H. A.

1973-01-01

Three time histories of wind profiles in thunderstorm gust fronts at Cape Kennedy and three at Oklahoma City are analyzed. Wind profiles at maximum wind strength below 100 m follow logarithmic laws, so that winds above the surface layer can be estimated from surface winds once the roughness length is known. A statistical analysis of 81 cases of surface winds during thunderstorms at Tampa revealed no predictor with skill to predict the time of maximum gust. Some 34% of the variance of the strength of the gust is accounted for by a stability index and surface wind prior to the gust; the regression equations for these variables are given. The coherence between microscale wind speed variations at the different levels has the same proportions as in non-thunderstorm cases.

An observational study of ballooning in large spiders: Nanoscale multifibers enable large spiders' soaring flight.

PubMed

Cho, Moonsung; Neubauer, Peter; Fahrenson, Christoph; Rechenberg, Ingo

2018-06-01

The physical mechanism of aerial dispersal of spiders, "ballooning behavior," is still unclear because of the lack of serious scientific observations and experiments. Therefore, as a first step in clarifying the phenomenon, we studied the ballooning behavior of relatively large spiders (heavier than 5 mg) in nature. Additional wind tunnel tests to identify ballooning silks were implemented in the laboratory. From our observation, it seems obvious that spiders actively evaluate the condition of the wind with their front leg (leg I) and wait for the preferable wind condition for their ballooning takeoff. In the wind tunnel tests, as-yet-unknown physical properties of ballooning fibers (length, thickness, and number of fibers) were identified. Large spiders, 16-20 mg Xysticus spp., spun 50-60 nanoscale fibers, with a diameter of 121-323 nm. The length of these threads was 3.22 ± 1.31 m (N = 22). These physical properties of ballooning fibers can explain the ballooning of large spiders with relatively light updrafts, 0.1-0.5 m s-1, which exist in a light breeze of 1.5-3.3 m s-1. Additionally, in line with previous research on turbulence in atmospheric boundary layers and from our wind measurements, it is hypothesized that spiders use the ascending air current for their aerial dispersal, the "ejection" regime, which is induced by hairpin vortices in the atmospheric boundary layer turbulence. This regime is highly correlated with lower wind speeds. This coincides well with the fact that spiders usually balloon when the wind speed is lower than 3 m s-1.

Modeling large wind farms in conventionally neutral atmospheric boundary layers under varying initial conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allaerts, Dries; Meyers, Johan

2014-05-01

Atmospheric boundary layers (ABL) are frequently capped by an inversion layer limiting the entrainment rate and boundary layer growth. Commonly used analytical models state that the entrainment rate is inversely proportional to the inversion strength. The height of the inversion turns out to be a second important parameter. Conventionally neutral atmospheric boundary layers (CNBL) are ABLs with zero surface heat flux developing against a stratified free atmosphere. In this regime the inversion-filling process is merely driven by the downward heat flux at the inversion base. As a result, CNBLs are strongly dependent on the heating history of the boundary layer and strong inversions will fail to erode during the course of the day. In case of large wind farms, the power output of the farm inside a CNBL will depend on the height and strength of the inversion above the boundary layer. On the other hand, increased turbulence levels induced by wind farms may partially undermine the rigid lid effect of the capping inversion, enhance vertical entrainment of air into the farm, and increase boundary layer growth. A suite of large eddy simulations (LES) is performed to investigate the effect of the capping inversion on the conventionally neutral atmospheric boundary layer and on the wind farm performance under varying initial conditions. For these simulations our in-house pseudo-spectral LES code SP-Wind is used. The wind turbines are modelled using a non-rotating actuator disk method. In the absence of wind farms, we find that a decrease in inversion strength corresponds to a decrease in the geostrophic angle and an increase in entrainment rate and geostrophic drag. Placing the initial inversion base at higher altitudes further reduces the effect of the capping inversion on the boundary layer. The inversion can be fully neglected once it is situated above the equilibrium height that a truly neutral boundary layer would attain under the same external conditions such as geostrophic wind speed and surface roughness. Wind farm simulations show the expected increase in boundary layer height and growth rate with respect to the case without wind farms. Raising the initial strength of the capping inversion in these simulations dampens the turbulent growth of the boundary layer above the farm, decreasing the farms energy extraction. The authors acknowledge support from the European Research Council (FP7-Ideas, grant no. 306471). Simulations were performed on the computing infrastructure of the VSC Flemish Supercomputer Center, funded by the Hercules Foundation and the Flemish Government.

Contrasting suspended covers reveal the impact of an artificial monolayer on heat transfer processes at the interfacial boundary layer.

PubMed

Pittaway, P; Martínez-Alvarez, V; Hancock, N

2015-01-01

The highly variable performance of artificial monolayers in reducing evaporation from water storages has been attributed to wind speed and wave turbulence. Other factors operating at the interfacial boundary layer have seldom been considered. In this paper, two physical shade covers differing in porosity and reflectivity were suspended over 10 m diameter water tanks to attenuate wind and wave turbulence. The monolayer octadecanol was applied to one of the covered tanks, and micrometeorological conditions above and below the covers were monitored to characterise diurnal variation in the energy balance. A high downward (air-to-water) convective heat flux developed under the black cover during the day, whereas diurnal variation in the heat flux under the more reflective, wind-permeable white cover was much less. Hourly air and water temperature profiles under the covers over 3 days when forced convection was minimal (low wind speed) were selected for analysis. Monolayer application reduced temperature gain in surface water under a downward convective heat flux, and conversely reduced temperature loss under an upward convective heat flux. This 'dual property' may explain why repeat application of an artificial monolayer to retard evaporative loss (reducing latent heat loss) does not inevitably increase water temperature.

Analytical framework for modeling of long-range transport of fungal plant epidemics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kogan, Oleg; O'Keeffe, Kevin; Schneider, David; Myers, Christopher; Analytical FrameworksInfectious Disease Dynamics Team

2015-03-01

A new framework for the study of long-range transport of fungal plant epidemics is proposed. The null nonlinear model includes advective transport through the free atmosphere, spore production on the ground, and transfer of spores between the ground and the advective atmospheric layer. The competition between the growth wave on the ground and the effect of the wind is most strongly reflected in upwind fronts, which can propagate into the wind for exponential initial conditions. If the rate of spore transfer into the advective layer is below critical, this happens for initital conditions with arbitrary steepness. Upwind fronts from localized initial conditions will propagate in the direction of the wind above this critical parameter, and will not propagate below it. On the other hand, the speed of the downwind front does not have a strong dependence on the rate of spore transfer between the advective layer and the ground. Thus, even vanishingly small, but finite transfer rates result in a substantial epidemic wave in the direction of the wind. We also consider the effect of an additional, random-walk like mechanism of transport through the near-ground atmospheric boundary layer, and attempt to understand which route dominates the transport over long distances.

Characteristics of ozone vertical profile observed in the boundary layer around Beijing in autumn.

PubMed

Ma, Zhiqiang; Zhang, Xiaoling; Xu, Jing; Zhao, Xiujuan; Meng, Wei

2011-01-01

In the autumn of 2008, the vertical profiles of ozone and meteorological parameters in the low troposphere (0-1000 m) were observed at two sites around Beijing, specifically urban Nanjiao and rural Shangdianzi. At night and early morning, the lower troposphere divided into two stratified layers due to temperature inversion. Ozone in the lower layer showed a large gradient due to the titration of NO. Air flow from the southwest brought ozone-rich air to Beijing, and the ozone profiles were marked by a continuous increase in the residual layer at night. The accumulated ozone in the upper layer played an important role in the next day's surface peak ozone concentration, and caused a rapid increase in surface ozone in the morning. Wind direction shear and wind speed shear exhibited different influences on ozone profiles and resulted in different surface ozone concentrations in Beijing.

Experimental Study on the Wake Meandering Within a Scale Model Wind Farm Subject to a Wind-Tunnel Flow Simulating an Atmospheric Boundary Layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coudou, Nicolas; Buckingham, Sophia; Bricteux, Laurent; van Beeck, Jeroen

2017-12-01

The phenomenon of meandering of the wind-turbine wake comprises the motion of the wake as a whole in both horizontal and vertical directions as it is advected downstream. The oscillatory motion of the wake is a crucial factor in wind farms, because it increases the fatigue loads, and, in particular, the yaw loads on downstream turbines. To address this phenomenon, experimental investigations are carried out in a wind-tunnel flow simulating an atmospheric boundary layer with the Coriolis effect neglected. A 3 × 3 scaled wind farm composed of three-bladed rotating wind-turbine models is subject to a neutral boundary layer over a slightly-rough surface, i.e. corresponding to offshore conditions. Particle-image-velocimetry measurements are performed in a horizontal plane at hub height in the wakes of the three wind turbines occupying the wind-farm centreline. These measurements allow determination of the wake centrelines, with spectral analysis indicating the characteristic wavelength of the wake-meandering phenomenon. In addition, measurements with hot-wire anemometry are performed along a vertical line in the wakes of the same wind turbines, with both techniques revealing the presence of wake meandering behind all three turbines. The spectral analysis performed with the spatial and temporal signals obtained from these two measurement techniques indicates a Strouhal number of ≈ 0.20 - 0.22 based on the characteristic wake-meandering frequency, the rotor diameter and the flow speed at hub height.

Experimental Study on the Wake Meandering Within a Scale Model Wind Farm Subject to a Wind-Tunnel Flow Simulating an Atmospheric Boundary Layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coudou, Nicolas; Buckingham, Sophia; Bricteux, Laurent; van Beeck, Jeroen

2018-04-01

The phenomenon of meandering of the wind-turbine wake comprises the motion of the wake as a whole in both horizontal and vertical directions as it is advected downstream. The oscillatory motion of the wake is a crucial factor in wind farms, because it increases the fatigue loads, and, in particular, the yaw loads on downstream turbines. To address this phenomenon, experimental investigations are carried out in a wind-tunnel flow simulating an atmospheric boundary layer with the Coriolis effect neglected. A 3 × 3 scaled wind farm composed of three-bladed rotating wind-turbine models is subject to a neutral boundary layer over a slightly-rough surface, i.e. corresponding to offshore conditions. Particle-image-velocimetry measurements are performed in a horizontal plane at hub height in the wakes of the three wind turbines occupying the wind-farm centreline. These measurements allow determination of the wake centrelines, with spectral analysis indicating the characteristic wavelength of the wake-meandering phenomenon. In addition, measurements with hot-wire anemometry are performed along a vertical line in the wakes of the same wind turbines, with both techniques revealing the presence of wake meandering behind all three turbines. The spectral analysis performed with the spatial and temporal signals obtained from these two measurement techniques indicates a Strouhal number of ≈ 0.20 - 0.22 based on the characteristic wake-meandering frequency, the rotor diameter and the flow speed at hub height.

Cross-polarization microwave radar return at severe wind conditions: laboratory model and geophysical model function.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Troitskaya, Yuliya; Abramov, Victor; Ermoshkin, Alexey; Zuikova, Emma; Kazakov, Vassily; Sergeev, Daniil; Kandaurov, Alexandr

2014-05-01

Satellite remote sensing is one of the main techniques of monitoring severe weather conditions over the ocean. The principal difficulty of the existing algorithms of retrieving wind based on dependence of microwave backscattering cross-section on wind speed (Geophysical Model Function, GMF) is due to its saturation at winds exceeding 25 - 30 m/s. Recently analysis of dual- and quad-polarization C-band radar return measured from satellite Radarsat-2 suggested that the cross-polarized radar return has much higher sensitivity to the wind speed than co-polarized back scattering [1] and conserved sensitivity to wind speed at hurricane conditions [2]. Since complete collocation of these data was not possible and time difference in flight legs and SAR images acquisition was up to 3 hours, these two sets of data were compared in [2] only statistically. The main purpose of this paper is investigation of the functional dependence of cross-polarized radar cross-section on the wind speed in laboratory experiment. Since cross-polarized radar return is formed due to scattering at small-scale structures of the air-sea interface (short-crested waves, foam, sprays, etc), which are well reproduced in laboratory conditions, then the approach based on laboratory experiment on radar scattering of microwaves at the water surface under hurricane wind looks feasible. The experiments were performed in the Wind-wave flume located on top of the Large Thermostratified Tank of the Institute of Applied Physics, where the airflow was produced in the flume with the straight working part of 10 m and operating cross section 0.40?0.40 sq. m, the axis velocity can be varied from 5 to 25 m/s. Microwave measurements were carried out by a coherent Doppler X-band (3.2 cm) scatterometer with the consequent receive of linear polarizations. Experiments confirmed higher sensitivity to the wind speed of the cross-polarized radar return. Simultaneously parameters of the air flow in the turbulent boundary layer (friction velocity and roughness height) were retrieved by velocity profiling and subsequent data processing based on self-similarity of the turbulent boundary layer and 10-m wind speed was calculated. The wind wave field parameters in the flume were measured by three wire gauges. The measured data on wind waves were used for estimation of the short wave spectra and slope probability density function for "long waves" within composite Bragg theory of microwave radar return. Estimations showed that for co-polarized radar returns the difference between measurements and the predictions of the model is about 1-2 dB and it can be explained by our poor knowledge about the short wave part of the spectrum. For cross-polarized return the difference exceeds 10 dB, and it indicates that some non-Bragg mechanisms (short-crested waves, foam, sprays, etc) are responsible for the depolarization of the returned signal. It seems reasonable then to suppose that the cross-polarized radar return in X- and C-bands will demonstrate similar dependence on wind speed. We compared the dependence of cross-polarized X-band radar cross-section on 10-m wind speed obtained in laboratory conditions with the similar dependence obtained in [2] from the field data for C-band radar cross-section and found out that the laboratory data follow the median of the field data with the constant bias -11 dB. Basing on laboratory data an empirical polynomial geophysical model function was suggested for retrieving wind speed up to 40 m/s from cross-polarized microwave return, which is in good agreement with the direct measurements. This work was carried out under financial support of the RFBR (project codes ¹ 13-05-00865, 12-05-12093) and by grant from the Government of the Russian Federation (project code 11.G34.31.0048). References [1] B. Zhang, W. Perrie Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 93, 531-541, 2012. [2] G.-J. van Zadelhoff, et.al. Atmos. Meas. Tech. Discuss., 6, 7945-7984, doi:10.5194/amtd-6-7945-2013, 2013.

Study of boundary-layer transition using transonic cone Preston tube data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reed, T. D.; Abu-Mostafa, A.

1982-01-01

Laminar layer Preston tube data on a sharp nose, ten degree cone obtained in the Ames 11 ft TWT and in flight tests are analyzed. During analyses of the laminar-boundary layer data, errors were discovered in both the wind tunnel and the flight data. A correction procedure for errors in the flight data is recommended which forces the flight data to exhibit some of the orderly characteristics of the wind tunnel data. From corrected wind tunnel data, a correlation is developed between Preston tube pressures and the corresponding values of theoretical laminar skin friction. Because of the uncertainty in correcting the flight data, a correlation for the unmodified data is developed, and, in addition, three other correlations are developed based on different correction procedures. Each of these correlations are used in conjunction with the wind tunnel correlation to define effective freestream unit Reynolds numbers for the 11 ft TWT over a Mach number range of 0.30 to 0.95. The maximum effective Reynolds numbers are approximately 6.5% higher than the normal values. These maximum values occur between freestream Mach numbers of 0.60 and 0.80. Smaller values are found outside this Mach number range. These results indicate wind tunnel noise affects the average laminar skin friction much less than it affects boundary layer transition. Data on the onset, extent, and end of boundary layer transition are summarized. Application of a procedure for studying the relative effects of varying nose radius on a ten degree cone at supercritical speeds indicates that increasing nose radius promotes boundary layer transition and separation of laminar boundary layers.

Studies of the relationship between environmental forcing and the structure and dynamics of tornado-like vortices

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nolan, David S.; Almgren, Ann S.; Bell, John B.

Axisymmetric numerical simulations continue to provide insight into how the structure, dynamics, and maximum wind speeds of tornadoes, and other convectively-maintained vortices, are influenced by the surrounding environment. This work is continued with a new numerical model of axisymmetric incompressible flow that incorporates adaptive mesh refinement. The model dynamically increases or decreases the resolution in regions of interest as determined by a specified refinement criterion. Here, the criterion used is based on the cell Reynolds number dx dv / nu, so that the flow is guaranteed to be laminar on the scale of the local grid spacing. The model ismore » used to investigate how the altitude and shape of the convective forcing, the size of the domain, and the effective Reynolds number (based on the choice of the eddy viscosity nu) influence the structure and dynamics of the vortex. Over a wide variety of domain and forcing geometries,the vortex Reynolds number Gamma / nu (the ratio of the far-field circulation to the eddy viscosity) is shown to be the most important parameter for determining vortex structure and behavior. Furthermore,it is found that the vertical scale of the convective forcing only affects the vortex inasmuch as this vertical scale contributes to the total strength of the convective forcing. The horizontal scale of the convective forcing, however, is found to be the fundamental length scale in the problem, in that it can determine both the circulation of the fluid that is drawn into the vortex core, and also influences the depth of the swirling boundary layer. Higher mean wind speeds are sustained as the eddy viscosity is decreased; however, it is observed that the highest wind speeds are found in the high-swirl, two-celled vortex regime rather than in the low-swirl, one-celled regime, which is in contrast with some previous results. The conclusions drawn from these results are applied to dimensional simulations with scales similar to the mesocyclone/thunderstorm environment. Tornado-like vortices are reproduced, using a constant eddy viscosity with such values as 40 m2s-1, which have maximum wind speeds, radii of maximum winds, and boundary layer depths which are quite similar to those recently observed with portable Doppler radar. Based on the results of both nondimensional and tornado-scale simulations, scaling laws are empirically derived for the internal length scales in tornado-like vortices, such as the depth of the boundary layer and the radius of maximum winds.« less

Geostrophic adjustment in a shallow-water numerical model as it relates to thermospheric dynamics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Larsen, M. F.; Mikkelsen, I. S.

1986-01-01

The theory of geostrophic adjustment and its application to the dynamics of the high latitude thermosphere have been discussed in previous papers based on a linearized treatment of the fluid dynamical equations. However, a linearized treatment is only valid for small Rossby numbers given by Ro = V/fL, where V is the wind speed, f is the local value of the Coriolis parameter, and L is a characteristic horizontal scale for the flow. For typical values in the auroral zone, the approximation is not reasonable for wind speeds greater than 25 m/s or so. A shallow-water (one layer) model was developed that includes the spherical geometry and full nonlinear dynamics in the momentum equations in order to isolate the effects of the nonlinearities on the adjustment process. A belt of accelerated winds between 60 deg and 70 deg latitude was used as the initial condition. The adjustment process was found to proceed as expected from the linear formulation, but that an asymmetry between the response for an eastward and westward flow results from the nonlineawr curvature (centrifugal) terms. In general, the amplitude of an eastward flowing wind will be less after adjustment than a westward wind. For instance, if the initial wind velocity is 300 m/s, the linearized theory predicts a final wind speed of 240 m/s, regardless of the flow direction. However, the nonlinear curvature terms modify the response and produce a final wind speed of only 200 m/s for an initial eastward wind and a final wind speed of almost 300 m/s for an initial westward flow direction. Also, less gravity wave energy is produced by the adjustment of the westward flow than by the adjustment of the eastward flow. The implications are that the response of the thermosphere should be significantly different on the dawn and dusk sides of the auroral oval. Larger flow velocities would be expected on the dusk side since the plasma will accelerate the flow in a westward direction in that sector.

PARKA II Experiment Utilizing SEA SPIDER. ONR Scientific Plan 2-69

DTIC Science & Technology

1969-06-26

speed and wave height, and take a bathythermograph record to establish depth of surface layer . Log layer depth only with wind and wave data. Step 12...range acoustic propagation experiments designed to support the advanced development objectives of the Long Range Acoustic Propagation Project (LRAPP...environmental experiments conducted under the Long Range Acoustic Propagation Project (LR PP) for the purpose of, evaluating and improving

On Displacement Height, from Classical to Practical Formulation: Stress, Turbulent Transport and Vorticity Considerations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sogachev, Andrey; Kelly, Mark

2016-03-01

Displacement height ( d) is an important parameter in the simple modelling of wind speed and vertical fluxes above vegetative canopies, such as forests. Here we show that, aside from implicit definition through a (displaced) logarithmic profile, accepted formulations for d do not consistently predict flow properties above a forest. Turbulent transport can affect the displacement height, and is an integral part of what is called the roughness sublayer. We develop a more general approach for estimation of d, through production of turbulent kinetic energy and turbulent transport, and show how previous stress-based formulations for displacement height can be seen as simplified cases of a more general definition including turbulent transport. Further, we also give a simplified and practical form for d that is in agreement with the general approach, exploiting the concept of vortex thickness scale from mixing-layer theory. We assess the new and previous displacement height formulations by using flow statistics derived from the atmospheric boundary-layer Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes model SCADIS as well as from wind-tunnel observations, for different vegetation types and flow regimes in neutral conditions. The new formulations tend to produce smaller d than stress-based forms, falling closer to the classic logarithmically-defined displacement height. The new, more generally defined, displacement height appears to be more compatible with profiles of components of the turbulent kinetic energy budget, accounting for the combined effects of turbulent transport and shear production. The Coriolis force also plays a role, introducing wind-speed dependence into the behaviour of the roughness sublayer; this affects the turbulent transport, shear production, stress, and wind speed, as well as the displacement height, depending on the character of the forest. We further show how our practical (`mixing-layer') form for d matches the new turbulence-based relation, as well as correspondence to previous (stress-based) formulations.

The effect of solidity on the performance of H-rotor Darrieus turbine

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hassan, S. M. Rakibul, E-mail: rakibulhassan21@gmail.com; Ali, Mohammad, E-mail: mali@me.buet.ac.bd; Islam, Md. Quamrul, E-mail: quamrul@me.buet.ac.bd

Utilization of wind energy has been investigated for a long period of time by different researchers in different ways. Out of which, the Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine and the Vertical Axis Wind Turbine have now advanced design, but still there is scope to improve their efficiency. The Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT) has the advantage over Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine (HAWT) for working on omnidirectional air flow without any extra control system. A modified H-rotor Darrieus type VAWT is analysed in this paper, which is a lift based wind turbine. The effect of solidity (i.e. chord length, no. of blades)more » on power coefficient (C{sub P}) of H-rotor for different tip speed ratios is numerically investigated. The study is conducted using time dependent RANS equations using SST k-ω model. SIMPLE scheme is used as pressure-velocity coupling and in all cases, the second order upwind discretization scheme is chosen for getting more accurate solution. In results, different parameters are compared, which depict the performance of the modified H-rotor Darrieus type VAWT. Double layered H-rotor having inner layer blades with longer chord gives higher power coefficient than those have inner layer blades with smaller chord.« less

Seasonal variability in winds in the north polar region of Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Isaac B.; Spiga, Aymeric

2018-07-01

Surface features near Mars' polar regions are very active, suggesting that they are among the most dynamic places on the planet. Much of that activity is driven by seasonal winds that strongly influence the distribution of water ice and other particulates. Morphologic features such as the spiral troughs, Chasma Boreale, and prominent circumpolar dune fields have experienced persistent winds for several Myr. Therefore, detailing the pattern of winds throughout the year is an important step to understanding what processes affect the martian surface in contemporary and past epochs. In this study, we provide polar-focused mesoscale simulations from northern spring to summer to understand variability from the diurnal to the seasonal scales. We find that there is a strong seasonality to the diurnal surface wind speeds driven primarily by the retreat of the seasonal CO2 until about summer solstice, when the CO2 is gone. The fastest winds are found when the CO2 cap boundary is on the slopes of the north polar layered deposits, providing a strong thermal gradient that enhances the season-long katabatic effect. Mid-summer winds, while not as fast as spring winds, may play a role in dune migration for some dune fields. Late summer wind speeds pick up as the seasonal cap returns.

CYGNSS Surface Wind Observations and Surface Flux Estimates within Low-Latitude Extratropical Cyclones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crespo, J.; Posselt, D. J.

2017-12-01

The Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System (CYGNSS), launched in December 2016, aims to improve estimates of surface wind speeds over the tropical oceans. While CYGNSS's core mission is to provide better estimates of surface winds within the core of tropical cyclones, previous research has shown that the constellation, with its orbital inclination of 35°, also has the ability to observe numerous extratropical cyclones that form in the lower latitudes. Along with its high spatial and temporal resolution, CYGNSS can provide new insights into how extratropical cyclones develop and evolve, especially in the presence of thick clouds and precipitation. We will demonstrate this by presenting case studies of multiple extratropical cyclones observed by CYGNSS early on in its mission in both Northern and Southern Hemispheres. By using the improved estimates of surface wind speeds from CYGNSS, we can obtain better estimates of surface latent and sensible heat fluxes within and around extratropical cyclones. Surface heat fluxes, driven by surface winds and strong vertical gradients of water vapor and temperature, play a key role in marine cyclogenesis as they increase instability within the boundary layer and may contribute to extreme marine cyclogenesis. In the past, it has been difficult to estimate surface heat fluxes from space borne instruments, as these fluxes cannot be observed directly from space, and deficiencies in spatial coverage and attenuation from clouds and precipitation lead to inaccurate estimates of surface flux components, such as surface wind speeds. While CYGNSS only contributes estimates of surface wind speeds, we can combine this data with other reanalysis and satellite data to provide improved estimates of surface sensible and latent heat fluxes within and around extratropical cyclones and throughout the entire CYGNSS mission.

Quiet Supersonic Wind Tunnel Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

King, Lyndell S.; Kutler, Paul (Technical Monitor)

1994-01-01

The ability to control the extent of laminar flow on swept wings at supersonic speeds may be a critical element in developing the enabling technology for a High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT). Laminar boundary layers are less resistive to forward flight than their turbulent counterparts, thus the farther downstream that transition from laminar to turbulent flow in the wing boundary layer is extended can be of significant economic impact. Due to the complex processes involved experimental studies of boundary layer stability and transition are needed, and these are performed in "quiet" wind tunnels capable of simulating the low-disturbance environment of free flight. At Ames, a wind tunnel has been built to operate at flow conditions which match those of the HSCT laminar flow flight demonstration 'aircraft, the F-16XL, i.e. at a Mach number of 1.6 and a Reynolds number range of 1 to 3 million per foot. This will allow detailed studies of the attachment line and crossflow on the leading edge area of the highly swept wing. Also, use of suction as a means of control of transition due to crossflow and attachment line instabilities can be studied. Topics covered include: test operating conditions required; design requirements to efficiently make use of the existing infrastructure; development of an injector drive system using a small pilot facility; plenum chamber design; use of computational tools for tunnel and model design; and early operational results.

Mesospheric circulation at the cloud top level of Venus according to Venus Monitoring Camera images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khatuntsev, Igor; Patsaeva, Marina; Ignatiev, Nikolay; Titov, Dmitri; Markiewicz, Wojciech; Turin, Alexander

We present results of wind speed measurements at the cloud top level of Venus derived from manual cloud tracking in the UV (365 nm) and IR (965 nm) channels of the Venus Monitoring Camera Experiment (VMC) [1] on board the Venus Express mission. Cloud details have a maximal contrast in the UV range. More then 90 orbits have been processed. 30000 manual vectors were obtained. The period of the observations covers more than 4 venusian year. Zonal wind speed demonstrates the local solar time dependence. Possible diurnal and semidiurnal components are observed [2]. According to averaged latitude profile of winds at level of the upper clouds: -The zonal speed is slightly increasing by absolute values from 90 on the equator to 105 m/s at latitudes —47 degrees; -The period of zonal rotation has the maximum at the equator (5 earth days). It has the minimum (3 days) at altitudes —50 degrees. After minimum periods are slightly increasing toward the South pole; -The meridional speed has a value 0 on the equator, and then it is linear increasing up to 10 m/s (by absolute value) at 50 degrees latitude. "-" denotes movement from the equator to the pole. -From 50 to 80 degrees the meridional speed is again decreasing by absolute value up to 0. IR (965+10 nm) day side images can be used for wind tracking. The obtained speed of the zonal wind in the low and middle latitudes are systematically less than the wind speed derived from the UV images. The average zonal speed obtained from IR day side images in the low and average latitudes is about 65-70 m/s. The given fact can be interpreted as observation of deeper layers of mesosphere in the IR range in comparison with UV. References [1] Markiewicz W. J. et al. (2007) Planet. Space Set V55(12). P.1701-1711. [2] Moissl R., et al. (2008) J. Geophys. Res. 2008. doi:10.1029/2008JE003117. V.113.

Measurement of the Flow Over Two Parallel Mountain Ridges in the Nighttime Stable Boundary Layer With Scanning Lidar Systems at the Perdigão 2017 Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wildmann, N.; Kigle, S.; Gerz, T.; Bell, T.; Klein, P. M.

2017-12-01

For onshore wind energy production, the highest wind potential is often found on exposed spots like hilltops, mountain ridges or escarpments with heterogeneous land cover. The understanding of the flow field in such complex terrain in the relevant heights where wind power is generated is an ongoing field of research. The German Aerospace Center (DLR) contributed to the NEWA (New European Wind Atlas) experiment in the province of Perdigão (Portugal) with three long-range Doppler wind lidar of type Leosphere Windcube-200S from May to June 2017. In the experiment, a single wind energy converter (WEC) of type Enercon E82 is situated on a forested mountain ridge. In main wind direction, which is from South-West and almost perpendicular to the ridge, a valley and then a second mountain ridge in a distance of approximately 1.4 km follow. Two of the DLR lidar instruments are placed downstream and in line with the main wind direction and the WEC. One of these instruments is placed in the valley, and the other one on the distant mountain ridge. This line-up allows coplanar scanning of the flow in the valley and over the ridge tops and thus the determination of horizontal and vertical wind components. The third DLR system, placed on the WEC ridge, and an additional scanning lidar from the University of Oklahoma, placed in the valley, are used to determine the cross-wind component of the flow. Regular flow features that were observed with this lidar setup in the six weeks of the intensive operation period are jet-like layers of high wind speeds that occur during the night from a North-Easterly direction. These jets are found to have wind speeds up to 13 m s-1 and are very variable with regards to their maximum speed, height and broadness. Depending on the Froude number of the flow, waves are forming over the two mountain ridges with either a stable wavelength that equals the mountain ridge distance, or more dynamic higher frequency oscillations. All of these flow features are highly relevant for the efficiency and lifetime of the WEC on site, because strong shear, dynamically changing winds and significant vertical wind components can be found in the rotor plane depending on the height and intensity of the jet flow. This presentation will demonstrate how these effects can be quantified by the described lidar measurement setup.

Stratospheric mountain wave attenuation in positive and negative ambient wind shear

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kruse, C. G.; Smith, R. B.

2016-12-01

Recently, much has been learned about the vertical propagation and attenuation of mountain waves launched by the Southern Alps of New Zealand (NZ) from the Deep Propagating Gravity Wave Experiment (DEEPWAVE) field campaign. Over NZ, approximately half of mountain wave events are strongly attenuated in a lower-stratospheric "valve layer," defined as a layer of reduced wind with no critical levels. Within a valve layer, negative wind shear causes mountain waves steepen and attenuate, with the amount of transmitted momentum flux controlled by the minimum wind speed within the layer. The other half of wave events are deep (propagating to 35+ km), usually with positive wind shear. Within these deep events, increasing amplitude with decreasing density causes mountain waves to attenuate gradually (after spatial/temporal averaging). Global reanalyses indicate that this valve layer is a climatological feature in the wintertime mid-latitudes above the subtropical jet, while deep events and gradual attenuation occur over higher latitudes below the polar stratospheric jet. The local physics of mountain wave attenuation in positive and negative ambient wind shear are investigated using realistic winter-long (JJA) 6-km resolution Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model simulations over the Andes. Attention is given to the spatiotemporal variability of wave attenuation and the various factors driving this variability (e.g. variability in wave generation, ambient conditions at attenuation level, inherent wave-induced instabilities). Mesoscale potential vorticity generation is used as an indicator of wave attenuation. Additionally, regionally integrated wave momentum flux and gravity wave drag (GWD) within WRF are quantified and compared with parameterized quantities in the MERRA1 and 2 reanalyses.

A study of tornadic thunderstorm interactions with thermal boundaries

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maddox, R. A.; Hoxit, L. R.; Chappell, C. F.

1980-01-01

A study of tornadic thunderstorm interactions with thermal boundaries using a model of subcloud wind profiles is presented. Within a hot, moist, and conditionally unstable air mass, warm thermal advection and surface friction cause the winds to veer and increase with height, while within a cool, moist air mass cool thermal advection and friction combine to produce a wind profile that has maximum speeds near the surface and veers little with height. The spatial distribution of different wind profiles and moisture contents within the boundary layer may act together to maximize mesoscale moisture contents, convergence, and cyclonic vorticity within a narrow mixing zone along the thermal boundary.

An observational study of turbulence inside a closed basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, Peijian; Zhong, Shiyuan; Whiteman, C. David; Horst, Tom; Bian, Xindi

2010-12-01

Data from a flux tower on the floor of Arizona's Meteor Crater are compared to data on the plain outside the crater to determine the impact of basin topography on surface-layer mean and turbulence properties, focusing particularly on windy periods. The bowl-shaped crater amplifies the diurnal oscillations of temperature and heat fluxes, with the amplification most pronounced under quiescent synoptic conditions. The crater's rim shelters the crater atmosphere from mean background flows so that wind speeds inside the crater are usually less than half the speeds on the outside plain. But flows in the crater are much more turbulent, with turbulence presumably generated by the conversion of mean flow into turbulent motion. On days with near-surface winds outside the crater greater than 10 m s-1, turbulent kinetic energy can reach extremely large values (˜15 m2 s-2) inside the crater. Compared to the velocity and temperature spectra outside, spectral peaks occur at lower frequencies inside the crater, especially for the cross-stream wind component. The surface layer is very shallow (<2 m) on the crater floor, suggesting that the similarity theory-based empirical formulas may not be useful for describing properties of the flow at that location.

Significant events in low-level flow conditions hazardous to aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alexander, M. B.; Camp, D. W.

1983-01-01

Atmospheric parameters recorded during high surface winds are analyzed to determine magnitude, frequency, duration, and simultaneity of occurrence of low level flow conditions known to be hazardous to the ascent and descent of conventional aircraft and the space shuttle. Graphic and tabular presentations of mean and extreme values and simultaneous occurrences of turbulence (gustiness and a gust factor), wind shear (speed and direction), and vertical motion (updrafts and downdrafts), along with associated temperature inversions are included as function of tower height, layer and/or distance for six 5 sec intervals (one interval every 100 sec) of parameters sampled simultaneously at the rate of 10 speeds, directions and temperatures per second during an approximately 10 min period.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Aslan, Z.; Topcu, S.

A central objective of micrometeorological research is to establish fluxes from a knowledge of the mean temperature, humidity and wind speed profiles. The effect of time and spatial variations of surface heat and momentum fluxes is studied for various geographic regions. These analysis show the principal boundary conditions for micro and meso-scale analysis, air-sea interactions, weather forecasting air pollution, agrometeorology and climate changing models. The fluxes of heat and momentum can be obtained from observed profiles of wind speed and temperature using the similarity relations for the atmospheric surface layer. In recent years, harmonic analysis is a particularly useful toolmore » in studying annual patterns of some meteorological parameters at the field of micrometeorological studies.« less

[Distribution of Regional Pollution and the Characteristics of Vertical Wind Field in the Pearl River Delta].

PubMed

Liu, Jian; Wu, Dui; Fan, Shao-jia

2015-11-01

Based on the data of hourly PM2.5 concentration of 56 environmental monitoring stations and 9 cities over the Pearl River Delta (PRD) region, the distributions of PM2.5 pollution in PRD region were analyzed by systematic cluster analysis and correlational analysis. It was found that the regional pollution could be divided into 3 types. The first type was the pollution occurred in Dongguan, Guangzhou, Foshan and Jiangmen (I type), and the second type was the pollution occurred in Zhongshan, Zhuhai, Shenzhen and Huizhou (II type), while the last type was the pollution only occurred in Zhaoqing (III type). During the study period, they occurred 47, 7 and 128 days, respectively. During events of pollution type I, except Zhuhai, Shenzhen and Huizhou, the PM2.5 concentrations of other cities were generally high, while the PM2.5 concentration in whole PRD region was over 50.0 μg x m(-3) during events of pollution type II. The regions with higher PM2.5 concentration was mainly concentrated in Zhaoqing, Guangzhou and Foshan during events of pollution type III. The wind data from 4 wind profile radars located in PRD region was used to study the characteristics of vertical wind field of these 3 pollution types. It was found that the wind profiles of type I and III were similar that low layer and high layer were controlled by the southeast wind and the southwest wind, respectively. For type II, the low layer and high layer were influenced by northerly wind and westerly wind, respectively. Compared with other types, the wind speed and ventilation index of type II. were much higher, and the variation of wind direction at lower-middle-layer was much smaller. When PRD region was influenced by northerly winds, the PM2.5 concentration in the entire PRD region was higher. When PRD region was controlled by southeast wind, the PM2.5 concentrations of I and II areas were relatively lower, while the pollution in III area was relatively heavier.

Increased Surface Wind Speeds Follow Diminishing Arctic Sea Ice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mioduszewski, J.; Vavrus, S. J.; Wang, M.; Holland, M. M.; Landrum, L.

2017-12-01

Projections of Arctic sea ice through the end of the 21st century indicate the likelihood of a strong reduction in ice area and thickness in all seasons, leading to a substantial thermodynamic influence on the overlying atmosphere. This is likely to have an effect on winds over the Arctic Basin, due to changes in atmospheric stability and/or baroclinicity. Prior research on future Arctic wind changes is limited and has focused mainly on the practical impacts on wave heights in certain seasons. Here we attempt to identify patterns and likely mechanisms responsible for surface wind changes in all seasons across the Arctic, particularly those associated with sea ice loss in the marginal ice zone. Sea level pressure, near-surface (10 m) and upper-air (850 hPa) wind speeds, and lower-level dynamic and thermodynamic variables from the Community Earth System Model Large Ensemble Project (CESM-LE) were analyzed for the periods 1971-2000 and 2071-2100 to facilitate comparison between a present-day and future climate. Mean near-surface wind speeds over the Arctic Ocean are projected to increase by late century in all seasons but especially during autumn and winter, when they strengthen by up to 50% locally. The most extreme wind speeds in the 90th percentile change even more, increasing in frequency by over 100%. The strengthened winds are closely linked to decreasing lower-tropospheric stability resulting from the loss of sea ice cover and consequent surface warming (locally over 20 ºC warmer in autumn and winter). A muted pattern of these future changes is simulated in CESM-LE historical runs from 1920-2005. The enhanced winds near the surface are mostly collocated with weaker winds above the boundary layer during autumn and winter, implying more vigorous vertical mixing and a drawdown of high-momentum air.The implications of stronger future winds include increased coastal hazards and the potential for a positive feedback with sea ice by generating higher winds and greater wave activity. Our findings suggest that increasing winds, along with retreating sea ice and thawing permafrost, represent another important contributor to the growing problem of Arctic coastal erosion.

Structure of the airflow above surface waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buckley, Marc; Veron, Fabrice

2016-04-01

Weather, climate and upper ocean patterns are controlled by the exchanges of momentum, heat, mass, and energy across the ocean surface. These fluxes are, in turn, influenced by the small-scale physics at the wavy air-sea interface. We present laboratory measurements of the fine-scale airflow structure above waves, achieved in over 15 different wind-wave conditions, with wave ages Cp/u* ranging from 1.4 to 66.7 (where Cp is the peak phase speed of the waves, and u* the air friction velocity). The experiments were performed in the large (42-m long) wind-wave-current tank at University of Delaware's Air-Sea Interaction laboratory (USA). A combined Particle Image Velocimetry and Laser Induced Fluorescence system was specifically developed for this study, and provided two-dimensional airflow velocity measurement as low as 100 um above the air-water interface. Starting at very low wind speeds (U10~2m/s), we directly observe coherent turbulent structures within the buffer and logarithmic layers of the airflow above the air-water interface, whereby low horizontal velocity air is ejected away from the surface, and higher velocity fluid is swept downward. Wave phase coherent quadrant analysis shows that such turbulent momentum flux events are wave-phase dependent. Airflow separation events are directly observed over young wind waves (Cp/u*<3.7) and counted using measured vorticity and surface viscous stress criteria. Detached high spanwise vorticity layers cause intense wave-coherent turbulence downwind of wave crests, as shown by wave-phase averaging of turbulent momentum fluxes. Mean wave-coherent airflow motions and fluxes also show strong phase-locked patterns, including a sheltering effect, upwind of wave crests over old mechanically generated swells (Cp/u*=31.7), and downwind of crests over young wind waves (Cp/u*=3.7). Over slightly older wind waves (Cp/u* = 6.5), the measured wave-induced airflow perturbations are qualitatively consistent with linear critical layer theory.

An observational study of ballooning in large spiders: Nanoscale multifibers enable large spiders’ soaring flight

PubMed Central

Neubauer, Peter; Fahrenson, Christoph; Rechenberg, Ingo

2018-01-01

The physical mechanism of aerial dispersal of spiders, “ballooning behavior,” is still unclear because of the lack of serious scientific observations and experiments. Therefore, as a first step in clarifying the phenomenon, we studied the ballooning behavior of relatively large spiders (heavier than 5 mg) in nature. Additional wind tunnel tests to identify ballooning silks were implemented in the laboratory. From our observation, it seems obvious that spiders actively evaluate the condition of the wind with their front leg (leg I) and wait for the preferable wind condition for their ballooning takeoff. In the wind tunnel tests, as-yet-unknown physical properties of ballooning fibers (length, thickness, and number of fibers) were identified. Large spiders, 16–20 mg Xysticus spp., spun 50–60 nanoscale fibers, with a diameter of 121–323 nm. The length of these threads was 3.22 ± 1.31 m (N = 22). These physical properties of ballooning fibers can explain the ballooning of large spiders with relatively light updrafts, 0.1–0.5 m s−1, which exist in a light breeze of 1.5–3.3 m s−1. Additionally, in line with previous research on turbulence in atmospheric boundary layers and from our wind measurements, it is hypothesized that spiders use the ascending air current for their aerial dispersal, the “ejection” regime, which is induced by hairpin vortices in the atmospheric boundary layer turbulence. This regime is highly correlated with lower wind speeds. This coincides well with the fact that spiders usually balloon when the wind speed is lower than 3 m s−1. PMID:29902191

Influencing factors on the cooling effect of coarse blocky top-layers on relict rock glaciers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pauritsch, Marcus; Wagner, Thomas; Mayaud, Cyril; Thalheim, Felix; Kellerer-Pirklbauer, Andreas; Winkler, Gerfried

2017-04-01

Coarse blocky material widely occurs in alpine landscapes particularly at the surface of bouldery rock glaciers. Such blocky layers are known to have a cooling effect on the subjacent material because of the enhanced non-conductive heat exchange with the atmosphere. This effect is used for instance by the construction of blocky embankments in the building of railways and roads in permafrost regions to prevent thawing processes. In alpine regions, this cooling effect may have a strong influence on the distribution and conservation of permafrost related to climate warming. The thermal regimes of the blocky surface layers of two comparable - in terms of size, elevation and geology - relict rock glaciers with opposing slope aspects are investigated. Therefore, the influence of the slope aspect-related climatic conditions (mainly the incident solar radiation, wind conditions and snow cover) on the cooling effect of the blocky layers is investigated. Air temperature, ground surface temperature and ground temperature at one meter depth were continuously measured over a period of four years at several locations at the NE-oriented Schöneben Rock Glacier and the adjacent SW-oriented Dürrtal Rock Glacier. At the former, additional data about wind speed and wind direction as well as precipitation are available, which are used to take wind-forced convection and snow cover into consideration. Statistical analyses of the data reveal that the blocky top layer of the Dürrtal Rock Glacier generally exhibits lower temperatures compared to the Schöneben Rock Glacier despite the more radiation-exposed aspect and the related higher solar radiation. However, the data show that the thermal regimes of the surface layers are highly heterogeneous and that data from the individual measurement sites have to be interpreted with caution. High Rayleigh numbers at both rock glaciers show that free convection occurs particularly during winter. Furthermore, wind-forced convection has a high impact on the thermal regime of the Schöneben Rock Glacier and, as the major wind direction, especially for higher wind speeds, is from west towards east, it is suspected that wind-forced convection is even more important at the Dürrtal Rock Glacier. The limited incident solar radiation at the Schöneben Rock Glacier results in a longer seasonal snow cover that appears earlier in autumn and can persist longer during the melting season. Moreover, with the predominant westerly wind, snow is supposedly transported from neighboring catchments (i.a. the Dürrtal Rock Glacier catchment) towards the Schöneben Rock Glacier catchment. Thus, in times with relatively cold air temperatures the coarse blocky surface at the Dürrtal Rock Glacier is better connected to the atmosphere than the more northern exposed Schöneben rock glacier because of the missing or only partial snow cover, which results in an enhanced cooling effect. It can be concluded that the cooling effect of coarse blocky debris is highly variable in alpine environments and can show considerable variations, depending on the heterogeneous structure of the layer itself and a complex interplay of slope aspect-related microclimatic effects such as incident solar radiation, predominant wind direction and snow cover dynamics.

Application of a linear spectral model to the study of Amazonian squall lines during GTE/ABLE 2B

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Silva Dias, Maria A. F.; Ferreira, Rosana N.

1992-01-01

A linear nonhydrostatic spectral model is run with the basic state, or large scale, vertical profiles of temperature and wind observed prior to convective development along the northern coast of South America during the GTE/ABLE 2B. The model produces unstable modes with mesoscale wavelength and propagation speed comparable to observed Amazonian squall lines. Several tests with different vertical profiles of low-level winds lead to the conclusion that a shallow and/or weak low-level jet either does not produce a scale selection or, if it does, the selected mode is stationary, indicating the absence of a propagating disturbance. A 700-mbar jet of 13 m/s, with a 600-mbar wind speed greater or equal to 10 m/s, is enough to produce unstable modes with propagating features resembling those of observed Amazonian squall lines. However, a deep layer of moderate winds (about 10 m/s) may produce similar results even in the absence of a low-level wind maximum. The implications in terms of short-term weather forecasting are discussed.

Lidar Measurements of Wind and Cloud Around Venus from an Orbiting or Floating/flying Platform

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Singh, Upendra N.; Limaye, Sanjay; Emmitt, George D.; Refaat, Tamer F.; Kavaya, Michael J.; Yu, Jirong; Petros, Mulugeta

2015-01-01

Given the presence of clouds and haze in the upper portion of the Venus atmosphere, it is reasonable to consider a Doppler wind lidar (DWL) for making remote measurements of the 3-dimensional winds within the tops of clouds and the overlying haze layer. Assuming an orbit altitude of 250 kilometers and cloud tops at 60 kilometers (within the upper cloud layer), an initial performance assessment of an orbiting DWL was made using a numerical instrument and atmospheres model developed for both Earth and Mars. It is reasonable to expect vertical profiles of the 3-dimensional wind speed with 1 kilometer vertical resolution and horizontal spacing of 25 kilometers to several 100 kilometers depending upon the desired integration times. These profiles would begin somewhere just below the tops of the highest clouds and extend into the overlying haze layer to some to-be-determined height. Getting multiple layers of cloud returns is also possible with no negative impact on velocity measurement accuracy. The knowledge and expertise for developing coherent Doppler wind lidar technologies and techniques, for Earth related mission at NASA Langley Research Center is being leveraged to develop an appropriate system suitable for wind measurement around Venus. We are considering a fiber-laser-based lidar system of high efficiency and smaller size and advancing the technology level to meet the requirements for DWL system for Venus from an orbiting or floating/flying platform. This presentation will describe the concept, simulation and technology development plan for wind and cloud measurements on Venus.

VSTOL tilt nacelle aerodynamics and its relation to fan blade stresses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shaw, R. J.; Williams, R. C.; Koncsek, J. L.

1978-01-01

A scale model of a VSTOL tilt nacelle with a 0.508 m single stage fan was tested in a low speed wind tunnel to ascertain inlet aerodynamic and fan aeromechanical performance over the low speed flight envelope. Fan blade stress maxima occurred at discrete rotational speeds corresponding to integral engine order vibrations of the first flatwise bending mode. Increased fan blade stress levels coincided with internal boundary layer separation but became severe only when the separation location had progressed to the entry lip region of the inlet.

Signatures of Air-Wave Interactions Over a Large Lake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Qi; Bou-Zeid, Elie; Vercauteren, Nikki; Parlange, Marc

2018-06-01

The air-water exchange of momentum and scalars (temperature and water vapour) is investigated using the Lake-Atmosphere Turbulent EXchange (LATEX) dataset. The wind waves and swell are found to affect the coupling between the water surface and the air differently. The surface-stress vector aligns with the wind velocity in the presence of wind waves, but a wide range of stress-wind misalignment angles is observed during swell. The momentum transport efficiency decreases when significant stress-wind misalignment is present, suggesting a strong influence of surface wave properties on surface drag. Based on this improved understanding of the role of wave-wind misalignment, a new relative wind speed for surface-layer similarity formulations is proposed and tested using the data. The new expression yields a value of the von Kármán constant (κ ) of 0.38, compared to 0.36 when using the absolute wind speed, as well as reduced data fitting errors. Finally, the ratios of aerodynamic to scalar roughness lengths are computed and various existing models in the literature are tested using least-square fitting to the observed ratios. The tests are able to discriminate between the performance of various models; however, they also indicate that more investigations are required to understand the physics of scalar exchanges over waves.

Radial-vertical profiles of tropical cyclone derived from dropsondes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ren, Yifang

The scopes of this thesis research are two folds: the first one is to the construct the intensity-based composite radial-vertical profiles of tropical cyclones (TC) using GPS-based dropsonde observations and the second one is to identify the major deficiencies of Mathur vortices against the dropsonde composites of TCs. The intensity-based dropsonde composites of TCs advances our understanding of the dynamic and thermal structure of TCs of different intensity along the radial direction in and above the boundary layer where lies the devastating high wind that causes property damages and storm surges. The identification of the major deficiencies of Mathur vortices in representing the radial-vertical profiles of TC of different intensity helps to improve numerical predictions of TCs since most operational TC forecast models need to utilize bogus vortices, such as Mathur vortices, to initialize TC forecasts and simulations. We first screen all available GPS dropsonde data within and round 35 named TCs over the tropical Atlantic basin from 1996 to 2010 and pair them with TC parameters derived from the best-track data provided by the National Hurricane Center (NHC) and select 1149 dropsondes that have continuous coverage in the lower troposphere. The composite radial-vertical profiles of tangential wind speed, temperature, mixing ratio and humidity are based for each TC category ranging from "Tropical Storm" (TS) to "Hurricane Category 1" (H1) through "Hurricane Category 5" (H5). The key findings of the dropsonde composites are: (i) all TCs have the maximum tangential wind within 1 km above the ground and a distance of 1-2 times of the radius of maximum wind (RMW) at the surface; (ii) all TCs have a cold ring surrounding the warm core near the boundary layer at a distance of 1-3 times of the RMW and the cold ring structure gradually diminishes at a higher elevation where the warm core structure prevails along the radial direction; (iii) the existence of such shallow cold ring outside the RMW explains why the maximum tangential wind is within 1 km above the ground and is outside the RMW, as required by the hydrostatic and gradient wind balance relations; (iv) one of the main differences among TCs of different intensity, besides the speed of the maximum tangential wind, is the vertical extent of near-saturated moisture air layer inside the core. A weaker TC tends to have a deep layer of the near-saturated moisture air layer whereas a stronger TC has a shallow one; (v) another main difference in the thermal structure among TCs of different intensity is the intensity and vertical extent of the warm core extending from the upper layer to the lower layer. In general, a stronger TC has a stronger warm core extending downward further into lower layer and vice versa. The features (iv) and (v) are consistent with the fact that a stronger TC tends to have stronger descending motion inside the core. The main deficiencies of Mathur vortices in representing the radial-vertical profiles of TC of different intensity are (i) Mathur vortices of all categories have the maximum wind at the surface; (ii) none of Mathur vortices have a cold ring outside the warm core near the boundary layer; (iii) Mathur vortices tend to overestimate warm core structure in reference to the horizontal mean temperature profile; (iv) Mathur vortices tend to overestimate the vertical depth of the near-saturated air layer near the boundary layer.

Determination of Boundary-Layer Transition on Three Symmetrical Airfoils in the NACA Full-Scale Wind Tunnel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Silverstein, Abe; Becker, John V

1938-01-01

For the purpose of studying the transition from laminar to turbulent flow, boundary-layer measurements were made in the NACA full-scale wind tunnel on three symmetrical airfoils of NACA 0009, 0012, and 0018 sections. The effects of variations in lift coefficient, Reynolds number, and airfoil thickness on transition were investigated. Air speed in the boundary layer was measured by total-head tubes and by hot wires; a comparison of transition as indicated by the two techniques was obtained. The results indicate no unique value of Reynolds number for the transition, whether the Reynolds number is based upon the distance along the chord or upon the thickness of the boundary layer at the transition point. In general, the transition is not abrupt and occurs in a region that varies in length as a function of the test conditions.

A model of air-sea gas exchange incorporating the physics of the turbulent boundary layer and the properties of the sea surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soloviev, Alexander; Schluessel, Peter

The model presented contains interfacial, bubble-mediated, ocean mixed layer, and remote sensing components. The interfacial (direct) gas transfer dominates under conditions of low and—for quite soluble gases like CO2—moderate wind speeds. Due to the similarity between the gas and heat transfer, the temperature difference, ΔT, across the thermal molecular boundary layer (cool skin of the ocean) and the interfacial gas transfer coefficient, Kint are presumably interrelated. A coupled parameterization for ΔT and Kint has been derived in the context of a surface renewal model [Soloviev and Schluessel, 1994]. In addition to the Schmidt, Sc, and Prandtl, Pr, numbers, the important parameters are the surface Richardson number, Rƒ0, and the Keulegan number, Ke. The more readily available cool skin data are used to determine the coefficients that enter into both parameterizations. At high wind speeds, the Ke-number dependence is further verified with the formula for transformation of the surface wind stress to form drag and white capping, which follows from the renewal model. A further extension of the renewal model includes effects of solar radiation and rainfall. The bubble-mediated component incorporates the Merlivat et al. [1993] parameterization with the empirical coefficients estimated by Asher and Wanninkhof [1998]. The oceanic mixed layer component accounts for stratification effects on the air-sea gas exchange. Based on the example of GasEx-98, we demonstrate how the results of parameterization and modeling of the air-sea gas exchange can be extended to the global scale, using remote sensing techniques.

Quantifying the Impact of Background Atmospheric Stability on Air-Ice-Ocean Interactions the Arctic Ocean During the Fall Freeze-Up

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guest, P. S.; Persson, O. P. G.; Blomquist, B.; Fairall, C. W.

2016-02-01

"Background" stability refers to the effect of vertical virtual temperature variations above the surface layer on fluxes within the surface layer. This is different from the classical surface layer stability quantified by the Obhukhov length scale. In most locations, changes in the background stability do not have a significant direct impact on surface fluxes. However in polar regions, where there is usually a strong low-level temperature inversion capping the boundary layer, changes in background stability can have big impacts on surface fluxes. Therefore, in the Arctic, there is potential for a positive feedback effect between ice cover and surface wind speed (and momentum flux) due to the background stability effects. As the surface becomes more ice free, heat fluxes from the surface weaken the temperature inversion which in turn increases the surface wind speed which further increases the surface turbulent heat fluxes and removes more sea ice by melting or advection. It is not clear how important feedbacks involving the background stability are during the fall freeze up of the Arctic Ocean; that will be the focus of this study. As part of an ONR-sponsored cruise in the fall of 2015 to examine sea state and boundary layer processes in the Beaufort Sea on the R/V Sikuliaq, the authors will perform a variety of surface layer and upper level atmospheric measurements of temperature, humidity and wind vector using ship platform instruments, radiosonde weather balloons, tethered balloons, kites, and miniature quad-rotor unmanned aerial vehicles. In addition, the authors will deploy a full suite of turbulent and radiational flux measurements from the vessel. These measurements will be used to quantify the impact of changing surface conditions on atmospheric structure and vice-versa. The goal is to directly observe how the surface and atmosphere above the surface layer interact and feedback with each other through radiational and turbulent fluxes.

Assessment of the Performance of a Scanning Wind Doppler Lidar at an Urban-Mountain Site in Seoul

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, S.; Kim, S. W.

2017-12-01

Winds in the planetary boundary layer (PBL) are important factors for accurate modelling of air quality, numerical weather prediction and conversion of satellite measurements to near-surface air quality information (Seibert et al., AE, 2000; Emeis et al., Meteorol. Z., 2008). In this study, we (1) evaluate wind speed (WS) and direction (WD) retrieved from Wind Doppler Lidar (WDL) measurements by two methods [so called, `sine-fitting (SF) method' and `singular value decomposition (SVD) method'] and (2) analyze the WDL data at Seoul National University (SNU), Seoul, to investigate the diurnal evolution of winds and aerosol characteristics in PBL. Evaluation of the two methods used in retrieving wind from radial velocity was done through comparison with radiosonde soundings from the same site. Winds retrieved using the SVD method from mean radial velocity of 15 minutes showed good agreement with radiosonde profiles (i.e., bias of 0.03 m s-1 and root mean square of 1.70 m s-1 in WS). However, the WDL was found to have difficulty retrieving signals under clean conditions (i.e., too small signal to noise ratio) or under the presence of near-surface optically-thick aerosol/cloud layer (i.e., strong signal attenuation). Despite this shortcoming, the WDL was able to successfully capture the diurnal variation of PBL wind. Two major wind patterns were observed at SNU; first of all, when convective boundary layer was strongly developed, thermally induced winds with large variation of vertical WS in the afternoon and a diurnal variation in WD showing characteristics of mountain and valley winds were observed. Secondly, small variation in WS and WD throughout the day was a major characteristic of cases when wind was largely influenced by the synoptic weather pattern.

Characterization of the Boundary Layer Wind and Turbulence in the Gulf of Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pichugina, Y. L.; Banta, R. M.; Choukulkar, A.; Brewer, A.; Hardesty, R. M.; McCarty, B.; Marchbanks, R.

2014-12-01

A dataset of ship-borne Doppler lidar measurements taken in the Gulf of Mexico was analyzed to provide insight into marine boundary-layer (BL) features and wind-flow characteristics, as needed for offshore wind energy development. This dataset was obtained as part of the intensive Texas Air Quality Study in summer of 2006 (TexAQS06). During the project, the ship, the R/V Ronald H. Brown, cruised in tracks in the Gulf of Mexico along the Texas coast, in Galveston Bay, and in the Houston Ship Channel obtaining air chemistry and meteorological data, including vertical profile measurements of wind and temperature. The primary observing system used in this paper is NOAA/ESRL's High Resolution Doppler Lidar (HRDL), which features high-precision and high-resolution wind measurements and a motion compensation system to provide accurate wind data despite ship and wave motions. The boundary layer in this warm-water region was found to be weakly unstable typically to a depth of 300 m above the sea surface. HRDL data were analyzed to provide 15-min averaged profiles of wind flow properties (wind speed, direction, and turbulence) from the water surface up to 2.5 km at a vertical resolution of 15 m. The paper will present statistics and distributions of these parameters over a wide range of heights and under various atmospheric conditions. Detailed analysis of the BL features including LLJs, wind and directional ramps, and wind shear through the rotor level heights, along with examples of hub-height and equivalent wind will be presented. The paper will discuss the diurnal fluctuations of all quantities critical to wind energy and their variability along the Texas coast.

Identification of tower-wake distortions using sonic anemometer and lidar measurements

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McCaffrey, Katherine; Quelet, Paul T.; Choukulkar, Aditya

The eXperimental Planetary boundary layer Instrumentation Assessment (XPIA) field campaign took place in March through May 2015 at the Boulder Atmospheric Observatory, utilizing its 300 m meteorological tower, instrumented with two sonic anemometers mounted on opposite sides of the tower at six heights. This allowed for at least one sonic anemometer at each level to be upstream of the tower at all times and for identification of the times when a sonic anemometer is in the wake of the tower frame. Other instrumentation, including profiling and scanning lidars aided in the identification of the tower wake. Here we compare pairsmore » of sonic anemometers at the same heights to identify the range of directions that are affected by the tower for each of the opposing booms. The mean velocity and turbulent kinetic energy are used to quantify the wake impact on these first- and second-order wind measurements, showing up to a 50% reduction in wind speed and an order of magnitude increase in turbulent kinetic energy. Comparisons of wind speeds from profiling and scanning lidars confirmed the extent of the tower wake, with the same reduction in wind speed observed in the tower wake, and a speed-up effect around the wake boundaries. Wind direction differences between pairs of sonic anemometers and between sonic anemometers and lidars can also be significant, as the flow is deflected by the tower structure. Comparisons of lengths of averaging intervals showed a decrease in wind speed deficit with longer averages, but the flow deflection remains constant over longer averages. Furthermore, asymmetry exists in the tower effects due to the geometry and placement of the booms on the triangular tower. An analysis of the percentage of observations in the wake that must be removed from 2 min mean wind speed and 20 min turbulent values showed that removing even small portions of the time interval due to wakes impacts these two quantities. Furthermorew, a vast majority of intervals have no observations in the tower wake, so removing the full 2 or 20 min intervals does not diminish the XPIA dataset.« less

Identification of tower-wake distortions using sonic anemometer and lidar measurements

DOE PAGES

McCaffrey, Katherine; Quelet, Paul T.; Choukulkar, Aditya; ...

2017-02-02

The eXperimental Planetary boundary layer Instrumentation Assessment (XPIA) field campaign took place in March through May 2015 at the Boulder Atmospheric Observatory, utilizing its 300 m meteorological tower, instrumented with two sonic anemometers mounted on opposite sides of the tower at six heights. This allowed for at least one sonic anemometer at each level to be upstream of the tower at all times and for identification of the times when a sonic anemometer is in the wake of the tower frame. Other instrumentation, including profiling and scanning lidars aided in the identification of the tower wake. Here we compare pairsmore » of sonic anemometers at the same heights to identify the range of directions that are affected by the tower for each of the opposing booms. The mean velocity and turbulent kinetic energy are used to quantify the wake impact on these first- and second-order wind measurements, showing up to a 50% reduction in wind speed and an order of magnitude increase in turbulent kinetic energy. Comparisons of wind speeds from profiling and scanning lidars confirmed the extent of the tower wake, with the same reduction in wind speed observed in the tower wake, and a speed-up effect around the wake boundaries. Wind direction differences between pairs of sonic anemometers and between sonic anemometers and lidars can also be significant, as the flow is deflected by the tower structure. Comparisons of lengths of averaging intervals showed a decrease in wind speed deficit with longer averages, but the flow deflection remains constant over longer averages. Furthermore, asymmetry exists in the tower effects due to the geometry and placement of the booms on the triangular tower. An analysis of the percentage of observations in the wake that must be removed from 2 min mean wind speed and 20 min turbulent values showed that removing even small portions of the time interval due to wakes impacts these two quantities. Furthermorew, a vast majority of intervals have no observations in the tower wake, so removing the full 2 or 20 min intervals does not diminish the XPIA dataset.« less

A model to relate wind tunnel measurements to open field odorant emissions from liquid area sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lucernoni, F.; Capelli, L.; Busini, V.; Sironi, S.

2017-05-01

Waste Water Treatment Plants are known to have significant emissions of several pollutants and odorants causing nuisance to the near-living population. One of the purposes of the present work is to study a suitable model to evaluate odour emissions from liquid passive area sources. First, the models describing volatilization under a forced convection regime inside a wind tunnel device, which is the sampling device that typically used for sampling on liquid area sources, were investigated. In order to relate the fluid dynamic conditions inside the hood to the open field and inside the hood a thorough study of the models capable of describing the volatilization phenomena of the odorous compounds from liquid pools was performed and several different models were evaluated for the open field emission. By means of experimental tests involving pure liquid acetone and pure liquid butanone, it was verified that the model more suitable to describe precisely the volatilization inside the sampling hood is the model for the emission from a single flat plate in forced convection and laminar regime, with a fluid dynamic boundary layer fully developed and a mass transfer boundary layer not fully developed. The proportionality coefficient for the model was re-evaluated in order to account for the specific characteristics of the adopted wind tunnel device, and then the model was related with the selected model for the open field thereby computing the wind speed at 10 m that would cause the same emission that is estimated from the wind tunnel measurement furthermore, the field of application of the proposed model was clearly defined for the considered models during the project, discussing the two different kinds of compounds commonly found in emissive liquid pools or liquid spills, i.e. gas phase controlled and liquid phase controlled compounds. Lastly, a discussion is presented comparing the presented approach for emission rates recalculation in the field, with other approaches possible, i.e. the ones relying on the recalculation of the wind speed at the emission level, instead of the wind speed that would cause in the open field the same emission that is measured with the hood.

Flowfield measurements in the NASA Lewis Research Center 9- by 15-foot low-speed wind tunnel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hughes, Christopher E.

1989-01-01

An experimental investigation was conducted in the NASA Lewis 9- by 15-Foot Low-Speed Wind Tunnel to determine the flow characteristics in the test section during wind tunnel operation. In the investigation, a 20-probe horizontally-mounted Pitot-static flow survey rake was used to obtain cross-sectional total and static pressure surveys at four axial locations in the test section. At each axial location, the cross-sectional flowfield surveys were made by repositioning the Pitot-static flow survey rake vertically. In addition, a calibration of the new wind tunnel rake instrumentation, used to determine the wind tunnel operating conditions, was performed. Boundary laser surveys were made at three axial locations in the test section. The investigation was conducted at tunnel Mach numbers 0.20, 0.15, 0.10, and 0.05. The test section profile results from the investigation indicate that fairly uniform total pressure profiles (outside the test section boundary layer) and fairly uniform static pressure and Mach number profiles (away from the test section walls and downstream of the test section entrance) exist throughout in the wind tunnel test section.

Thermosphere-Ionosphere Fe/Fe+ (TIFe) Layers and Their Coupling with Geomagnetic Storms and Solar Wind

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chu, X.; Xu, Z.; Zhao, J.; Yu, Z.; Knipp, D. J.; Kilcommons, L. M.; Chen, C.; Fong, W.; Barry, I. F.; Hartinger, M.

2016-12-01

The discovery of thermospheric neutral Fe layers by lidar observations in Antarctica has opened a new door to explore the space-atmosphere interactions with ground-based instruments, especially in the least understood but crucially important altitude range of 100-200 km. These neutral metal layers provide excellent tracers for modern resonance lidars to measure the neutral wind and temperature directly, complementing the radar measurements of the ionosphere and the magnetometer measurements of the geomagnetic field. Even more exciting, the neutral metal layers in the thermosphere provide a natural laboratory to test our fundamental understandings of the atmosphere-ionosphere-magnetosphere (AIM) coupling and processes. The stunning Fe layer event on 28 May 2011 with clear gravity wave signatures has been simulated successfully with the University of Colorado Thermosphere-Ionosphere Fe/Fe+ (TIFe) model, confirming the theoretical hypothesis that such thermospheric Fe layers are produced through the neutralization of converged Fe+layers. Over 5.5 years of lidar observations at McMurdo have revealed many more cases with variety of patterns - besides the `gravity wave' patterns, there are `diffusive' patterns with both upward and downward phase progressions of Fe layers, and `superposition' patterns with both gravity wave signature and diffusive background. Surprisingly, these Fe layer events exhibit close correlations with geomagnetic storms. They also correspond to remarkable activity of extreme solar wind events, e.g., high-speed stream (HSS) and coronal mass ejection (CME), etc. This paper conducts a systematic investigation of the coupling among TIFe layers, geomagnetic storms, solar wind and IMF via combining ground-based lidar, magnetometer, and SuperDARN data with DMSP, ACE and WIND satellite data along with the TIFe model simulations. We aim to quantitatively determine the relationship between TIFe and magnetic storms, and explore the mechanisms responsible for such correlations. The new insights gained through this investigation will certainly advance our understandings of the AIM coupling processes, especially the neutral atmosphere responses to geomagnetic storms and solar activity.

Simulation and optimal control of wind-farm boundary layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meyers, Johan; Goit, Jay

2014-05-01

In large wind farms, the effect of turbine wakes, and their interaction leads to a reduction in farm efficiency, with power generated by turbines in a farm being lower than that of a lone-standing turbine by up to 50%. In very large wind farms or `deep arrays', this efficiency loss is related to interaction of the wind farms with the planetary boundary layer, leading to lower wind speeds at turbine level. Moreover, for these cases it has been demonstrated both in simulations and wind-tunnel experiments that the wind-farm energy extraction is dominated by the vertical turbulent transport of kinetic energy from higher regions in the boundary layer towards the turbine level. In the current study, we investigate the use of optimal control techniques combined with Large-Eddy Simulations (LES) of wind-farm boundary layer interaction for the increase of total energy extraction in very large `infinite' wind farms. We consider the individual wind turbines as flow actuators, whose energy extraction can be dynamically regulated in time so as to optimally influence the turbulent flow field, maximizing the wind farm power. For the simulation of wind-farm boundary layers we use large-eddy simulations in combination with actuator-disk and actuator-line representations of wind turbines. Simulations are performed in our in-house pseudo-spectral code SP-Wind that combines Fourier-spectral discretization in horizontal directions with a fourth-order finite-volume approach in the vertical direction. For the optimal control study, we consider the dynamic control of turbine-thrust coefficients in an actuator-disk model. They represent the effect of turbine blades that can actively pitch in time, changing the lift- and drag coefficients of the turbine blades. Optimal model-predictive control (or optimal receding horizon control) is used, where the model simply consists of the full LES equations, and the time horizon is approximately 280 seconds. The optimization is performed using a nonlinear conjugate gradient method, and the gradients are calculated by solving the adjoint LES equations. We find that the extracted farm power increases by approximately 20% when using optimal model-predictive control. However, the increased power output is also responsible for an increase in turbulent dissipation, and a deceleration of the boundary layer. Further investigating the energy balances in the boundary layer, it is observed that this deceleration is mainly occurring in the outer layer as a result of higher turbulent energy fluxes towards the turbines. In a second optimization case, we penalize boundary-layer deceleration, and find an increase of energy extraction of approximately 10%. In this case, increased energy extraction is balanced by a reduction in of turbulent dissipation in the boundary layer. J.M. acknowledges support from the European Research Council (FP7-Ideas, grant no. 306471). Simulations were performed on the computing infrastructure of the VSC Flemish Supercomputer Center, funded by the Hercules Foundation and the Flemish Government.

An experimental investigation of the effect of boundary layer refraction on the noise from a high-speed propeller

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dittmar, J. H.; Burns, R. J.; Leciejewski, D. J.

1984-01-01

Models of supersonic propellers were previously tested for acoustics in the Lewis 8- by 6-Foot Wind Tunnel using pressure transducers mounted in the tunnel ceiling. The boundary layer on the tunnel ceiling is believed to refract some of the propeller noise away from the measurement transducers. Measurements were made on a plate installed in the wind tunnel which had a thinner boundary layer than the ceiling boundary layer. The plate was installed in two locations for comparison with tunnel ceiling noise data and with fuselage data taken on the NASA Dryden Jetstar airplane. Analysis of the data indicates that the refraction increases with: increasing boundary layer thickness; increasing free stream Mach number; increasing frequency; and decreasing sound radiation angle (toward the inlet axis). At aft radiation angles greater than about 100 deg there was little or no refraction. Comparisons with the airplane data indicated that not only is the boundary layer thickness important but also the shape of the velocity profile. Comparisons with an existing two-dimensional theory, using an idealized shear layer to approximate the boundary layer, showed that the theory and data had the same trends. Analysis of the data taken in the tunnel at two different distances from the propeller indicates a decay with distance in the wind tunnel at high Mach numbers but the decay at low Mach numbers is not as clear.

Wind-Turbine Wakes in a Convective Boundary Layer: A Wind-Tunnel Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Wei; Markfort, Corey D.; Porté-Agel, Fernando

2013-02-01

Thermal stability changes the properties of the turbulent atmospheric boundary layer, and in turn affects the behaviour of wind-turbine wakes. To better understand the effects of thermal stability on the wind-turbine wake structure, wind-tunnel experiments were carried out with a simulated convective boundary layer (CBL) and a neutral boundary layer. The CBL was generated by cooling the airflow to 12-15 °C and heating up the test section floor to 73-75 °C. The freestream wind speed was set at about 2.5 m s-1, resulting in a bulk Richardson number of -0.13. The wake of a horizontal-axis 3-blade wind-turbine model, whose height was within the lowest one third of the boundary layer, was studied using stereoscopic particle image velocimetry (S-PIV) and triple-wire (x-wire/cold-wire) anemometry. Data acquired with the S-PIV were analyzed to characterize the highly three-dimensional turbulent flow in the near wake (0.2-3.2 rotor diameters) as well as to visualize the shedding of tip vortices. Profiles of the mean flow, turbulence intensity, and turbulent momentum and heat fluxes were measured with the triple-wire anemometer at downwind locations from 2-20 rotor diameters in the centre plane of the wake. In comparison with the wake of the same wind turbine in a neutral boundary layer, a smaller velocity deficit (about 15 % at the wake centre) is observed in the CBL, where an enhanced radial momentum transport leads to a more rapid momentum recovery, particularly in the lower part of the wake. The velocity deficit at the wake centre decays following a power law regardless of the thermal stability. While the peak turbulence intensity (and the maximum added turbulence) occurs at the top-tip height at a downwind distance of about three rotor diameters in both cases, the magnitude is about 20 % higher in the CBL than in the neutral boundary layer. Correspondingly, the turbulent heat flux is also enhanced by approximately 25 % in the lower part of the wake, compared to that in the undisturbed CBL inflow. This study represents the first controlled wind-tunnel experiment to study the effects of the CBL on wind-turbine wakes. The results on decreased velocity deficit and increased turbulence in wind-turbine wakes associated with atmospheric thermal stability are important to be taken into account in the design of wind farms, in order to reduce the impact of wakes on power output and fatigue loads on downwind wind turbines.

Combining active and passive remote sensing from research aircraft with atmospheric models to evaluate NOx emission fluxes and O3 formation in the Los Angeles Megacity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baidar, Sunil; Oetjen, Hilke; Senff, Christoph; Alvarez, Raul, II; Hardesty, Michael; Langford, Andrew; Kim, Si-Wan; Trainer, Michael; Volkamer, Rainer

2013-04-01

Ozone (O3) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) are two important components of air pollution. We have measured vertical column amounts of NO2, and vertical profiles of O3 and wind speed by means of measurements of solar stray light by CU Airborne MAX-DOAS, and active remote sensing using the NOAA TOPAZ lidar, and the University of Leeds Doppler lidar aboard the NOAA Twin Otter research aircraft. A total of 52 flights (up to 4 hours each) were carried out between May 19 and July 19 2010 during the CalNex and CARES field campaigns. These flights cover most of California. The boundary layer height was measured by TOPAZ lidar, and trace gas concentrations of NO2 and O3 were integrated over boundary layer height. These column integrated quantities are then combined with direct wind speed measurements to quantify directly the pollutant flux across the boundary, as defined by the flight track. By tracking the pollution fluxes during transects that are flown upwind and in various distances downwind of a NOx emission source, the NOx emission rate, and the ozone formation rate are quantified. These pollutant fluxes are calculated here for the first time exclusively based on measurements (i.e., without need to infer wind speed from a model). These fluxes provide constraints to quantify localized NOx emissions, and are being compared with WRF-Chem model simulations.

Characteristics of contaminant deposition onto a cylindrical body surrounded by porous clothing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cho, Minki; Lee, Jinwon; Jung, Hyunsuk; Lee, Haewan; Pohang Univ of Sci; Tech Team; AgencyDefense Development Team

2014-11-01

In order to characterize the deposition pattern of air-borne contaminants on a human body protected by a garment, the air flow through the clothing and in the air gap between the clothing and the skin was numerically solved, and the deposition of the suspended contaminants on the skin was obtained over a wide variety of conditions-wind speed, human motion and clothing conditions. The penetrating air flow was sensitive to the pressure inside the air gap, for which a simple model was successfully formulated. Also the profile of the non-uniform deposition velocity or the Sherwood number could be well modeled based on the developing concentration boundary layer inside the air gap. The boundary layer thickness grew vary rapidly, nearly proportional to the square of the distance from the front stagnation point, which is much different from any other boundary layer studied in many engineering fields before. A rather universal function for the distribution of deposition speed over a cylindrical body was obtained, which remained valid for a very wide range of conditions. The characteristics for non-uniform and/or periodic external wind due to human motion were also analyzed. This study is supported by Agency for Defense Development.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferrero, Enrico; Alessandrini, Stefano; Vandenberghe, Francois

2018-03-01

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.

Experimental and Theoretical Explorations on the Buckling Piezoelectric Layer Under Magnetic Excitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Çelik, Kayhan; Kurt, Erol; Uzun, Yunus

2017-07-01

In the present study, experimental and theoretical explorations on the buckling features of a wind energy harvester have been performed. The harvester consists of a piezoelectric layer, which has a certain stiffness and voltage conversion rate. A blade rotates on a shaft carrying a magnet and sweeps the tip of the layer causing a serial buckling effect resulting in energy generation. Since the modeling of the buckling under a magnetic strength includes nonlinear terms over displacements, one requires a detailed study on the characteristics of buckling phenomena. It has been proven that the piezoelectric beam having the magnet at its tip can produce regular and chaotic dynamics for different frequencies (i.e. the rotation speed). In addition, there exist a number of quasi-periodic regions on the parameter space. The overall result indicates that the large area of complicated dynamics requires a detailed study in order to stabilize the position and velocity of the layer tip, thereby a much stabilized energy conversion from mechanical to electrical can be obtained. The present survey on the dynamics of the harvester is a new study and is considered as a two-parameter diagram [i.e. the wind speed (frequency) and magnetic strength]. Mainly, single-, double-, triple- and quadruple-type phase space portraits have been observed and the ripples on the maximal and minimal values of the beam velocity have been observed for certain rotation speeds. These results can be used in order to stabilize the harvester in terms of the reduction of total harmonic distortion in the generated waveform.

Superposed Epoch Studies of the Response of the High-Latitude Magnetosphere-Ionosphere-Thermosphere System to Solar Wind High-Speed Stream Driving

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grandin, M.; Aikio, A. T.; Kozlovsky, A.; Ulich, T.; Raita, T.

2016-12-01

During the declining phase of the solar cycle, the Earth's magnetosphere-ionosphere-thermosphere system is mainly disturbed by solar wind high-speed streams (HSSs). Their ionospheric response, especially at high latitudes, is not fully understood yet. The perturbations in the ionosphere last for several days. We have examined the effect of HSS in two studies, which apply the superposed epoch method to data to reveal the statistical response in the ionospheric F, E and D regions to such perturbations. We use ionosonde, geomagnetic and cosmic noise absorption data obtained from Finnish stations during 95 high-speed stream events detected between 2006 and 2008. Results show a long-lasting decrease in the F layer critical frequency foF2 between 12 and 23 MLT in summer and equinox. This depletion of the F layer is interpreted as a result of enhanced electric fields inducing ion-neutral frictional heating in the auroral and subauroral regions. The response near noon is different, since foF2 is increased shortly upon arrival of the co-rotating stream interaction region (CIR), possibly because of precipitation of particles from the dayside plasma sheet provoked by the associated solar wind pressure pulse. In the morning sector, both foF2 and foEs show increases for several days, indicating particle precipitation having a soft component. In the study of cosmic noise absorption (CNA), we observe a different response depending on the L-value of the station. Within the auroral oval (L=5-6), CNA gets maximum values in the morning sector 0-12 MLT during the first and second day following the zero epoch. Values are greater during events with longer-lasting high solar wind speed. The CNA maximum shifts to later MLT at lower L values, and in JYV (L=3.8), the maximum takes place at 14 MLT during day 4. Substorm energization events dominate during the first days at 00-01 MLT. We also address the role of Pc5 geomagnetic pulsations observed in association with CNA events. These results may contribute to improve nowcasting and forecasting of space weather activity during high-speed stream events.

Height extrapolation of wind data

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mikhail, A.S.

1982-11-01

Hourly average data for a period of 1 year from three tall meteorological towers - the Erie tower in Colorado, the Goodnoe Hills tower in Washington and the WKY-TV tower in Oklahoma - were used to analyze the wind shear exponent variabiilty with various parameters such as thermal stability, anemometer level wind speed, projection height and surface roughness. Different proposed models for prediction of height variability of short-term average wind speeds were discussed. Other models that predict the height dependence of Weilbull distribution parameters were tested. The observed power law exponent for all three towers showed strong dependence on themore » anemometer level wind speed and stability (nighttime and daytime). It also exhibited a high degree of dependence on extrapolation height with respect to anemometer height. These dependences became less severe as the anemometer level wind speeds were increased due to the turbulent mixing of the atmospheric boundary layer. The three models used for Weibull distribution parameter extrapolation were he velocity-dependent power law model (Justus), the velocity, surface roughness, and height-dependent model (Mikhail) and the velocity and surface roughness-dependent model (NASA). The models projected the scale parameter C fairly accurately for the Goodnoe Hills and WKY-TV towers and were less accurate for the Erie tower. However, all models overestimated the C value. The maximum error for the Mikhail model was less than 2% for Goodnoe Hills, 6% for WKY-TV and 28% for Erie. The error associated with the prediction of the shape factor (K) was similar for the NASA, Mikhail and Justus models. It ranged from 20 to 25%. The effect of the misestimation of hub-height distribution parameters (C and K) on average power output is briefly discussed.« less

LDV measurement of boundary layer on rotating blade surface in wind tunnel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maeda, Takao; Kamada, Yasunari; Murata, Junsuke; Suzuki, Daiki; Kaga, Norimitsu; Kagisaki, Yosuke

2014-12-01

Wind turbines generate electricity due to extracting energy from the wind. The rotor aerodynamics strongly depends on the flow around blade. The surface flow on the rotating blade affects the sectional performance. The wind turbine surface flow has span-wise component due to span-wise change of airfoil section, chord length, twisted angle of blade and centrifugal force on the flow. These span-wise flow changes the boundary layer on the rotating blade and the sectional performance. Hence, the thorough understanding of blade surface flow is important to improve the rotor performance. For the purpose of clarification of the flow behaviour around the rotor blade, the velocity in the boundary layer on rotating blade surface of an experimental HAWT was measured in a wind tunnel. The velocity measurement on the blade surface was carried out by a laser Doppler velocimeter (LDV). As the results of the measurement, characteristics of surface flow are clarified. In optimum tip speed operation, the surface flow on leading edge and r/R=0.3 have large span-wise velocity which reaches 20% of sectional inflow velocity. The surface flow inboard have three dimensional flow patterns. On the other hand, the flow outboard is almost two dimensional in cross sectional plane.

Wind Turbines Adaptation to the Variability of the Wind Field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ulianov, Yuriy; Martynenko, Gennadii; Misaylov, Vitaliy; Soliannikova, Iuliia

2010-05-01

WIND TURBINES ADAPTATION TO THE VARIABILITY OF THE WIND FIELD The subject of our scientific research is wind power turbines (WPT) with the horizontal axis which were now common in the world. Efficient wind turbines work is largely determined by non-stationarity of the wind field, expressed in its gustiness, the presence of vertical and horizontal shifts of wind speed and direction. At critical values of the wind parameters WPT has aerodynamic and mechanical overload, leading to breakdowns, premature wear and reduce the life of the wind turbine. To prevent accidents at the peak values of wind speed it is used the regulatory system of windwheels. WPT control systems provide a process orientation of the wind turbine rotor axis in the line of the mean wind. Wind turbines are also equipped with braking device used to protect against breakdowns when a significant increase in the wind. In general, all these methods of regulation are not always effective. Thus, in practice there may be situations when the wind speed is many times greater than the stated limit. For example, if there are microbursts in the atmospheric boundary layer, low-level wind shears caused by its gust front, storms, etc. It is required for a wind power turbine adaptation to intensive short-term wind impulses and considerable vertical wind shifts that the data about them shall be obtained ahead of time. To do this it is necessary to have the information on the real structure of the wind field in the area of the blade sweep for the minimum range against the wind that is determined by the mean speed and the system action time. The implementation of acoustic and laser traditional wind sounding systems is limited by ambient acoustic noise, by heavy rain, snowfall and by fog. There are free of these disadvantages the inclined radioacoustic sounding (IRASS) technique which works for a system of remote detection and control of wind gusts. IRASS technique is realized as low-potential Doppler pulse radar including combined RF-acoustic antenna installed coaxially with the gondola of the wind power turbine. The work of the technique is synchronized with rotation of blades to eliminate their shielding action. Dangerous in terms of dynamic strength is the wind load pulse, the rise time which is comparable with the period of the natural frequency of the wind turbine elements (blade, tower, rotor, etc.). The amplitude decay of resonant vibrations at critical values of the speed of rotation can be realized through the use of mechanical elastic supports with nonlinear artificial dampers. They have a high coefficient of resistance, but may cause self-excited oscillations. We propose the way to deal with raised vibration of wind turbine elements at the expense of short-term increase of damping in the range of critical rotary axis speeds or during impulsive effects of wind loadings (wind gusts). This is possible through the use of non-linear electromagnetic dampers or active magnetic bearings. Their feature is the possibility of varying the mechanical stiffness and damping properties by changing the electrical parameters of electromagnets. The controlling of these parameters is carried out by the control system (CS) with the information feedback on the spatial-temporal structure of the wind field obtained from IRASS. In the composition of the CS can also be included the rotational speed sensor of the WPT rotor. This approach to the adaptation of wind turbines will allow to reduce vibration and to perform early compensation of the load on their components, which arise under the wind gusts. In addition, corrections about the wind field obtained with IRASS, would increase the mean power of WPT.

On estimating total daily evapotranspiration from remote surface temperature measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carlson, Toby N.; Buffum, Martha J.

1989-01-01

A method for calculating daily evapotranspiration from the daily surface energy budget using remotely sensed surface temperature and several meteorological variables is presented. Vaules of the coefficients are determined from simulations with a one-dimensional boundary layer model with vegetation cover. Model constants are obtained for vegetation and bare soil at two air temperature and wind speed levels over a range of surface roughness and wind speeds. A different means of estimating the daily evapotranspiration based on the time rate of increase of surface temperature during the morning is also considered. Both the equations using our model-derived constants and field measurements are evaluated, and a discussion of sources of error in the use of the formulation is given.

Research in Natural Laminar Flow and Laminar-Flow Control, part 3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hefner, Jerry N. (Compiler); Sabo, Frances E. (Compiler)

1987-01-01

Part 3 of the Symposium proceedings contains papers addressing advanced airfoil development, flight research experiments, and supersonic transition/laminar flow control research. Specific topics include the design and testing of natural laminar flow (NLF) airfoils, NLF wing gloves, and NLF nacelles; laminar boundary-layer stability over fuselage forebodies; the design of low noise supersonic/hypersonic wind tunnels; and boundary layer instability mechanisms on swept leading edges at supersonic speeds.

Stabilization of Wind Energy Conversion System with Hydrogen Generator by Using EDLC Energy Storage System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shishido, Seiji; Takahashi, Rion; Murata, Toshiaki; Tamura, Junji; Sugimasa, Masatoshi; Komura, Akiyoshi; Futami, Motoo; Ichinose, Masaya; Ide, Kazumasa

The spread of wind power generation is progressed hugely in recent years from a viewpoint of environmental problems including global warming. Though wind power is considered as a very prospective energy source, wind power fluctuation due to the random fluctuation of wind speed has still created some problems. Therefore, research has been performed how to smooth the wind power fluctuation. This paper proposes Energy Capacitor System (ECS) for the smoothing of wind power which consists of Electric Double-Layer Capacitor (EDLC) and power electronics devices and works as an electric power storage system. Moreover, hydrogen has received much attention in recent years from a viewpoint of exhaustion problem of fossil fuel. Therefore it is also proposed that a hydrogen generator is installed at the wind farm to generate hydrogen. In this paper, the effectiveness of the proposed system is verified by the simulation analyses using PSCAD/EMTDC.

Analytical Model for Mean Flow and Fluxes of Momentum and Energy in Very Large Wind Farms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Markfort, Corey D.; Zhang, Wei; Porté-Agel, Fernando

2018-01-01

As wind-turbine arrays continue to be installed and the array size continues to grow, there is an increasing need to represent very large wind-turbine arrays in numerical weather prediction models, for wind-farm optimization, and for environmental assessment. We propose a simple analytical model for boundary-layer flow in fully-developed wind-turbine arrays, based on the concept of sparsely-obstructed shear flows. In describing the vertical distribution of the mean wind speed and shear stress within wind farms, our model estimates the mean kinetic energy harvested from the atmospheric boundary layer, and determines the partitioning between the wind power captured by the wind turbines and that absorbed by the underlying land or water. A length scale based on the turbine geometry, spacing, and performance characteristics, is able to estimate the asymptotic limit for the fully-developed flow through wind-turbine arrays, and thereby determine if the wind-farm flow is fully developed for very large turbine arrays. Our model is validated using data collected in controlled wind-tunnel experiments, and its usefulness for the prediction of wind-farm performance and optimization of turbine-array spacing are described. Our model may also be useful for assessing the extent to which the extraction of wind power affects the land-atmosphere coupling or air-water exchange of momentum, with implications for the transport of heat, moisture, trace gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, and ecologically important oxygen.

Boundary-Layer Transition Detection in Cryogenic Wind Tunnel Using Fluorescent Paints

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sullivan, John

1999-01-01

Luminescent molecular probes imbedded in a polymer binder form a temperature or pressure paint. On excitation by light of the proper wavelength, the luminescence, which is quenched either thermally or by oxygen, is detected by a camera or photodetector. From the detected luminescent intensity, temperature and pressure can be determined. The basic photophysics, calibration, accuracy and time response of a luminescent paints is described followed by applications in low speed, transonic, supersonic and cryogenic wind tunnels and in rotating machinery.

Experimental Investigation of Very Large Model Wind Turbine Arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Charmanski, Kyle; Wosnik, Martin

2013-11-01

The decrease in energy yield in large wind farms (array losses) and associated revenue losses can be significant. When arrays are sufficiently large they can reach what is known as a fully developed wind turbine array boundary layer, or fully developed wind farm condition. This occurs when the turbulence statistics and the structure of the turbulence, within and above a wind farm, as well as the performance of the turbines remain the same from one row to the next. The study of this condition and how it is affected by parameters such as turbine spacing, power extraction, tip speed ratio, etc. is important for the optimization of large wind farms. An experimental investigation of the fully developed wind farm condition was conducted using a large array of porous disks (upstream) and realistically scaled 3-bladed wind turbines with a diameter of 0.25m. The turbines and porous disks were placed inside a naturally grown turbulent boundary layer in the 6m × 2.5m × 72m test section of the UNH Flow Physics Facility which can achieve test section velocities of up to 14 m/s and Reynolds numbers δ+ = δuτ / ν ~ 20 , 000 . Power, rate of rotation and rotor thrust were measured for select turbines, and hot-wire anemometry was used for flow measurements.

Atmospheric and oceanic forcing of Weddell Sea ice motion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kottmeier, C.; Sellmann, Lutz

1996-09-01

The data from sea ice buoys, which were deployed during the Winter Weddell Sea Project 1986, the Winter Weddell Gyre Studies 1989 and 1992, the Ice Station Weddell in 1992, the Antarctic Zone Flux Experiment in 1994, and several ship cruises in Austral summers, are uniformly reanalyzed by the same objective methods. Geostrophic winds are derived after matching of the buoy pressure data with the surface pressure fields of the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts. The ratio between ice drift and geostrophic wind speeds is reduced when winds and currents oppose each other, when the atmospheric surface layer is stably stratified, and when the ice is under pressure near coasts. Over the continental shelves, the spatial inhomogeneity of tidal and inertial motion effectively controls the variability of divergence for periods below 36 hours. Far from coasts, speed ratios, which presumably reflect internal stress variations in the ice cover, are independent of drift divergence on the spatial scale of 100 km. To study basin-scale ice dynamics, all ice drift data are related to the geostrophic winds based on the complex linear model [Thorndike and Colony, 1982] for daily averaged data. The composite patterns of mean ice motion, geostrophic winds, and geostrophic surface currents document cyclonic basin-wide circulations. Geostrophic ocean currents are generally small in the Weddell Sea. Significant features are the coastal current near the southeastern coasts and the bands of larger velocities of ≈6 cm s-1 following the northward and eastward orientation of the continental shelf breaks in the western and northwestern Weddell Sea. In the southwestern Weddell Sea the mean ice drift speed is reduced to less than 0.5% of the geostrophic wind speed and increases rather continuously to 1.5% in the northern, central, and eastern Weddell Sea. The linear model accounts for less than 50% of the total variance of drift speeds in the southwestern Weddell Sea and up to 80% in the northern and eastern Weddell Sea.

THE EFFECT OF SALINITY ON RATES OF ELEMENTAL MERCURY AIR/WATER EXCHANGE

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. EPA laboratory in Athens, Georgia i spursuing the goal of developing a model for describing toxicant vapor phase air/water exchange under all relevant environmental conditions. To date, the two-layer exchange model (suitable for low wind speed conditions) has been modif...

[Effects of wind speed on drying processes of fuelbeds composed of Mongolian oak broad-leaves.

PubMed

Zhang, Li Bin; Sun, Ping; Jin, Sen

2016-11-18

Water desorption processes of fuel beds with Mongolian oak broad-leaves were observed under conditions with various wind speeds but nearly constant air temperature and humidity. The effects of wind speed on drying coefficients of fuel beds with various moisture contents were analyzed. Three phases of drying process, namely high initial moisture content (>75%) of phase 1, transition state of phase 2, and equilibrium phase III could be identified. During phase 1, water loss rate under higher wind speed was higher than that under lower wind speed. Water loss rate under higher wind speed was lower than that under lower wind speed during phase 2. During phase 3, water loss rates under different wind speeds were similar. The wind effects decreased with the decrease of fuel moisture. The drying coefficient of the Mongolian oak broad-leaves fuel beds was affected by wind speed and fuel bed compactness, and the interaction between these two factors. The coefficient increased with wind speed roughly in a monotonic cubic polynomial form.

An Application of CFD to Guide Forced Boundary-Layer Transition for Low-Speed Tests of a Hybrid Wing-Body Configuration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Luckring, James M.; Deere, Karen A.; Childs, Robert E.; Stremel, Paul M.; Long, Kurtis R.

2016-01-01

A hybrid transition trip-dot sizing and placement test technique was developed in support of recent experimental research on a hybrid wing-body configuration under study for the NASA Environmentally Responsible Aviation project. The approach combines traditional methods with Computational Fluid Dynamics. The application had three-dimensional boundary layers that were simulated with either fully turbulent or transitional flow models using established Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes methods. Trip strip effectiveness was verified experimentally using infrared thermography during a low-speed wind tunnel test. Although the work was performed on one specific configuration, the process was based on fundamental flow physics and could be applicable to other configurations.

Tracking atmospheric boundary layer in tehran using combined lidar remote sensing and ground base measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panahifar, Hossein; Khalesifard, Hamid

2018-04-01

The vertical structure of the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) has been studied by use of a depolarized LiDAR over Tehran, Iran. The boundary layer height (BLH) remains under 1km, and its retrieval from LiDAR have been compared with sonding measurements and meteorological model outputs. It is also shown that the wind speed and direction as well as topography lead to the persistence of air pollution in Tehran. The situation aggravate in fall and winter due to temperature inversion.

Linearized simulation of flow over wind farms and complex terrains.

PubMed

Segalini, Antonio

2017-04-13

The flow over complex terrains and wind farms is estimated here by numerically solving the linearized Navier-Stokes equations. The equations are linearized around the unperturbed incoming wind profile, here assumed logarithmic. The Boussinesq approximation is used to model the Reynolds stress with a prescribed turbulent eddy viscosity profile. Without requiring the boundary-layer approximation, two new linear equations are obtained for the vertical velocity and the wall-normal vorticity, with a reduction in the computational cost by a factor of 8 when compared with a primitive-variables formulation. The presence of terrain elevation is introduced as a vertical coordinate shift, while forestry or wind turbines are included as body forces, without any assumption about the wake structure for the turbines. The model is first validated against some available experiments and simulations, and then a simulation of a wind farm over a Gaussian hill is performed. The speed-up effect of the hill is clearly beneficial in terms of the available momentum upstream of the crest, while downstream of it the opposite can be said as the turbines face a decreased wind speed. Also, the presence of the hill introduces an additional spanwise velocity component that may also affect the turbines' operations. The linear superposition of the flow over the hill and the flow over the farm alone provided a first estimation of the wind speed along the farm, with discrepancies of the same order of magnitude for the spanwise velocity. Finally, the possibility of using a parabolic set of equations to obtain the turbulent kinetic energy after the linearized model is investigated with promising results.This article is part of the themed issue 'Wind energy in complex terrains'. © 2017 The Author(s).

Linearized simulation of flow over wind farms and complex terrains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Segalini, Antonio

2017-03-01

The flow over complex terrains and wind farms is estimated here by numerically solving the linearized Navier-Stokes equations. The equations are linearized around the unperturbed incoming wind profile, here assumed logarithmic. The Boussinesq approximation is used to model the Reynolds stress with a prescribed turbulent eddy viscosity profile. Without requiring the boundary-layer approximation, two new linear equations are obtained for the vertical velocity and the wall-normal vorticity, with a reduction in the computational cost by a factor of 8 when compared with a primitive-variables formulation. The presence of terrain elevation is introduced as a vertical coordinate shift, while forestry or wind turbines are included as body forces, without any assumption about the wake structure for the turbines. The model is first validated against some available experiments and simulations, and then a simulation of a wind farm over a Gaussian hill is performed. The speed-up effect of the hill is clearly beneficial in terms of the available momentum upstream of the crest, while downstream of it the opposite can be said as the turbines face a decreased wind speed. Also, the presence of the hill introduces an additional spanwise velocity component that may also affect the turbines' operations. The linear superposition of the flow over the hill and the flow over the farm alone provided a first estimation of the wind speed along the farm, with discrepancies of the same order of magnitude for the spanwise velocity. Finally, the possibility of using a parabolic set of equations to obtain the turbulent kinetic energy after the linearized model is investigated with promising results. This article is part of the themed issue 'Wind energy in complex terrains'.

A nonlinear dynamics approach for incorporating wind-speed patterns into wind-power project evaluation.

PubMed

Huffaker, Ray; Bittelli, Marco

2015-01-01

Wind-energy production may be expanded beyond regions with high-average wind speeds (such as the Midwest U.S.A.) to sites with lower-average speeds (such as the Southeast U.S.A.) by locating favorable regional matches between natural wind-speed and energy-demand patterns. A critical component of wind-power evaluation is to incorporate wind-speed dynamics reflecting documented diurnal and seasonal behavioral patterns. Conventional probabilistic approaches remove patterns from wind-speed data. These patterns must be restored synthetically before they can be matched with energy-demand patterns. How to accurately restore wind-speed patterns is a vexing problem spurring an expanding line of papers. We propose a paradigm shift in wind power evaluation that employs signal-detection and nonlinear-dynamics techniques to empirically diagnose whether synthetic pattern restoration can be avoided altogether. If the complex behavior of observed wind-speed records is due to nonlinear, low-dimensional, and deterministic system dynamics, then nonlinear dynamics techniques can reconstruct wind-speed dynamics from observed wind-speed data without recourse to conventional probabilistic approaches. In the first study of its kind, we test a nonlinear dynamics approach in an application to Sugarland Wind-the first utility-scale wind project proposed in Florida, USA. We find empirical evidence of a low-dimensional and nonlinear wind-speed attractor characterized by strong temporal patterns that match up well with regular daily and seasonal electricity demand patterns.

Observational study of atmospheric surface layer and coastal weather in northern Qatar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samanta, Dhrubajyoti; Sadr, Reza

2016-04-01

Atmospheric surface layer is the interaction medium between atmosphere and Earth's surface. Better understanding of its turbulence nature is essential in characterizing the local weather, climate variability and modeling of turbulent exchange processes. The importance of Middle East region, with its unique geographical, economical and weather condition is well recognized. However, high quality micrometeorological observational studies are rare in this region. Here we show experimental results from micrometeorological observations from an experimental site in the coastal region of Qatar during August-December 2015. Measurements of winds are obtained from three sonic anemometers installed on a 9 m tower placed at Al Ghariyah beach in northern Qatar (26.08 °N, 51.36 °E). Different surface layer characteristics is analyzed and compared with earlier studies in equivalent weather conditions. Monthly statistics of wind speed, wind direction, temperature, humidity and heat index are made from concurrent observations from sonic anemometer and weather station to explore variations with surface layer characteristics. The results also highlights potential impact of sea breeze circulation on local weather and atmospheric turbulence. The observed daily maximum temperature and heat index during morning period may be related to sea breeze circulations. Along with the operational micrometeorological observation system, a camera system and ultrasonic wave measurement system are installed recently in the site to study coastline development and nearshore wave dynamics. Overall, the complete observational set up is going to provide new insights about nearshore wind dynamics and wind-wave interaction in Qatar.

Convective Heat Transfer at the Martian Boundary Layer, Measurement and Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomás Soria-Salinas, Álvaro; Zorzano-Mier, María Paz; Martín-Torres, Javier

2016-04-01

We present a measuring concept to measure the convective heat transfer coefficient h near a spacecraft operating on the surface of Mars. This coefficient can be used to derive the speed of the wind and direction, and to detect its modulations. This measuring concept will be used in the instrument HABIT (HabitAbility: Brines, Irradiance and Temperature) for the Surface Platform of ExoMars 2018 (ESA-Roscosmos). The method is based on the use of 3 Resistance Temperature Thermodetectors (RTD) that measure the temperature at 3 locations along the axial direction of a rod of length L: at the base of the rod, Tb, an intermediate point x = L/n, TLn, and the tip,Ta. This sensing fin is called the Air Temperature Sensor (ATS). HABIT shall incorporate three ATS, oriented in perpendicular directions and thus exposed to wind in a different way. Solving these equations for each ATS, provides three fluid temperatures Tf as well as three m parameters that are used to derive three heat transfer coefficients h. This magnitude is dependent on the local forced convection and therefore is sensitive to the direction, speed and modulations of the wind. The m-parameter has already proven to be useful to investigate the convective activity at the planetary boundary layer on Mars and to determine the height of the planetary boundary layer. This method shall be presented here by: 1) Introducing the mathematical concepts for the retrieval of the m-parameter; 2) performing ANSYS simulations of the fluid dynamics and the thermal environment around the ATS-rods under wind conditions in Mars; and 3) comparing the method by using data measurements from the Rover Environmental Monitoring Station (REMS) at the Curiosity rover of NASA's Mars Science Laboratory project currently operating on Mars. The results shall be compared with the wind sensor measurements of three years of REMS operation on Mars.

Rapid Near-inertial Internal Wave Group Propagation Through the Transition Layer from Float and Glider Observations in the Bay of Bengal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnston, S.; Rudnick, D. L.; Sherman, J. T.

2016-02-01

Two Spray gliders and 1 SOLO-II float were deployed in 2013 and 2014 as components of ONR's Air-Sea Interactions in the Northern Indian Ocean (ASIRI) experiment. Shallow (10-50 m) salinity-controlled mixed layers in the Bay of Bengal isolate the rest of the deeper isothermal layer and ocean interior from winds. The transition layer is a deeper stratification maximum (20-100 m), which separates the upper ocean from the interior. Downward near-inertial internal wave (NIW) groups are observed here in potential density fluctuations and can rapidly (a few inertial periods) transfer energy out of the mixed layer into the stratified interior. (Inertial periods are T = 2*pi/f = 2 - 3 days from 9 - 17°N, where f is the Coriolis frequency.) When isopycnals shoal at fronts, the transition layer is brought closer to the mixed layer allowing for faster downward group speed due to the higher stratification. With about 10 inertial wind events in the NCEP reanalysis over the observation period of about 21 weeks, we find 3 NIW groups with clear downward energy (upward phase) propagation into the interior. The groups reach 200 m within 2-3 T and have vertical wavelengths of about 200 m. This implies horizontal wavelengths of about 200 km if the waves have a frequency of 1.1f. This horizontal wavelength and propagation time scale appear consistent with surface wind forcing correlation scales from 3-day highpassed wind products and decay estimates from surface drifters and theory (Park et al., 2009). Our results extend this previous work by making subsurface observations and measuring further equatorward. The mesoscale appears to mediate: (a) the conversion from mixed layer inertial oscillations into propagating NIW and (b) NIW propagation into the interior.

Modeling wind adjustment factor and midflame wind speed for Rothermel's surface fire spread model

Treesearch

Patricia L. Andrews

2012-01-01

Rothermel's surface fire spread model was developed to use a value for the wind speed that affects surface fire, called midflame wind speed. Models have been developed to adjust 20-ft wind speed to midflame wind speed for sheltered and unsheltered surface fuel. In this report, Wind Adjustment Factor (WAF) model equations are given, and the BehavePlus fire modeling...

On the wake of a Darrieus turbine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Base, T. E.; Phillips, P.; Robertson, G.; Nowak, E. S.

1981-01-01

The theory and experimental measurements on the aerodynamic decay of a wake from high performance vertical axis wind turbine are discussed. In the initial experimental study, the wake downstream of a model Darrieus rotor, 28 cm diameter and a height of 45.5 cm, was measured in a Boundary Layer Wind Tunnel. The wind turbine was run at the design tip speed ratio of 5.5. It was found that the wake decayed at a slower rate with distance downstream of the turbine, than a wake from a screen with similar troposkein shape and drag force characteristics as the Darrieus rotor. The initial wind tunnel results indicated that the vertical axis wind turbines should be spaced at least forty diameters apart to avoid mutual power depreciation greater than ten per cent.

Eclipse-induced wind changes over the British Isles on the 20 March 2015

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

The British Isles benefits from dense meteorological observation networks, enabling insights into the still-unresolved effects of solar eclipse events on the near-surface wind field. The near-surface effects of the solar eclipse of 20 March 2015 are derived through comparison of output from the Met Office’s operational weather forecast model (which is ignorant of the eclipse) with data from two meteorological networks: the Met Office’s land surface station (MIDAS) network and a roadside measurement network operated by Vaisala. Synoptic-evolution relative calculations reveal the cooling and increase in relative humidity almost universally attributed to eclipse events. In addition, a slackening of wind speeds by up to about 2 knots in already weak winds and backing in wind direction of about 20° under clear skies across middle England are attributed to the eclipse event. The slackening of wind speed is consistent with the previously reported boundary layer stabilization during eclipse events. Wind direction changes have previously been attributed to a large-scale ‘eclipse-induced cold-cored cyclone’, mountain slope flows, and changes in the strength of sea breezes. A new explanation is proposed here by analogy with nocturnal wind changes at sunset and shown to predict direction changes consistent with those observed. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Atmospheric effects of solar eclipses stimulated by the 2015 UK eclipse’. PMID:27550759

Wind speed perception and risk.

PubMed

Agdas, Duzgun; Webster, Gregory D; Masters, Forrest J

2012-01-01

How accurately do people perceive extreme wind speeds and how does that perception affect the perceived risk? Prior research on human-wind interaction has focused on comfort levels in urban settings or knock-down thresholds. No systematic experimental research has attempted to assess people's ability to estimate extreme wind speeds and perceptions of their associated risks. We exposed 76 people to 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 mph (4.5, 8.9, 13.4, 17.9, 22.3, and 26.8 m/s) winds in randomized orders and asked them to estimate wind speed and the corresponding risk they felt. Multilevel modeling showed that people were accurate at lower wind speeds but overestimated wind speeds at higher levels. Wind speed perceptions mediated the direct relationship between actual wind speeds and perceptions of risk (i.e., the greater the perceived wind speed, the greater the perceived risk). The number of tropical cyclones people had experienced moderated the strength of the actual-perceived wind speed relationship; consequently, mediation was stronger for people who had experienced fewer storms. These findings provide a clearer understanding of wind and risk perception, which can aid development of public policy solutions toward communicating the severity and risks associated with natural disasters.

Assessment of C-Type Darrieus Wind Turbine Under Low Wind Speed Condition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Misaran, M. S.; Rahman, Md. M.; Muzammil, W. K.; Ismail, M. A.

2017-07-01

Harvesting wind energy in in a low wind speed region is deem un-economical if not daunting task. Study shows that a minimum cut in speed of 3.5 m/s is required to extract a meaningful wind energy for electricity while a mean speed of 6 m/s is preferred. However, in Malaysia the mean speed is at 2 m/s with certain potential areas having 3 m/s mean speed. Thus, this work aims to develop a wind turbine that able to operate at lower cut-in speed and produce meaningful power for electricity generation. A C-type Darrieus blade is selected as it shows good potential to operate in arbitrary wind speed condition. The wind turbine is designed and fabricated in UMS labs while the performance of the wind turbine is evaluated in a simulated wind condition. Test result shows that the wind turbine started to rotate at 1 m/s compared to a NACA 0012 Darrieus turbine that started to rotate at 3 m/s. The performance of the turbine shows that it have good potential to be used in an intermittent arbitrary wind speed condition as well as low mean wind speed condition.

Mixture distributions of wind speed in the UAE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shin, J.; Ouarda, T.; Lee, T. S.

2013-12-01

Wind speed probability distribution is commonly used to estimate potential wind energy. The 2-parameter Weibull distribution has been most widely used to characterize the distribution of wind speed. However, it is unable to properly model wind speed regimes when wind speed distribution presents bimodal and kurtotic shapes. Several studies have concluded that the Weibull distribution should not be used for frequency analysis of wind speed without investigation of wind speed distribution. Due to these mixture distributional characteristics of wind speed data, the application of mixture distributions should be further investigated in the frequency analysis of wind speed. A number of studies have investigated the potential wind energy in different parts of the Arabian Peninsula. Mixture distributional characteristics of wind speed were detected from some of these studies. Nevertheless, mixture distributions have not been employed for wind speed modeling in the Arabian Peninsula. In order to improve our understanding of wind energy potential in Arabian Peninsula, mixture distributions should be tested for the frequency analysis of wind speed. The aim of the current study is to assess the suitability of mixture distributions for the frequency analysis of wind speed in the UAE. Hourly mean wind speed data at 10-m height from 7 stations were used in the current study. The Weibull and Kappa distributions were employed as representatives of the conventional non-mixture distributions. 10 mixture distributions are used and constructed by mixing four probability distributions such as Normal, Gamma, Weibull and Extreme value type-one (EV-1) distributions. Three parameter estimation methods such as Expectation Maximization algorithm, Least Squares method and Meta-Heuristic Maximum Likelihood (MHML) method were employed to estimate the parameters of the mixture distributions. In order to compare the goodness-of-fit of tested distributions and parameter estimation methods for sample wind data, the adjusted coefficient of determination, Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC) and Chi-squared statistics were computed. Results indicate that MHML presents the best performance of parameter estimation for the used mixture distributions. In most of the employed 7 stations, mixture distributions give the best fit. When the wind speed regime shows mixture distributional characteristics, most of these regimes present the kurtotic statistical characteristic. Particularly, applications of mixture distributions for these stations show a significant improvement in explaining the whole wind speed regime. In addition, the Weibull-Weibull mixture distribution presents the best fit for the wind speed data in the UAE.

Wind-Tunnel Tests of Ailerons at Various Speeds. 1 - Ailerons of 0.20 Airfoil Chord and Tube Contour with 0.35 Aileron-Chord Extreme Blunt Nose Balance on the NACA 66,2-216 Airfoil

DTIC Science & Technology

1943-06-01

which includes effectelof boundary layer at the tunnel wall and of gaps at the ends of the aileron as well as the effects of any cross flow over the...the gap width cauaed a d? urease in the slope except at the highest speed tested where an increase in gap resulted in an increase in the slope. Figure 13

Probabilities and statistics for backscatter estimates obtained by a scatterometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pierson, Willard J., Jr.

1989-01-01

Methods for the recovery of winds near the surface of the ocean from measurements of the normalized radar backscattering cross section must recognize and make use of the statistics (i.e., the sampling variability) of the backscatter measurements. Radar backscatter values from a scatterometer are random variables with expected values given by a model. A model relates backscatter to properties of the waves on the ocean, which are in turn generated by the winds in the atmospheric marine boundary layer. The effective wind speed and direction at a known height for a neutrally stratified atmosphere are the values to be recovered from the model. The probability density function for the backscatter values is a normal probability distribution with the notable feature that the variance is a known function of the expected value. The sources of signal variability, the effects of this variability on the wind speed estimation, and criteria for the acceptance or rejection of models are discussed. A modified maximum likelihood method for estimating wind vectors is described. Ways to make corrections for the kinds of errors found for the Seasat SASS model function are described, and applications to a new scatterometer are given.

Remote sensing of low visibility over otopeni airport

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buzdugan, Livius; Urlea, Denisa; Bugeac, Paul; Stefan, Sabina

2018-04-01

The paper is focused on the study of atmospheric conditions determining low vertical visibility over Henri Coanda airport. A network of ceilometers and a Sodar were used to detect fog and low level cloud layers. In our study, vertical visibility from ceilometers and acoustic reflectivity from Sodar for November 2016 were used to estimate fog depth and top of fog layers, respectively. The correlation between fog and low cloud occurrence and the wind direction and speed is also investigated.

Connections Between the Spring Breakup of the Southern Hemisphere Polar Vortex, Stationary Waves, and Air-sea Roughness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garfinkel, Chaim I.; Oman, Luke David; Barnes, Elizabeth A.; Waugh, Darryn W.; Hurwitz, Margaret H.; Molod, Andrea M.

2013-01-01

A robust connection between the drag on surface-layer winds and the stratospheric circulation is demonstrated in NASA's Goddard Earth Observing System Chemistry-Climate Model (GEOSCCM). Specifically, an updated parameterization of roughness at the air-sea interface, in which surface roughness is increased for moderate wind speeds (4ms to 20ms), leads to a decrease in model biases in Southern Hemispheric ozone, polar cap temperature, stationary wave heat flux, and springtime vortex breakup. A dynamical mechanism is proposed whereby increased surface roughness leads to improved stationary waves. Increased surface roughness leads to anomalous eddy momentum flux convergence primarily in the Indian Ocean sector (where eddies are strongest climatologically) in September and October. The localization of the eddy momentum flux convergence anomaly in the Indian Ocean sector leads to a zonally asymmetric reduction in zonal wind and, by geostrophy, to a wavenumber-1 stationary wave pattern. This tropospheric stationary wave pattern leads to enhanced upwards wave activity entering the stratosphere. The net effect is an improved Southern Hemisphere vortex: the vortex breaks up earlier in spring (i.e., the spring late-breakup bias is partially ameliorated) yet is no weaker in mid-winter. More than half of the stratospheric biases appear to be related to the surface wind speed biases. As many other chemistry climate models use a similar scheme for their surface layer momentum exchange and have similar biases in the stratosphere, we expect that results from GEOSCCM may be relevant for other climate models.

Comparison between design and installed acoustic characteristics of NASA Lewis 9- by 15-foot low-speed wind tunnel acoustic treatment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dahl, Milo D.; Woodward, Richard P.

1990-01-01

The test section of the NASA Lewis 9- by 15-Foot Low-Speed Wind Tunnel was acoustically treated to allow the measurement of sound under simulated free-field conditions. The treatment was designed for high sound absorption at frequencies above 250 Hz and for withstanding the environmental conditions in the test section. In order to achieve the design requirements, a fibrous, bulk-absorber material was packed into removable panel sections. Each section was divided into two equal-depth layers packed with material to different bulk densities. The lower density was next to the facing of the treatment. The facing consisted of a perforated plate and screening material layered together. Sample tests for normal-incidence acoustic absorption were also conducted in an impedance tube to provide data to aid in the treatment design. Tests with no airflow, involving the measurement of the absorptive properties of the treatment installed in the 9- by 15-foot wind tunnel test section, combined the use of time-delay spectrometry with a previously established free-field measurement method. This new application of time-delay spectrometry enabled these free-field measurements to be made in nonanechoic conditions. The results showed that the installed acoustic treatment had absorption coefficients greater than 0.95 over the frequency range 250 Hz to 4 kHz. The measurements in the wind tunnel were in good agreement with both the analytical prediction and the impedance tube test data.

An Assessment of Wind Plant Complex Flows Using Advanced Doppler Radar Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gunter, W. S.; Schroeder, J.; Hirth, B.; Duncan, J.; Guynes, J.

2015-12-01

As installed wind energy capacity continues to steadily increase, the need for comprehensive measurements of wind plant complex flows to further reduce the cost of wind energy has been well advertised by the industry as a whole. Such measurements serve diverse perspectives including resource assessment, turbine inflow and power curve validation, wake and wind plant layout model verification, operations and maintenance, and the development of future advanced wind plant control schemes. While various measurement devices have been matured for wind energy applications (e.g. meteorological towers, LIDAR, SODAR), this presentation will focus on the use of advanced Doppler radar systems to observe the complex wind flows within and surrounding wind plants. Advanced Doppler radars can provide the combined advantage of a large analysis footprint (tens of square kilometers) with rapid data analysis updates (a few seconds to one minute) using both single- and dual-Doppler data collection methods. This presentation demonstrates the utility of measurements collected by the Texas Tech University Ka-band (TTUKa) radars to identify complex wind flows occurring within and nearby operational wind plants, and provide reliable forecasts of wind speeds and directions at given locations (i.e. turbine or instrumented tower sites) 45+ seconds in advance. Radar-derived wind maps reveal commonly observed features such as turbine wakes and turbine-to-turbine interaction, high momentum wind speed channels between turbine wakes, turbine array edge effects, transient boundary layer flow structures (such as wind streaks, frontal boundaries, etc.), and the impact of local terrain. Operational turbine or instrumented tower data are merged with the radar analysis to link the observed complex flow features to turbine and wind plant performance.

Comparison of propeller cruise noise data taken in the NASA Lewis 8- by 6-foot wind tunnel with other tunnel and flight data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dittmar, James H.

1989-01-01

The noise of advanced high speed propeller models measured in the NASA 8- by 6-foot wind tunnel has been compared with model propeller noise measured in another tunnel and with full-scale propeller noise measured in flight. Good agreement was obtained for the noise of a model counterrotation propeller tested in the 8- by 6-foot wind tunnel and in the acoustically treated test section of the Boeing Transonic Wind Tunnel. This good agreement indicates the relative validity of taking cruise noise data on a plate in the 8- by 6-foot wind tunnel compared with the free-field method in the Boeing tunnel. Good agreement was also obtained for both single rotation and counter-rotation model noise comparisons with full-scale propeller noise in flight. The good scale model to full-scale comparisons indicate both the validity of the 8- by 6-foot wind tunnel data and the ability to scale to full size. Boundary layer refraction on the plate provides a limitation to the measurement of forward arc noise in the 8- by 6-foot wind tunnel at the higher harmonics of the blade passing tone. The use of a validated boundary layer refraction model to adjust the data could remove this limitation.

Comparison of propeller cruise noise data taken in the NASA Lewis 8- by 6-foot wind tunnel with other tunnel and flight data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dittmar, James

1989-01-01

The noise of advanced high speed propeller models measured in the NASA 8- by 6-foot wind tunnel has been compared with model propeller noise measured in another tunnel and with full-scale propeller noise measured in flight. Good agreement was obtained for the noise of a model counterrotation propeller tested in the 8- by 6-foot wind tunnel and in the acoustically treated test section of the Boeing Transonic Wind Tunnel. This good agreement indicates the relative validity of taking cruise noise data on a plate in the 8- by 6-foot wind tunnel compared with the free-field method in the Boeing tunnel. Good agreement was also obtained for both single rotation and counter-rotation model noise comparisons with full-scale propeller noise in flight. The good scale model to full-scale comparisons indicate both the validity of the 8- by 6-foot wind tunnel data and the ability to scale to full size. Boundary layer refraction on the plate provides a limitation to the measurement of forward arc noise in the 8- by 6-foot wind tunnel at the higher harmonics of the blade passing tone. The sue of a validated boundary layer refraction model to adjust the data could remove this limitation.

Large-Eddy Simulation of Wind-Plant Aerodynamics: Preprint

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Churchfield, M. J.; Lee, S.; Moriarty, P. J.

In this work, we present results of a large-eddy simulation of the 48 multi-megawatt turbines composing the Lillgrund wind plant. Turbulent inflow wind is created by performing an atmospheric boundary layer precursor simulation and turbines are modeled using a rotating, variable-speed actuator line representation. The motivation for this work is that few others have done wind plant large-eddy simulations with a substantial number of turbines, and the methods for carrying out the simulations are varied. We wish to draw upon the strengths of the existing simulations and our growing atmospheric large-eddy simulation capability to create a sound methodology for performingmore » this type of simulation. We have used the OpenFOAM CFD toolbox to create our solver.« less

LiDAR observation of the flow structure in typhoons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Yu-Ting; Hsuan, Chung-Yao; Lin, Ta-Hui

2015-04-01

Taiwan is subject to 3.4 landfall typhoons each year in average, generally occurring in the third quarter of every year (July-September). Understanding of boundary-layer turbulence characteristics of a typhoon is needed to ensure the safety of both onshore and offshore wind turbines used for power generation. In this study, a floating LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) was deployed in a harbor to collect data of wind turbulence, atmospheric pressure, and temperature in three typhoon events (Matmo typhoon, Soulik typhoon, Trami typhoon). Data collected from the floating LiDAR and from meteorological stations located at Taipei, Taichung and Kaohsiung are adopted to analyse the wind turbulence characteristics in the three typhoon events. The measurement results show that the maximum 10-min average wind speed measured with the floating LiDAR is up to 24 m/s at a height of 200 m. Compared with other normal days, the turbulence intensity is lower in the three typhoon events where the wind speed has a rapid increase. Changes of wind direction take place clearly as the typhoons cross Taiwan from East to West. Within the crossing intervals, the vertical momentum flux is observed to have a significant pattern with both upward and downward propagating waves which are relevant to the flow structure of the typhoons.

On the role of sea-state in bubble-mediated air-sea gas flux during a winter storm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Jun-Hong; Emerson, Steven R.; D'Asaro, Eric A.; McNeil, Craig L.; Harcourt, Ramsey R.; Sullivan, Peter P.; Yang, Bo; Cronin, Meghan F.

2017-04-01

Oceanic bubbles play an important role in the air-sea exchange of weakly soluble gases at moderate to high wind speeds. A Lagrangian bubble model embedded in a large eddy simulation model is developed to study bubbles and their influence on dissolved gases in the upper ocean. The transient evolution of mixed-layer dissolved oxygen and nitrogen gases at Ocean Station Papa (50°N, 145°W) during a winter storm is reproduced with the model. Among different physical processes, gas bubbles are the most important in elevating dissolved gas concentrations during the storm, while atmospheric pressure governs the variability of gas saturation anomaly (the relative departure of dissolved gas concentration from the saturation concentration). For the same wind speed, bubble-mediated gas fluxes are larger during rising wind with smaller wave age than during falling wind with larger wave age. Wave conditions are the primary cause for the bubble gas flux difference: when wind strengthens, waves are less-developed with respect to wind, resulting in more frequent large breaking waves. Bubble generation in large breaking waves is favorable for a large bubble-mediated gas flux. The wave-age dependence is not included in any existing bubble-mediated gas flux parameterizations.

Development of a quiet supersonic wind tunnel with a cryogenic adaptive nozzle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wolf, Stephen W. D.

1993-01-01

The main objective of this work is to develop an interim Quiet (low-disturbance) supersonic wind tunnel for the NASA-Ames Fluid Mechanics Laboratory (FML). The main emphasis is to bring on-line a full-scale Mach 1.6 tunnel as rapidly as possible to impact the NASA High Speed Research Program (HSRP). The development of a cryogenic adaptive nozzle and other sophisticated features of the tunnel will now happen later, after the full scale wind tunnel is in operation. The work under this contract for the period of this report can be summarized as follows: provide aerodynamic design requirements for the NASA-Ames Fluid Mechanics Laboratory (FML) Laminar Flow Supersonic Wind Tunnel (LFSWT); research design parameters for a unique Mach 1.6 drive system for the LFSWT using an 1/8th-scale Proof-of-Concept (PoC) supersonic wind tunnel; carry out boundary layer transition studies in PoC to aid the design of critical components of the LFSWT; appraise the State of the Art in quiet supersonic wind tunnel design; and help develop a supersonic research capability within the FML particularly in the areas of high speed transition measurements and schlieren techniques. The body of this annual report summarizes the work of the Principal Investigator.

A Nonlinear Dynamics Approach for Incorporating Wind-Speed Patterns into Wind-Power Project Evaluation

PubMed Central

Huffaker, Ray; Bittelli, Marco

2015-01-01

Wind-energy production may be expanded beyond regions with high-average wind speeds (such as the Midwest U.S.A.) to sites with lower-average speeds (such as the Southeast U.S.A.) by locating favorable regional matches between natural wind-speed and energy-demand patterns. A critical component of wind-power evaluation is to incorporate wind-speed dynamics reflecting documented diurnal and seasonal behavioral patterns. Conventional probabilistic approaches remove patterns from wind-speed data. These patterns must be restored synthetically before they can be matched with energy-demand patterns. How to accurately restore wind-speed patterns is a vexing problem spurring an expanding line of papers. We propose a paradigm shift in wind power evaluation that employs signal-detection and nonlinear-dynamics techniques to empirically diagnose whether synthetic pattern restoration can be avoided altogether. If the complex behavior of observed wind-speed records is due to nonlinear, low-dimensional, and deterministic system dynamics, then nonlinear dynamics techniques can reconstruct wind-speed dynamics from observed wind-speed data without recourse to conventional probabilistic approaches. In the first study of its kind, we test a nonlinear dynamics approach in an application to Sugarland Wind—the first utility-scale wind project proposed in Florida, USA. We find empirical evidence of a low-dimensional and nonlinear wind-speed attractor characterized by strong temporal patterns that match up well with regular daily and seasonal electricity demand patterns. PMID:25617767

Nocturnal Boundary Layer Measurements during the Amazonian Aerosol Characterization Experiment (amaze)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tota, J.; Santos, R.; Fisch, G.; Querino, C.; Silva Dias, M.; Artaxo, P.; Guenther, A.; Martin, S.; Manzi, A.

2008-12-01

To characterize the Nocturnal Boundary Layer (NBL) hourly profiles of wind, pressure, temperature, humidity and 5 sizes particles concentration, were made by using tethered balloon at INPA tropical Amazon rainforest Reserve (Cuieiras) 100 km northwest from Manaus city. The measurements were made during the wet season March/2008. The NBL height was 100 to 150m, with a very well mixed layer close to surface associate with temperature inversion. The wind profiles shows a very clear low level in two nights, about 500 to 900 m, and, in general, all nights show an stable and cooler air layer close the surface uncoupled with outer residual boundary layer above. At the site a very clear drainage flow from north quadrant down slope eastward quadrant during very the stable cases. This findings is correlates with particles profiles where was commonly trapped by stable layer presenting high concentrations, for all 5 sizes measured, close to the surface at vegetation level and just above it. All nights presents high humidity with fog formation in three cases, associates with temperature below the 23°C. The wind speed were very low about 0.5 to calm, in generally associate with drainage flow down hill. The NBL dynamics is a discussion issue associate to the aerosol nocturnal mixing in complex terrain with tall vegetation, the currently AMAZE site case.

Nocturnal Boundary Layer Measurements during the Amazonian Aerosol Characterization Experiment (AMAZE)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tota, J.; Fisch, G.; Santos, R.; Silva Dias, M.

2009-05-01

To characterize the Nocturnal Boundary Layer (NBL) hourly profiles of wind, pressure, temperature, humidity and 5 sizes particles concentration, were made by using tethered balloon at INPA tropical Amazon rainforest Reserve (Cuieiras) 100 km northwest from Manaus city. The measurements were made during the wet season March/2008. The NBL height was 100 to 150m, with a very well mixed layer close to surface associate with temperature inversion. The wind profiles shows a very clear low level in two nights, about 500 to 900 m, and, in general, all nights show an stable and cooler air layer close the surface uncoupled with outer residual boundary layer above. At the site a very clear drainage flow from north quadrant down slope eastward quadrant during very the stable cases. This findings is correlates with particles profiles where was commonly trapped by stable layer presenting high concentrations, for all 5 sizes measured, close to the surface at vegetation level and just above it. All nights presents high humidity with fog formation in three cases, associates with temperature below the 23C. The wind speed were very low about 0.5 to calm, in generally associate with drainage flow down hill. The NBL dynamics is a discussion issue associate to the aerosol nocturnal mixing in complex terrain with tall vegetation, the currently AMAZE site case.

Wind Speed Perception and Risk

PubMed Central

Agdas, Duzgun; Webster, Gregory D.; Masters, Forrest J.

2012-01-01

Background How accurately do people perceive extreme wind speeds and how does that perception affect the perceived risk? Prior research on human–wind interaction has focused on comfort levels in urban settings or knock-down thresholds. No systematic experimental research has attempted to assess people's ability to estimate extreme wind speeds and perceptions of their associated risks. Method We exposed 76 people to 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 mph (4.5, 8.9, 13.4, 17.9, 22.3, and 26.8 m/s) winds in randomized orders and asked them to estimate wind speed and the corresponding risk they felt. Results Multilevel modeling showed that people were accurate at lower wind speeds but overestimated wind speeds at higher levels. Wind speed perceptions mediated the direct relationship between actual wind speeds and perceptions of risk (i.e., the greater the perceived wind speed, the greater the perceived risk). The number of tropical cyclones people had experienced moderated the strength of the actual–perceived wind speed relationship; consequently, mediation was stronger for people who had experienced fewer storms. Conclusion These findings provide a clearer understanding of wind and risk perception, which can aid development of public policy solutions toward communicating the severity and risks associated with natural disasters. PMID:23226230

F-8 supercritical wing flight pressure, Boundary layer, and wake measurements and comparisons with wind tunnel data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Montoya, L. C.; Banner, R. D.

1977-01-01

Data for speeds from Mach 0.50 to Mach 0.99 are presented for configurations with and without fuselage area-rule additions, with and without leading-edge vortex generators, and with and without boundary-layer trips on the wing. The wing pressure coefficients are tabulated. Comparisons between the airplane and model data show that higher second velocity peaks occurred on the airplane wing than on the model wing. The differences were attributed to wind tunnel wall interference effects that caused too much rear camber to be designed into the wing. Optimum flow conditions on the outboard wing section occurred at Mach 0.98 at an angle of attack near 4 deg. The measured differences in section drag with and without boundary-layer trips on the wing suggested that a region of laminar flow existed on the outboard wing without trips.

European shags optimize their flight behavior according to wind conditions.

PubMed

Kogure, Yukihisa; Sato, Katsufumi; Watanuki, Yutaka; Wanless, Sarah; Daunt, Francis

2016-02-01

Aerodynamics results in two characteristic speeds of flying birds: the minimum power speed and the maximum range speed. The minimum power speed requires the lowest rate of energy expenditure per unit time to stay airborne and the maximum range speed maximizes air distance traveled per unit of energy consumed. Therefore, if birds aim to minimize the cost of transport under a range of wind conditions, they are predicted to fly at the maximum range speed. Furthermore, take-off is predicted to be strongly affected by wind speed and direction. To investigate the effect of wind conditions on take-off and cruising flight behavior, we equipped 14 European shags Phalacrocorax aristotelis with a back-mounted GPS logger to measure position and hence ground speed, and a neck-mounted accelerometer to record wing beat frequency and strength. Local wind conditions were recorded during the deployment period. Shags always took off into the wind regardless of their intended destination and take-off duration was correlated negatively with wind speed. We combined ground speed and direction during the cruising phase with wind speed and direction to estimate air speed and direction. Whilst ground speed was highly variable, air speed was comparatively stable, although it increased significantly during strong head winds, because of stronger wing beats. The increased air speeds in head winds suggest that birds fly at the maximum range speed, not at the minimum power speed. Our study demonstrates that European shags actively adjust their flight behavior to utilize wind power to minimize the costs of take-off and cruising flight. © 2016. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Laminar-flow wind tunnel experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harvey, William D.; Harris, Charles D.; Sewall, William G.; Stack, John P.

1989-01-01

Although most of the laminar flow airfoils recently developed at the NASA Langley Research Center were intended for general aviation applications, low-drag airfoils were designed for transonic speeds and wind tunnel performance tested. The objective was to extend the technology of laminar flow to higher Mach and Reynolds numbers and to swept leading edge wings representative of transport aircraft to achieve lower drag and significantly improved operation costs. This research involves stabilizing the laminar boundary layer through geometric shaping (Natural Laminar Flow, NLF) and active control involving the removal of a portion of the laminar boundary layer (Laminar-Flow Control, LFC), either through discrete slots or perforated surface. Results show that extensive regions of laminar flow with large reductions in skin friction drag can be maintained through the application of passive NLF boundary-layer control technologies to unswept transonic wings. At even greater extent of laminar flow and reduction in the total drag level can be obtained on a swept supercritical airfoil with active boundary layer-control.

Investigation of the foam influence on the wind-wave momentum exchange and cross-polarization microwave radar return within laboratory modeling of atmosphere-ocean boundary layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sergeev, Daniil; Troitskaya, Yuliya; Vdovin, Maxim; Ermoshkin, Alexey

2016-04-01

The effect of foam presence on the transfer processes and the parameters of the surface roughness within the laboratory simulation of wind-wave interaction was carried out on the Thermostratified Wind-Wave Tank (TSWiWaT) IAP, using a specially designed foam generator. The parameters of air flow profiles and waves elevation were measured with scanning Pitot gauge and wire wave gauges respectively in the range of equivalent wind speed U10 from 12 to 38 m/s (covering strong winds) on the clean water and with foam. It was shown that the foam reduces the amplitudes and slopes of the waves in comparison with the clean water in the hole range of wind speeds investigated, and the peak frequency and wave numbers remain almost constant. The drag coefficient calculating by profiling method demonstrated similar behavior (almost independent on U10) for case of foam and increased compared with clear water, particularly noticeable for low wind speeds. Simultaneously the investigations of influence of the foam on the peculiarity of the microwave radio back scattering of X-diapason was investigated. These measurements were carried for different sensing angles (30, 40 i 50 degrees from vertical) and for four polarizations: co-polarized HH and VV, and de-polarized HV and VH. It was shown that foam leads to decrease of specific radar cross section of the wavy surface in comparison with clean water. The work was supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (grants No. 15-35-20953, 14-05-00367, 16-55-52022) and project ASIST of FP7. The experiment is supported by Russian Science Foundation (Agreement No. 15-17-20009), radilocation measurments are partially supported by Russian Science Foundation (Agreement No. 14-17-00667).

Dynamical relationship between wind speed magnitude and meridional temperature contrast: Application to an interannual oscillation in Venusian middle atmosphere GCM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamamoto, Masaru; Takahashi, Masaaki

2018-03-01

We derive simple dynamical relationships between wind speed magnitude and meridional temperature contrast. The relationship explains scatter plot distributions of time series of three variables (maximum zonal wind speed UMAX, meridional wind speed VMAX, and equator-pole temperature contrast dTMAX), which are obtained from a Venus general circulation model with equatorial Kelvin-wave forcing. Along with VMAX and dTMAX, UMAX likely increases with the phase velocity and amplitude of a forced wave. In the scatter diagram of UMAX versus dTMAX, points are plotted along a linear equation obtained from a thermal-wind relationship in the cloud layer. In the scatter diagram of VMAX versus UMAX, the apparent slope is somewhat steep in the high UMAX regime, compared with the low UMAX regime. The scatter plot distributions are qualitatively consistent with a quadratic equation obtained from a diagnostic equation of the stream function above the cloud top. The plotted points in the scatter diagrams form a linear cluster for weak wave forcing, whereas they form a small cluster for strong wave forcing. An interannual oscillation of the general circulation forming the linear cluster in the scatter diagram is apparent in the experiment of weak 5.5-day wave forcing. Although a pair of equatorial Kelvin and high-latitude Rossby waves with a same period (Kelvin-Rossby wave) produces equatorward heat and momentum fluxes in the region below 60 km, the equatorial wave does not contribute to the long-period oscillation. The interannual fluctuation of the high-latitude jet core leading to the time variation of UMAX is produced by growth and decay of a polar mixed Rossby-gravity wave with a 14-day period.

? stability of wind turbine switching control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palejiya, Dushyant; Shaltout, Mohamed; Yan, Zeyu; Chen, Dongmei

2015-01-01

In order to maximise the wind energy capture, wind turbines are operated at variable speeds. Depending on the wind speed, a turbine switches between two operating modes: a low wind speed mode and a high wind speed mode. During the low wind speed mode, the control objective is to maximise wind energy capture by controlling both the blade pitch angle and the electrical generator torque. During the high wind speed mode, the control goal is to maintain the rated power generation by only adjusting the blade pitch angle. This paper establishes the stability criteria for the switching operation of wind turbines using ? gain under the nonlinear control framework. Also, the performance of the wind turbine system is analysed by using the step response, a well-known measure for second-order linear systems.

Combined effect of boundary layer recirculation factor and stable energy on local air quality in the Pearl River Delta over southern China.

PubMed

Li, Haowen; Wang, Baomin; Fang, Xingqin; Zhu, Wei; Fan, Qi; Liao, Zhiheng; Liu, Jian; Zhang, Asi; Fan, Shaojia

2018-03-01

Atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) has a significant impact on the spatial and temporal distribution of air pollutants. In order to gain a better understanding of how ABL affects the variation of air pollutants, atmospheric boundary layer observations were performed at Sanshui in the Pearl River Delta (PRD) region over southern China during the winter of 2013. Two types of typical ABL status that could lead to air pollution were analyzed comparatively: weak vertical diffusion ability type (WVDAT) and weak horizontal transportation ability type (WHTAT). Results show that (1) WVDAT was featured by moderate wind speed, consistent wind direction, and thick inversion layer at 600~1000 m above ground level (AGL), and air pollutants were restricted in the low altitudes due to the stable atmospheric structure; (2) WHTAT was characterized by calm wind, varied wind direction, and shallow intense ground inversion layer, and air pollutants accumulated in locally because of strong recirculation in the low ABL; (3) recirculation factor (RF) and stable energy (SE) were proved to be good indicators for horizontal transportation ability and vertical diffusion ability of the atmosphere, respectively. Combined utilization of RF and SE can be very helpful in the evaluation of air pollution potential of the ABL. Air quality data from ground and meteorological data collected from radio sounding in Sanshui in the Pearl River Delta showed that local air quality was poor when wind reversal was pronounced or temperature stratification state was stable. The combination of horizontal and vertical transportation ability of the local atmosphere should be taken into consideration when evaluating local environmental bearing capacity for air pollution.

Assessment of Wind Resource in the Palk Strait using Different Methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gupta, T.; Khan, F.; Baidya Roy, S.; Miller, L.

2017-12-01

The Government of India has proposed a target of 60 GW in grid power from the wind by the year 2022. The Palk Strait is one of the potential offshore wind power generation sites in India. It is a 65-135 km wide and 135 km long channel lying between the south eastern tip of India and northern Sri Lanka. The complex terrain bounding the two sides of the strait leads to enhanced wind speed and reduced variability in the wind direction. Here, we compare 3 distinct methodologies for estimating the generation rates for a hypothetical offshore wind farm array located in the strait. The methodologies include: 1) traditional wind power density model that ignores the effect of turbine interactions on generation rates; 2) the PARK wake model; and 3) a high resolution weather model (WRF) with a wind turbine parameterization. Using the WRF model as our baseline, we find that the simple model overestimates generation by an order-of-magnitude, while the wake model underestimates generation rates by about 5%. The reason for these differences relates to the influence of wind turbines on the atmospheric flow, wherein, the WRF model is able to capture the effect of both the complex terrain and wind turbine atmospheric boundary layer interactions. Lastly, a model evaluation is conducted which shows that 10m wind speeds and directions from WRF are comparable with the satellite data. Hence, we conclude from the study that each of these methodologies may have merit, but should a wind farm is deployed in such a complex terrain, we expect the WRF method to give better estimates of wind resource assessment capturing the physical processes emerging due to the interactions between offshore wind farm and the surrounding terrain.

Sound propagation from a ridge wind turbine across a valley.

PubMed

Van Renterghem, Timothy

2017-04-13

Sound propagation outdoors can be strongly affected by ground topography. The existence of hills and valleys between a source and receiver can lead to the shielding or focusing of sound waves. Such effects can result in significant variations in received sound levels. In addition, wind speed and air temperature gradients in the atmospheric boundary layer also play an important role. All of the foregoing factors can become especially important for the case of wind turbines located on a ridge overlooking a valley. Ridges are often selected for wind turbines in order to increase their energy capture potential through the wind speed-up effects often experienced in such locations. In this paper, a hybrid calculation method is presented to model such a case, relying on an analytical solution for sound diffraction around an impedance cylinder and the conformal mapping (CM) Green's function parabolic equation (GFPE) technique. The various aspects of the model have been successfully validated against alternative prediction methods. Example calculations with this hybrid analytical-CM-GFPE model show the complex sound pressure level distribution across the valley and the effect of valley ground type. The proposed method has the potential to include the effect of refraction through the inclusion of complex wind and temperature fields, although this aspect has been highly simplified in the current simulations.This article is part of the themed issue 'Wind energy in complex terrains'. © 2017 The Author(s).

Multi-step-ahead Method for Wind Speed Prediction Correction Based on Numerical Weather Prediction and Historical Measurement Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Han; Yan, Jie; Liu, Yongqian; Han, Shuang; Li, Li; Zhao, Jing

2017-11-01

Increasing the accuracy of wind speed prediction lays solid foundation to the reliability of wind power forecasting. Most traditional correction methods for wind speed prediction establish the mapping relationship between wind speed of the numerical weather prediction (NWP) and the historical measurement data (HMD) at the corresponding time slot, which is free of time-dependent impacts of wind speed time series. In this paper, a multi-step-ahead wind speed prediction correction method is proposed with consideration of the passing effects from wind speed at the previous time slot. To this end, the proposed method employs both NWP and HMD as model inputs and the training labels. First, the probabilistic analysis of the NWP deviation for different wind speed bins is calculated to illustrate the inadequacy of the traditional time-independent mapping strategy. Then, support vector machine (SVM) is utilized as example to implement the proposed mapping strategy and to establish the correction model for all the wind speed bins. One Chinese wind farm in northern part of China is taken as example to validate the proposed method. Three benchmark methods of wind speed prediction are used to compare the performance. The results show that the proposed model has the best performance under different time horizons.

Wind power research at Oregon State University. [for selecting windpowered machinery sites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hewson, E. W.

1973-01-01

There have been two primary thrusts of the research effort to date, along with several supplementary ones. One primary area has been an investigation of the wind fields along coastal areas of the Pacific Northwest, not only at the shoreline but also for a number of miles inland and offshore as well. Estimates have been made of the influence of the wind turbulence as measured at coastal sites in modifying the predicted dependence of power generated on the cube of the wind speed. Wind flow patterns in the Columbia River valley have also been studied. The second primary thrust has been to substantially modify and improve an existing wind tunnel to permit the build up of a boundary layer in which various model studies will be conducted. One of the secondary studies involved estimating the cost of building an aerogenerator.

Could Crop Height Impact the Wind Resource at Agriculturally Productive Wind Farm Sites?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vanderwende, B. J.; Lundquist, J. K.

2013-12-01

The agriculture-intensive United States Midwest and Great Plains regions feature some of the best wind resources in the nation. Collocation of cropland and wind turbines introduces complex meteorological interactions that could affect both agriculture and wind power production. Crop management practices may modify the wind resource through alterations of land-surface properties. In this study, we used the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model to estimate the impact of crop height variations on the wind resource in the presence of a large turbine array. We parameterized a hypothetical array of 121 1.8 MW turbines at the site of the 2011 Crop/Wind-energy Experiment field campaign using the WRF wind farm parameterization. We estimated the impact of crop choices on power production by altering the aerodynamic roughness length in a region approximately 65 times larger than that occupied by the turbine array. Roughness lengths of 10 cm and 25 cm represent a mature soy crop and a mature corn crop respectively. Results suggest that the presence of the mature corn crop reduces hub-height wind speeds and increases rotor-layer wind shear, even in the presence of a large wind farm which itself modifies the flow. During the night, the influence of the surface was dependent on the boundary layer stability, with strong stability inhibiting the surface drag from modifying the wind resource aloft. Further investigation is required to determine the optimal size, shape, and crop height of the roughness modification to maximize the economic benefit and minimize the cost of such crop management practices.

Evaluating cold, wind, and moisture protection of different coverings for prehospital maritime transportation-a thermal manikin and human study.

PubMed

Jussila, Kirsi; Rissanen, Sirkka; Parkkola, Kai; Anttonen Hannu

2014-12-01

Prehospital maritime transportation in northern areas sets high demands on hypothermia prevention. To prevent body cooling and hypothermia of seriously-ill or injured casualties during transportation, casualty coverings must provide adequate thermal insulation and protection against cold, wind, moisture, and water splashes. The aim of this study was to determine the thermal protective properties of different types of casualty coverings and to evaluate which would be adequate for use under difficult maritime conditions (cold, high wind speed, and water splashes). In addition, the study evaluated the need for thermal protection of a casualty and verified the optimum system for maritime casualty transportation. The study consisted of two parts: (1) the definition and comparison of the thermal protective properties of different casualty coverings in a laboratory; and (2) the evaluation of the chosen optimum protective covering for maritime prehospital transportation. The thermal insulations of ten different casualty coverings were measured according to the European standard for sleeping bags (EN 13537) using a thermal manikin in a climate chamber (-5°C) with wind speeds of 0.3 m/s and 4.0 m/s, and during moisture simulations. The second phase consisted of measurements of skin and core temperatures, air temperature, and relative humidity inside the clothing of four male test subjects during authentic maritime prehospital transportation in a partially-covered motor boat. Wind (4 m/s) decreased the total thermal insulation of coverings by 11%-45%. The decrement of thermal insulation due to the added moisture inside the coverings was the lowest (approximately 22%-29%) when a waterproof reflective sheet inside blankets or bubble wrap was used, whereas vapor-tight rescue bags and bubble wrap provide the most protection against external water splashes. During authentic maritime transportation lasting 30 minutes, mean skin temperature decreased on average by 0.5°C when a windproof and water-resistant rescue bag was used over layered winter clothing. The selected optimum rescue bag consisted of insulating and water-resistant layers providing sufficient protection against cold, wind, and water splashes during prehospital transportation lasting 30 minutes in the uncovered portion of a motor boat. The minimum thermal insulation for safe maritime transportation (30 minutes) is 0.46 m²K/W at a temperature of -5°C and a wind speed of 10 m/s.

Statistical distribution of wind speeds and directions globally observed by NSCAT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ebuchi, Naoto

1999-05-01

In order to validate wind vectors derived from the NASA scatterometer (NSCAT), statistical distributions of wind speeds and directions over the global oceans are investigated by comparing with European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) wind data. Histograms of wind speeds and directions are calculated from the preliminary and reprocessed NSCAT data products for a period of 8 weeks. For wind speed of the preliminary data products, excessive low wind distribution is pointed out through comparison with ECMWF winds. A hump at the lower wind speed side of the peak in the wind speed histogram is discernible. The shape of the hump varies with incidence angle. Incompleteness of the prelaunch geophysical model function, SASS 2, tentatively used to retrieve wind vectors of the preliminary data products, is considered to cause the skew of the wind speed distribution. On the contrary, histograms of wind speeds of the reprocessed data products show consistent features over the whole range of incidence angles. Frequency distribution of wind directions relative to spacecraft flight direction is calculated to assess self-consistency of the wind directions. It is found that wind vectors of the preliminary data products exhibit systematic directional preference relative to antenna beams. This artificial directivity is also considered to be caused by imperfections in the geophysical model function. The directional distributions of the reprocessed wind vectors show less directivity and consistent features, except for very low wind cases.

Modeling and Analysis of Adjacent Grid Point Wind Speed Profiles within and Above a Forest Canopy

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-04-01

layer in the upper part of a canopy ( Stull , 1988; Shaw et al, 1988; Lee and Black, 1993) and that most of the downward momentum flux is absorbed at...Meteorol., University of Wisconsin, Madison, p 115. 15 Stull , R. B. (1988). An Introduction to Boundary Layer Meteorology, Kluwer Academic Publishers, p...Schneider Attn S R Evett Attn T A Howell PO Drawer 10 Bushland TX 79012 Dean RMD Attn Gomez Washington DC 20314 Dept of Commerce Ctr Mountain

A simple inertial model for Neptune's zonal circulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allison, Michael; Lumetta, James T.

1990-01-01

Voyager imaging observations of zonal cloud-tracked winds on Neptune revealed a strongly subrotational equatorial jet with a speed approaching 500 m/s and generally decreasing retrograde motion toward the poles. The wind data are interpreted with a speculative but revealingly simple model based on steady gradient flow balance and an assumed global homogenization of potential vorticity for shallow layer motion. The prescribed model flow profile relates the equatorial velocity to the mid-latitude shear, in reasonable agreement with the available data, and implies a global horizontal deformation scale L(D) of about 3000 km.

Sea-State Dependence of Aerosol Concentration in the Marine Atmospheric Boundary Layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lenain, L.; Melville, W. K.

2016-02-01

While sea spray aerosols represent a large portion of the aerosols present in the marine environment, and despite evidence of the importance of surface wave and wave-breaking related processes in the coupling of the ocean with the atmosphere, sea spray source generation functions are traditionally parameterized by the wind speed at 10m. It is clear that unless the wind and wave field are fully developed, the source function will be a function of both wind and wave parameters. In this study, we report on an air-sea interaction experiment, the ONR phase-resolved High-Resolution Air-Sea Interaction experiments (HIRES), conducted off the coast of Northern California in June 2010. Detailed measurements of aerosol number concentration in the Marine Atmospheric Boundary Layer (MABL), at altitudes ranging from as low as 30m and up to 800m AMSL over a broad range of environmental conditions (significant wave height, Hs, of 2 to 4.5m and wind speed at 10m height, U10, of 10 to 18 m/s) collected from an instrumented research aircraft, are presented. Aerosol number densities and volume are computed over a range of particle diameters from 0.1 to 200 µm, while the surface conditions, i.e. significant wave height, moments of the breaker length distribution Λ(c), and wave breaking dissipation, were measured by a suite of electro-optical sensors that included the NASA Airborne Topographic Mapper (ATM). The sea-state dependence of the aerosol concentration in the MABL is evident, ultimately stressing the need to incorporate wave and wave kinematics in the spray source generation functions that are traditionally primarily parameterized by surface winds. A scaling of the measured aerosol volume distribution by wave and atmospheric state variables is proposed.

Power Smoothing and MPPT for Grid-connected Wind Power Generation with Doubly Fed Induction Generator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kai, Takaaki; Tanaka, Yuji; Kaneda, Hirotoshi; Kobayashi, Daichi; Tanaka, Akio

Recently, doubly fed induction generator (DFIG) and synchronous generator are mostly applied for wind power generation, and variable speed control and power factor control are executed for high efficiently for wind energy capture and high quality for power system voltage. In variable speed control, a wind speed or a generator speed is used for maximum power point tracking. However, performances of a wind generation power fluctuation due to wind speed variation have not yet investigated for those controls. The authors discuss power smoothing by those controls for the DFIG inter-connected to 6.6kV distribution line. The performances are verified using power system simulation software PSCAD/EMTDC for actual wind speed data and are examined from an approximate equation of wind generation power fluctuation for wind speed variation.

Flight speed and performance of the wandering albatross with respect to wind.

PubMed

Richardson, Philip L; Wakefield, Ewan D; Phillips, Richard A

2018-01-01

Albatrosses and other large seabirds use dynamic soaring to gain sufficient energy from the wind to travel large distances rapidly and with little apparent effort. The recent development of miniature bird-borne tracking devices now makes it possible to explore the physical and biological implications of this means of locomotion in detail. Here we use GPS tracking and concurrent reanalyzed wind speed data to model the flight performance of wandering albatrosses Diomedea exulans soaring over the Southern Ocean. We investigate the extent to which flight speed and performance of albatrosses is facilitated or constrained by wind conditions encountered during foraging trips. We derived simple equations to model observed albatross ground speed as a function of wind speed and relative wind direction. Ground speeds of the tracked birds in the along-wind direction varied primarily by wind-induced leeway, which averaged 0.51 (± 0.02) times the wind speed at a reference height of 5 m. By subtracting leeway velocity from ground velocity, we were able to estimate airspeed (the magnitude of the bird's velocity through the air). As wind speeds increased from 3 to 18 m/s, the airspeed of wandering albatrosses flying in an across-wind direction increased by 0.42 (± 0.04) times the wind speed (i.e. ~ 6 m/s). At low wind speeds, tracked birds increased their airspeed in upwind flight relative to that in downwind flight. At higher wind speeds they apparently limited their airspeeds to a maximum of around 20 m/s, probably to keep the forces on their wings in dynamic soaring well within tolerable limits. Upwind airspeeds were nearly constant and downwind leeway increased with wind speed. Birds therefore achieved their fastest upwind ground speeds (~ 9 m/s) at low wind speeds (~ 3 m/s). This study provides insights into which flight strategies are optimal for dynamic soaring. Our results are consistent with the prediction that the optimal range speed of albatrosses is higher in headwind than tailwind flight but only in wind speeds of up to ~ 7 m/s. Our models predict that wandering albatrosses have oval-shaped airspeed polars, with the fastest airspeeds ~ 20 m/s centered in the across-wind direction. This suggests that in upwind flight in high winds, albatrosses can increase their ground speed by tacking like sailboats.

An improved parameterisation of ozone dry deposition to the ocean and its impact in a global climate-chemistry model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luhar, Ashok K.; Galbally, Ian E.; Woodhouse, Matthew T.; Thatcher, Marcus

2017-03-01

Schemes used to parameterise ozone dry deposition velocity at the oceanic surface mainly differ in terms of how the dominant term of surface resistance is parameterised. We examine three such schemes and test them in a global climate-chemistry model that incorporates meteorological nudging and monthly-varying reactive-gas emissions. The default scheme invokes the commonly used assumption that the water surface resistance is constant. The other two schemes, named the one-layer and two-layer reactivity schemes, include the simultaneous influence on the water surface resistance of ozone solubility in water, waterside molecular diffusion and turbulent transfer, and a first-order chemical reaction of ozone with dissolved iodide. Unlike the one-layer scheme, the two-layer scheme can indirectly control the degree of interaction between chemical reaction and turbulent transfer through the specification of a surface reactive layer thickness. A comparison is made of the modelled deposition velocity dependencies on sea surface temperature (SST) and wind speed with recently reported cruise-based observations. The default scheme overestimates the observed deposition velocities by a factor of 2-4 when the chemical reaction is slow (e.g. under colder SSTs in the Southern Ocean). The default scheme has almost no temperature, wind speed, or latitudinal variations in contrast with the observations. The one-layer scheme provides noticeably better variations, but it overestimates deposition velocity by a factor of 2-3 due to an enhancement of the interaction between chemical reaction and turbulent transfer. The two-layer scheme with a surface reactive layer thickness specification of 2.5 µm, which is approximately equal to the reaction-diffusive length scale of the ozone-iodide reaction, is able to simulate the field measurements most closely with respect to absolute values as well as SST and wind-speed dependence. The annual global oceanic deposition of ozone determined using this scheme is approximately half of the original oceanic deposition obtained using the default scheme, and it corresponds to a 10 % decrease in the original estimate of the total global ozone deposition. The previously reported modelled estimate of oceanic deposition is roughly one-third of total deposition and with this new parameterisation it is reduced to 12 % of the modelled total global ozone deposition. Deposition parameterisation influences the predicted atmospheric ozone mixing ratios, especially in the Southern Hemisphere. For the latitudes 45-70° S, the two-layer scheme improves the prediction of ozone observed at an altitude of 1 km by 7 % and that within the altitude range 1-6 km by 5 % compared to the default scheme.

Forest impact estimated with NOAA AVHRR and landsat TM data related to an empirical hurricane wind-field distribution

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ramsey, Elijah W.; Hodgson, M.E.; Sapkota, S.K.; Nelson, G.A.

2001-01-01

An empirical model was used to relate forest type and hurricane-impact distribution with wind speed and duration to explain the variation of hurricane damage among forest types along the Atchafalaya River basin of coastal Louisiana. Forest-type distribution was derived from Landsat Thematic Mapper image data, hurricane-impact distribution from a suite of transformed advanced very high resolution radiometer images, and wind speed and duration from a wind-field model. The empirical model explained 73%, 84%, and 87% of the impact variances for open, hardwood, and cypress-tupelo forests, respectively. These results showed that the estimated impact for each forest type was highly related to the duration and speed of extreme winds associated with Hurricane Andrew in 1992. The wind-field model projected that the highest wind speeds were in the southern basin, dominated by cypress-tupelo and open forests, while lower wind speeds were in the northern basin, dominated by hardwood forests. This evidence could explain why, on average, the impact to cypress-tupelos was more severe than to hardwoods, even though cypress-tupelos are less susceptible to wind damage. Further, examination of the relative importance of wind speed in explaining the impact severity to each forest type showed that the impact to hardwood forests was mainly related to tropical-depression to tropical-storm force wind speeds. Impacts to cypress-tupelo and open forests (a mixture of willows and cypress-tupelo) were broadly related to tropical-storm force wind speeds and by wind speeds near and somewhat in excess of hurricane force. Decoupling the importance of duration from speed in explaining the impact severity to the forests could not be fully realized. Most evidence, however, hinted that impact severity was positively related to higher durations at critical wind speeds. Wind-speed intervals, which were important in explaining the impact severity on hardwoods, showed that higher durations, but not the highest wind speeds, were concentrated in the northern basin, dominated by hardwoods. The extreme impacts associated with the cypress-tupelo forests in the southeast corner of the basin intersected the highest durations as well as the highest wind speeds. ?? 2001 Published by Elsevier Science Inc.

One year of vertical wind profiles measurements at a Mediterranean coastal site of South Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calidonna, Claudia Roberta; Avolio, Elenio; Federico, Stefano; Gullì, Daniel; Lo Feudo, Teresa; Sempreviva, Anna Maria

2015-04-01

In order to develop wind farms projects is challenging to site them on coastal areas both onshore and offshore as suitable sites. Developing projects need high quality databases under a wide range of atmospheric conditions or high resolution models that could resolve the effect of the coastal discontinuity in the surface properties. New parametrizations are important and high quality databases are also needed for formulating them. Ground-based remote sensing devices such as lidars have been shown to be functional for studying the evolution of the vertical wind structure coastal atmospheric boundary layer both on- and offshore. Here, we present results from a year of vertical wind profiles, wind speed and direction, monitoring programme at a site located in the Italian Calabria Region, Central Mediterranean, 600m from the Thyrrenian coastline, where a Lidar Doppler, ZephIr (ZephIr ltd) has been operative since July 2013. The lidar monitors wind speed and direction from 10m up to 300m at 10 vertical levels with an average of 10 minutes and it is supported by a metmast providing: Atmospheric Pressure, Solar Radiation, Precipitation, Relative Humidity, Temperature,Wind Speed and Direction at 10m. We present the characterization of wind profiles during one year period according to the time of the day to transition periods night/day/night classified relating the local scale, breeze scale, to the large scale conditions. The dataset is also functional for techniques for short-term prediction of wind for the renewable energy integration in the distribution grids. The site infrastructure is funded within the Project "Infrastructure of High Technology for Environmental and Climate Monitoring" (I-AMICA) (PONa3_00363) by the Italian National Operative Program (PON 2007-2013) and European Regional Development Fund. Real-time data are show on http://www.i-amica.it/i-amica/?page_id=1122.

Effect of air turbulence on gas transport in soil; comparison of approaches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pourbakhtiar, Alireza; Papadikis, Konstantinos; Poulsen, Tjalfe; Bridge, Jonathan; Wilkinson, Stephen

2017-04-01

Greenhouse gases are playing the key role in global warming. Soil is a source of greenhouse gases such as methane (CH4). Radon (Rn) which is a radioactive gas can emit form subsurface into the atmosphere and leads to health concerns in urban areas. Temperature, humidity, air pressure and vegetation of soil can affect gas emissions inside soil (Oertel et al., 2016). It's shown in many cases that wind induced fluctuations is an important factor in transport of gas through soil and other porous media. An example is: landfill gas emissions (Poulsen et al., 2001). We applied an experimental equipment for measuring controlled air turbulence on gas transport in soil in relation to the depth of sample. Two approaches for measurement of effect of wind turbulence on gas transport were applied and compared. Experiments were carried out with diffusion of CO2 and air as tracer gases with average vertical wind speeds of 0 to 0.83 m s-1. In approach A, Six different sample thicknesses from 5 to 30 cm were selected and total of 4 different wind conditions with different speed and fluctuations were applied. In approach B, a sample with constant depth was used. Five oxygen sensors were places inside sample at different depths. Total of 111 experiments were carried out. Gas transport is described by advection-dispersion equation. Gas transport is quantified as a dispersion coefficient. Oxygen breakthrough curves as a function of distance to the surface of the sample exposed to wind were derived numerically with an explicit forward time, central space finite-difference based model to evaluate gas transport. We showed that wind turbulence-induced fluctuations is an important factor in gas transport that can increase gas transport with average of 45 times more than molecular diffusion under zero wind condition. Comparison of two strategies for experiments, indicated that, constant deep samples (Approach B) are more reliable for measurement of gas transport under influence of wind turbulence. They are more similar to natural conditions and also the lower layers of soil are affecting the diffusion and dispersion coefficients of soil in the upper layers. Power spectrum density is calculated for all the all wind conditions to determine strength vibration of all the wind speeds and its relation to gas transport. Differential pressure for different wind conditions are measured at two sides of samples. References Oertel, C., Matschullat, J., Zurba, K., Zimmermann, F. & Erasmi, S. 2016. Greenhouse gas emissions from soils—A review. Chemie der Erde - Geochemistry, 76, 327-352. Poulsen, T.G., Christophersen, M., Moldrup, P. & Kjeldsen, P. 2001. Modeling lateral gas transport in soil adjacent to old landfill. Journal of Environmental Engineering (ASCE), 127, 145-153.

Volumetric LiDAR scanning of a wind turbine wake and comparison with a 3D analytical wake model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carbajo Fuertes, Fernando; Porté-Agel, Fernando

2016-04-01

A correct estimation of the future power production is of capital importance whenever the feasibility of a future wind farm is being studied. This power estimation relies mostly on three aspects: (1) a reliable measurement of the wind resource in the area, (2) a well-established power curve of the future wind turbines and, (3) an accurate characterization of the wake effects; the latter being arguably the most challenging one due to the complexity of the phenomenon and the lack of extensive full-scale data sets that could be used to validate analytical or numerical models. The current project addresses the problem of obtaining a volumetric description of a full-scale wake of a 2MW wind turbine in terms of velocity deficit and turbulence intensity using three scanning wind LiDARs and two sonic anemometers. The characterization of the upstream flow conditions is done by one scanning LiDAR and two sonic anemometers, which have been used to calculate incoming vertical profiles of horizontal wind speed, wind direction and an approximation to turbulence intensity, as well as the thermal stability of the atmospheric boundary layer. The characterization of the wake is done by two scanning LiDARs working simultaneously and pointing downstream from the base of the wind turbine. The direct LiDAR measurements in terms of radial wind speed can be corrected using the upstream conditions in order to provide good estimations of the horizontal wind speed at any point downstream of the wind turbine. All this data combined allow for the volumetric reconstruction of the wake in terms of velocity deficit as well as turbulence intensity. Finally, the predictions of a 3D analytical model [1] are compared to the 3D LiDAR measurements of the wind turbine. The model is derived by applying the laws of conservation of mass and momentum and assuming a Gaussian distribution for the velocity deficit in the wake. This model has already been validated using high resolution wind-tunnel measurements and large-eddy simulation (LES) data of miniature wind turbine wakes, as well as LES data of real-scale wind-turbine wakes, but not yet with full-scale wind turbine wake measurements. [1] M. Bastankhah and F. Porté-Agel. A New Analytical Model For Wind-Turbine Wakes, in Renewable Energy, vol. 70, p. 116-123, 2014.

Validation of Long Range Wind Lidar for Atmospheric Dynamics Studies during inter comparison campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boquet, M.; Cariou, J. P.; Lolli, S.; Sauvage, L.; Parmentier, R.

2009-09-01

To fully understand atmospheric dynamics, climate studies, energy transfer and weather prediction, the wind field is one of the most important atmospheric state variables. Studies indicate that a global determination of the tropospheric wind field to an accuracy of 0.5 m/s is critical for improved numerical weather forecasting. LEOSPHERE recently developed a long range compact, eye safe and transportable wind Lidar capable to fully determine locally the wind field in real time in the planetary boundary layer (PBL). The WLS70 is a new generation wind Lidar developed for meteorological applications. The Lidar is derived from the commercial Windcube™ widely used by the wind industry and has been modified increasing the range up to 2 km. In this paper are presented results of the inter comparison measurement campaigns EUCAARI, LUAMI and WAVES in which the WLS70 participated together with both up-to-date active and passive ground-based remote-sensing systems for providing high-quality meteorological parameters reference or ground-truth e.g. to satellite sensors. In May 2008, the first WLS70 prototype started retrieving vertical wind speed profiles during the EUCAARI campaign at Cabauw, the Netherlands. First results were very promising with vertical profiles up to 2km showing high frequency updrafts and downdrafts in the boundary layer. From November 2008 to January 2009, a WLS70 was deployed in Germany, together with an EZ Lidar™ ALS450, in the frame of the Lindenberg Upper Air Methods Intercomparison (LUAMI) campaign. During 62 days, the WLS70 Lidar retrieved 24/24 hours vertical profiles of the 3 wind components, putting in evidence wind shears and veers, as well as gusts and high frequency convective effects with the raise of the mixing layer or with incoming rain fronts. In-cloud and multilayer measurements are also available allowing a large range of additional investigations such as cloud-aerosol interactions or cloud droplet activation. From March to May 2009, LEOSPHERE deployed a WLS70 prototype unit at the Howard University Research Campus in Beltsville, Maryland, for the Water Vapor Validation Experiments (WAVES) from the initiative of the NOAA. The presence of numerous wind profilers, lidars and radio soundings was a perfect opportunity to test and improve this new compact and autonomous long range wind Lidar. The WLS70 showed Low Level Jet phenomena which have strong impact on air quality. During these intensive inter comparison campaigns the WLS70 Wind Lidar was validated against Lidars, Radars, Sodars and anemometers. The results show mostly a very good agreement between the instruments. Moreover, the measurements put in evidence both horizontal and vertical wind speed and wind direction vertical profiles and atmosphere structure (PBL height , clouds base) derived from Lidar data with good time resolution (10s/profile), good range resolution (50m from 100m to 2000m), and good velocity resolution (0.2m/s). Enhanced measurement range is now expected through new optical device.

Study on typhoon characteristic based on bridge health monitoring system.

PubMed

Wang, Xu; Chen, Bin; Sun, Dezhang; Wu, Yinqiang

2014-01-01

Through the wind velocity and direction monitoring system installed on Jiubao Bridge of Qiantang River, Hangzhou city, Zhejiang province, China, a full range of wind velocity and direction data was collected during typhoon HAIKUI in 2012. Based on these data, it was found that, at higher observed elevation, turbulence intensity is lower, and the variation tendency of longitudinal and lateral turbulence intensities with mean wind speeds is basically the same. Gust factor goes higher with increasing mean wind speed, and the change rate obviously decreases as wind speed goes down and an inconspicuous increase occurs when wind speed is high. The change of peak factor is inconspicuous with increasing time and mean wind speed. The probability density function (PDF) of fluctuating wind speed follows Gaussian distribution. Turbulence integral scale increases with mean wind speed, and its PDF does not follow Gaussian distribution. The power spectrum of observation fluctuating velocity is in accordance with Von Karman spectrum.

Gas exchange-wind speed relation measured with sulfur hexafluoride on a lake

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wanninkhof, R.; Broecker, W. S.; Ledwell, J. R.

1985-01-01

Gas-exchange processes control the uptake and release of various gases in natural systems such as oceans, rivers, and lakes. Not much is known about the effect of wind speed on gas exchange in such systems. In the experiment described here, sulfur hexafluoride was dissolved in lake water, and the rate of escape of the gas with wind speed (at wind speeds up to 6 meters per second) was determined over a 1-month period. A sharp change in the wind speed dependence of the gas-exchange coefficient was found at wind speeds of about 2.4 meters per second, in agreement with the results of wind-tunnel studies. However the gas-exchange coefficients at wind speeds above 3 meters per second were smaller than those observed in wind tunnels and are in agreement with earlier lake and ocean results.

Synergistic Effects of Turbine Wakes and Atmospheric Stability on Power Production at an Onshore Wind Farm

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wharton, S; Lundquist, J K; Marjanovic, N

This report examines the complex interactions between atmospheric stability and turbine-induced wakes on downwind turbine wind speed and power production at a West Coast North American multi-MW wind farm. Wakes are generated when the upwind flow field is distorted by the mechanical movement of the wind turbine blades. This has two consequences for downwind turbines: (1) the downwind turbine encounters wind flows with reduced velocity and (2) the downwind turbine encounters increased turbulence across multiple length scales via mechanical turbulence production by the upwind turbine. This increase in turbulence on top of ambient levels may increase aerodynamic fatigue loads onmore » the blades and reduce the lifetime of turbine component parts. Furthermore, ambient atmospheric conditions, including atmospheric stability, i.e., thermal stratification in the lower boundary layer, play an important role in wake dissipation. Higher levels of ambient turbulence (i.e., a convective or unstable boundary layer) lead to higher turbulent mixing in the wake and a faster recovery in the velocity flow field downwind of a turbine. Lower levels of ambient turbulence, as in a stable boundary layer, will lead to more persistent wakes. The wake of a wind turbine can be divided into two regions: the near wake and far wake, as illustrated in Figure 1. The near wake is formed when the turbine structure alters the shape of the flow field and usually persists one rotor diameter (D) downstream. The difference between the air inside and outside of the near wake results in a shear layer. This shear layer thickens as it moves downstream and forms turbulent eddies of multiple length scales. As the wake travels downstream, it expands depending on the level of ambient turbulence and meanders (i.e., travels in non-uniform path). Schepers estimates that the wake is fully expanded at a distance of 2.25 D and the far wake region begins at 2-5 D downstream. The actual distance traveled before the wake recovers to its inflow velocity is dependent on the amount ambient turbulence, the amount of wind shear, and topographical and structural effects. The maximum velocity deficit is estimated to occur at 1-2 D but can be longer under low levels of ambient turbulence. Our understanding of turbine wakes comes from wind tunnel experiments, field experiments, numerical simulations, and from studies utilizing both experimental and modeling methods. It is well documented that downwind turbines in multi-Megawatt wind farms often produce less power than upwind turbine rows. These wake-induced power losses have been estimated from 5% to up to 40% depending on the turbine operating settings (e.g., thrust coefficient), number of turbine rows, turbine size (e.g., rotor diameter and hub-height), wind farm terrain, and atmospheric flow conditions (e.g., ambient wind speed, turbulence, and atmospheric stability). Early work by Elliott and Cadogan suggested that power data for different turbulent conditions be segregated to distinguish the effects of turbulence on wind farm power production. This may be especially important for downwind turbines within wind farms, as chaotic and turbulent wake flows increase stress on downstream turbines. Impacts of stability on turbine wakes and power production have been examined for a flat terrain, moderate size (43 turbines) wind farm in Minnesota and for an offshore, 80 turbine wind farm off the coast of Denmark. Conzemius found it difficult to distinguish wakes (i.e., downwind velocity deficits) when the atmosphere was convective as large amounts of scatter were present in the turbine nacelle wind speed data. This suggested that high levels of turbulence broke-up the wake via large buoyancy effects, which are generally on the order of 1 km in size. On the other hand, they found pronounced wake effects when the atmosphere was very stable and turbulence was either suppressed or the length scale was reduced as turbulence in this case was mechanically produced (i.e., friction forces). This led to larger reductions at downwind turbines and maximum velocity (power) deficits reached up to 50% (70%) during strongly stable conditions. At an offshore Danish wind farm, Hansen et al. found a strong negative correlation between power deficit and ambient turbulence intensity (i.e., atmospheric stability). Under convective conditions, when turbulence levels were relatively high, smallest power deficits were observed. Power deficits approaching 35 to 40% were found inside the wind farm during stable conditions.« less

Wind energy potential assessment of Cameroon's coastal regions for the installation of an onshore wind farm.

PubMed

Arreyndip, Nkongho Ayuketang; Joseph, Ebobenow; David, Afungchui

2016-11-01

For the future installation of a wind farm in Cameroon, the wind energy potentials of three of Cameroon's coastal cities (Kribi, Douala and Limbe) are assessed using NASA average monthly wind data for 31 years (1983-2013) and compared through Weibull statistics. The Weibull parameters are estimated by the method of maximum likelihood, the mean power densities, the maximum energy carrying wind speeds and the most probable wind speeds are also calculated and compared over these three cities. Finally, the cumulative wind speed distributions over the wet and dry seasons are also analyzed. The results show that the shape and scale parameters for Kribi, Douala and Limbe are 2.9 and 2.8, 3.9 and 1.8 and 3.08 and 2.58, respectively. The mean power densities through Weibull analysis for Kribi, Douala and Limbe are 33.7 W/m2, 8.0 W/m2 and 25.42 W/m2, respectively. Kribi's most probable wind speed and maximum energy carrying wind speed was found to be 2.42 m/s and 3.35 m/s, 2.27 m/s and 3.03 m/s for Limbe and 1.67 m/s and 2.0 m/s for Douala, respectively. Analysis of the wind speed and hence power distribution over the wet and dry seasons shows that in the wet season, August is the windiest month for Douala and Limbe while September is the windiest month for Kribi while in the dry season, March is the windiest month for Douala and Limbe while February is the windiest month for Kribi. In terms of mean power density, most probable wind speed and wind speed carrying maximum energy, Kribi shows to be the best site for the installation of a wind farm. Generally, the wind speeds at all three locations seem quite low, average wind speeds of all the three studied locations fall below 4.0m/s which is far below the cut-in wind speed of many modern wind turbines. However we recommend the use of low cut-in speed wind turbines like the Savonius for stand alone low energy needs.

Drag Coefficient and Foam in Hurricane Conditions.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Golbraikh, E.; Shtemler, Y.

2016-12-01

he present study is motivated by recent findings of saturation and even decrease in the drag coefficient (capping) in hurricane conditions, which is accompanied by the production of a foam layer on the ocean surface. As it is difficult to expect at present a comprehensive numerical modeling of the drag coefficient saturation that is followed by wave breaking and foam production, there is no complete confidence and understanding of the saturation phenomenon. Our semi-empirical model is proposed for the estimation of the foam impact on the variation of the effective drag coefficient, Cd , with the reference wind speed U10 in stormy and hurricane conditions. The proposed model treats the efficient air-sea aerodynamic roughness length as a sum of two weighted aerodynamic roughness lengths for the foam-free and foam-covered conditions. On the available optical and radiometric measurements of the fractional foam coverage,αf, combined with direct wind speed measurements in hurricane conditions, which provide the minimum of the effective drag coefficient, Cd for the sea covered with foam. The present model yields Cd10 versus U10 in fair agreement with that evaluated from both open-ocean and laboratory measurements of the vertical variation of mean wind speed in the range of U10 from low to hurricane speeds. The present approach opens opportunities for drag coefficient modeling in hurricane conditions and hurricane intensity estimation by the foam-coverage value using optical and radiometric measurements.

Estimation of effective wind speed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Østergaard, K. Z.; Brath, P.; Stoustrup, J.

2007-07-01

The wind speed has a huge impact on the dynamic response of wind turbine. Because of this, many control algorithms use a measure of the wind speed to increase performance, e.g. by gain scheduling and feed forward. Unfortunately, no accurate measurement of the effective wind speed is online available from direct measurements, which means that it must be estimated in order to make such control methods applicable in practice. In this paper a new method is presented for the estimation of the effective wind speed. First, the rotor speed and aerodynamic torque are estimated by a combined state and input observer. These two variables combined with the measured pitch angle is then used to calculate the effective wind speed by an inversion of a static aerodynamic model.

Connecting meteorology to surface transport in aeolian landscapes: Peering into the boundary layer with Doppler lidar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gunn, A.; Jerolmack, D. J.; Edmonds, D. A.; Ewing, R. C.; Wanker, M.; David, S. R.

2017-12-01

Aolian sand dunes grow to 100s or 1000s of meters in wavelength by sand saltation, which also produces dust plumes that feed cloud formation and may spread around the world. The relations among sediment transport, landscape dynamics and wind are typically observed at the limiting ends of the relevant range: highly resolved and localized ground observations of turbulence and relevant fluxes; or regional and synoptic-scale meteorology and satellite imagery. Between the geostrophic winds aloft and shearing stress on the Earth's surface is the boundary layer, whose stability and structure determines how momentum is transferred and ultimately entrains sediment. Although the literature on atmospheric boundary layer flows is mature, this understanding is rarely applied to aeolian landscape dynamics. Moreover, there are few vertically and time-resolved datasets of atmospheric boundary layer flows in desert sand seas, where buoyancy effects are most pronounced. Here we employ a ground-based upward-looking doppler lidar to examine atmospheric boundary layer flow at the upwind margin of the White Sands (New Mexico) dune field, providing continuous 3D wind velocity data from the surface to 300-m aloft over 70 days of the characteristically windy spring season. Data show highly resolved daily cyles of convective instabilty due to daytime heating and stable stratification due to nightime cooling which act to enhance or depress, respectively, the surface wind stresses for a given free-stream velocity. Our data implicate convective instability in driving strong saltation and dust emission, because enhanced mixing flattens the vertical velocity profile (raising surface wind speed) while upward advection helps to deliver dust to the high atmosphere. We also find evidence for Ekman spiralling, with a magnitude that depends on atmospheric stability. This spiralling gives rise to a deflection in the direction between geostrophic and surface winds, that is significant for the orientation of dunes.

Importance of air-sea interaction on wind waves, storm surge and hurricane simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Yingjian; Yu, Xiping

2017-04-01

It was reported from field observations that wind stress coefficient levels off and even decreases when the wind speed exceeds 30-40 m/s. We propose a wave boundary layer model (WBLM) based on the momentum and energy conservation equations. Taking into account the physical details of the air-sea interaction process as well as the energy dissipation due to the presence of sea spray, this model successfully predicts the decreasing tendency of wind stress coefficient. Then WBLM is embedded in the current-wave coupled model FVCOM-SWAVE to simulate surface waves and storm surge under the forcing of hurricane Katrina. Numerical results based on WBLM agree well with the observed data of NDBC buoys and tide gauges. Sensitivity analysis of different wind stress evaluation methods also shows that large anomalies of significant wave height and surge elevation are captured along the passage of hurricane core. The differences of the local wave height are up to 13 m, which is in accordance with the general knowledge that the ocean dynamic processes under storm conditions are very sensitive to the amount of momentum exchange at the air-sea interface. In the final part of the research, the reduced wind stress coefficient is tested in the numerical forecast of hurricane Katrina. A parabolic formula fitted to WBLM is employed in the atmosphere-ocean coupled model COAWST. Considering the joint effects of ocean cooling and reduced wind drag, the intensity metrics - the minimum sea level pressure and the maximum 10 m wind speed - are in good inconsistency with the best track result. Those methods, which predict the wind stress coefficient that increase or saturate in extreme wind condition, underestimate the hurricane intensity. As a whole, we unify the evaluation methods of wind stress in different numerical models and yield reasonable results. Although it is too early to conclude that WBLM is totally applicable or the drag coefficient does decrease for high wind speed, our current research is considered to be a significant step for the application of air-sea interaction on the ocean and atmosphere modelling.

Comparison of wind tunnel and flight test afterbody and nozzle pressures for a twin-jet fighter aircraft at transonic speeds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nugent, Jack; Pendergraft, Odis C., Jr.

1987-01-01

Afterbody and nozzle pressures measured on a 1/12-scale model and in flight on a twin-jet fighter aircraft were compared as Mach number varied from 0.6 to 1.2, Reynolds number from 17.5 million to 302.5 million, and angle of attack from 1 to 7 deg. At Mach 0.6 and 0.8, nozzle pressure coefficient distributions and nozzle axial force coefficients agreed and showed good recompression. At Mach 0.9 and 1.2, flow complexity caused a loss in recompression for both flight and wind tunnel nozzle data. The flight data exhibited less negative values of pressure coefficient and lower axial force coefficients than did the wind tunnel data. Reynolds number effects were noted only at these Mach numbers. Jet temperature and mass flux ratio did not affect the comparisons of nozzle axial flow coefficient. At subsonic speeds, the levels of pressure coefficient distributions on the upper fuselage and lower nacelle surfaces for flight were less negative than those for the model. The model boundary layer thickness at the aft rake station exceeded that for the forward rake station and increased with increasing angle of attack. The flight boundary layer thickness at the aft rake station was less than that for the forward rake station and decreased with increasing angle of attack.

Projected Changes on the Global Surface Wave Drift Climate towards the END of the Twenty-First Century

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carrasco, Ana; Semedo, Alvaro; Behrens, Arno; Weisse, Ralf; Breivik, Øyvind; Saetra, Øyvind; Håkon Christensen, Kai

2016-04-01

The global wave-induced current (the Stokes Drift - SD) is an important feature of the ocean surface, with mean values close to 10 cm/s along the extra-tropical storm tracks in both hemispheres. Besides the horizontal displacement of large volumes of water the SD also plays an important role in the ocean mix-layer turbulence structure, particularly in stormy or high wind speed areas. The role of the wave-induced currents in the ocean mix-layer and in the sea surface temperature (SST) is currently a hot topic of air-sea interaction research, from forecast to climate ranges. The SD is mostly driven by wind sea waves and highly sensitive to changes in the overlaying wind speed and direction. The impact of climate change in the global wave-induced current climate will be presented. The wave model WAM has been forced by the global climate model (GCM) ECHAM5 wind speed (at 10 m height) and ice, for present-day and potential future climate conditions towards the end of the end of the twenty-first century, represented by the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) CMIP3 (Coupled Model Inter-comparison Project phase 3) A1B greenhouse gas emission scenario (usually referred to as a ''medium-high emissions'' scenario). Several wave parameters were stored as output in the WAM model simulations, including the wave spectra. The 6 hourly and 0.5°×0.5°, temporal and space resolution, wave spectra were used to compute the SD global climate of two 32-yr periods, representative of the end of the twentieth (1959-1990) and twenty-first (1969-2100) centuries. Comparisons of the present climate run with the ECMWF (European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts) ERA-40 reanalysis are used to assess the capability of the WAM-ECHAM5 runs to produce realistic SD results. This study is part of the WRCP-JCOMM COWCLIP (Coordinated Ocean Wave Climate Project) effort.

Air/sea DMS gas transfer in the North Atlantic: evidence for limited interfacial gas exchange at high wind speed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bell, T. G.; De Bruyn, W.; Miller, S. D.; Ward, B.; Christensen, K.; Saltzman, E. S.

2013-05-01

Shipboard measurements of eddy covariance DMS air/sea fluxes and seawater concentration were carried out in the North Atlantic bloom region in June/July 2011. Gas transfer coefficients (k660) show a linear dependence on mean horizontal wind speed at wind speeds up to 11 m s-1. At higher wind speeds the relationship between k660 and wind speed weakens. At high winds, measured DMS fluxes were lower than predicted based on the linear relationship between wind speed and interfacial stress extrapolated from low to intermediate wind speeds. In contrast, the transfer coefficient for sensible heat did not exhibit this effect. The apparent suppression of air/sea gas flux at higher wind speeds appears to be related to sea state, as determined from shipboard wave measurements. These observations are consistent with the idea that long waves suppress near surface water side turbulence, and decrease interfacial gas transfer. This effect may be more easily observed for DMS than for less soluble gases, such as CO2, because the air/sea exchange of DMS is controlled by interfacial rather than bubble-mediated gas transfer under high wind speed conditions.

Air-sea dimethylsulfide (DMS) gas transfer in the North Atlantic: evidence for limited interfacial gas exchange at high wind speed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bell, T. G.; De Bruyn, W.; Miller, S. D.; Ward, B.; Christensen, K.; Saltzman, E. S.

2013-11-01

Shipboard measurements of eddy covariance dimethylsulfide (DMS) air-sea fluxes and seawater concentration were carried out in the North Atlantic bloom region in June/July 2011. Gas transfer coefficients (k660) show a linear dependence on mean horizontal wind speed at wind speeds up to 11 m s-1. At higher wind speeds the relationship between k660 and wind speed weakens. At high winds, measured DMS fluxes were lower than predicted based on the linear relationship between wind speed and interfacial stress extrapolated from low to intermediate wind speeds. In contrast, the transfer coefficient for sensible heat did not exhibit this effect. The apparent suppression of air-sea gas flux at higher wind speeds appears to be related to sea state, as determined from shipboard wave measurements. These observations are consistent with the idea that long waves suppress near-surface water-side turbulence, and decrease interfacial gas transfer. This effect may be more easily observed for DMS than for less soluble gases, such as CO2, because the air-sea exchange of DMS is controlled by interfacial rather than bubble-mediated gas transfer under high wind speed conditions.

Model analysis of urbanization impacts on boundary layer meteorology under hot weather conditions: a case study of Nanjing, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Lei; Zhang, Meigen; Wang, Yongwei

2016-08-01

The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model, configured with a single-layer urban canopy model, was employed to investigate the influence of urbanization on boundary layer meteorological parameters during a long-lasting heat wave. This study was conducted over Nanjing city, East China, from 26 July to 4 August 2010. The impacts of urban expansion and anthropogenic heat (AH) release were simulated to quantify their effects on 2-m temperature, 2-m water vapor mixing ratio, and 10-m wind speed and heat stress index. Urban sprawl increased the daily 2-m temperature in urbanized areas by around 1.6 °C and decreased the urban diurnal temperature range (DTR) by 1.24 °C. The contribution of AH release to the atmospheric warming was nearly 22 %, but AH had little influence on the DTR. The urban regional mean surface wind speed decreased by about 0.4 m s-1, and this decrease was successfully simulated from the surface to 300 m. The influence of urbanization on 2-m water vapor mixing ratio was significant over highly urbanized areas with a decrease of 1.1-1.8 g kg-1. With increased urbanization ratio, the duration of the inversion layer was about 4 h shorter, and the lower atmospheric layer was less stable. Urban heat island (UHI) intensity was significantly enhanced when synthesizing both urban sprawl and AH release and the daily mean UHI intensity increased by 0.74 °C. Urbanization increased the time under extreme heat stress (about 40 %) and worsened the living environment in urban areas.

Inventory of File sref.t03z.pgrb197.prob_ds_3hrly.grib

Science.gov Websites

ground WIND 3 hour fcst Wind Speed [prob] prob >12.89 005 10 m above ground WIND 3 hour fcst Wind Speed [prob] prob >17.5 006 10 m above ground WIND 3 hour fcst Wind Speed [prob] prob >25.78 007 2 ;0.015 010 10 m above ground WIND 6 hour fcst Wind Speed [prob] prob >12.89 011 10 m above ground WIND

Expertise effects in cutaneous wind perception.

PubMed

Pluijms, Joost P; Cañal-Bruland, Rouwen; Bergmann Tiest, Wouter M; Mulder, Fabian A; Savelsbergh, Geert J P

2015-08-01

We examined whether expertise effects are present in cutaneous wind perception. To this end, we presented wind stimuli consisting of different wind directions and speeds in a wind simulator. The wind simulator generated wind stimuli from 16 directions and with three speeds by means of eight automotive wind fans. Participants were asked to judge cutaneously perceived wind directions and speeds without having access to any visual or auditory information. Expert sailors (n = 6), trained to make the most effective use of wind characteristics, were compared to less-skilled sailors (n = 6) and to a group of nonsailors (n = 6). The results indicated that expert sailors outperformed nonsailors in perceiving wind direction (i.e., smaller mean signed errors) when presented with low wind speeds. This suggests that expert sailors are more sensitive in picking up differences in wind direction, particularly when confronted with low wind speeds that demand higher sensitivity.

Using Sentinel-1 SAR satellites to map wind speed variation across offshore wind farm clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

James, S. F.

2017-11-01

Offshore wind speed maps at 500m resolution are derived from freely available satellite Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data. The method for processing many SAR images to derive wind speed maps is described in full. The results are tested against coincident offshore mast data. Example wind speed maps for the UK Thames Estuary offshore wind farm cluster are presented.

Reattachment Zone Characterisation Under Offshore Winds With Flow Separation On The Lee Side Of Coastal Dunes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delgado-Fernandez, I.; Jackson, D.; Cooper, J. A.; Baas, A. C.; Lynch, K.; Beyers, M.

2010-12-01

Airflow separation, lee-side eddies and secondary flows play an essential role on the formation and maintenance of sand dunes. Downstream from dune crests the flow surface layer detaches from the ground and generates an area characterised by turbulent eddies in the dune lee slope (the wake). At some distance downstream from the dune crest, flow separates into a reversed component directed toward the dune toe and an offshore “re-attached” component. This reattachment zone (RZ) has been documented in fluvial and desert environments, wind tunnel experiments and numerical simulations, but not yet characterised in coastal dunes. This study examines the extent and temporal evolution of the RZ and its implications for beach-dune interaction at Magilligan, Northern Ireland. Wind parameters were measured over a profile extending from an 11 m height dune crest towards the beach, covering a total distance of 65 m cross-shore. Data was collected using an array of nine ultrasonic anemometers (UAs) deployed in April-May 2010, as part of a larger experiment to capture airflow data under a range of incident wind velocities and offshore directions. UAs were located along the profile (5 m tower spacing) over the beach, which allowed a detailed examination of the RZ with empirical data. Numerical modelling using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software was also conducted with input data from anemometer field measurements, running over a surface mesh generated from LiDAR and DGPS surveys. Results demonstrate that there is a wind threshold of approximately 5-6 ms-1 under which no flow separation exists with offshore winds. As wind speed increases over the threshold, a flow reversal area is quickly formed, with the maximum extent of the RZ at approximately 3.5 dune heights (h). The maximum extent of the RZ increases up to 4.5h with stronger wind speeds of 8-10 ms-1 and remains relatively constant as wind speed further increases. This suggests that the spatial extent of the RZ is independent of incident wind speed and is located between 4-5h. The magnitude of the maximum extent of the RZ is similar to that simulated using CFD and is consistent with previous studies conducted in desert dunes and wind tunnel simulations for offshore winds blowing over tall and sharp-crested dunes. Ongoing analyses are being conducted to evaluate the effect of changing wind direction, dune height and shape.

Aerodynamic design trends for commercial aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hilbig, R.; Koerner, H.

1986-01-01

Recent research on advanced-configuration commercial aircraft at DFVLR is surveyed, with a focus on aerodynamic approaches to improved performance. Topics examined include transonic wings with variable camber or shock/boundary-layer control, wings with reduced friction drag or laminarized flow, prop-fan propulsion, and unusual configurations or wing profiles. Drawings, diagrams, and graphs of predicted performance are provided, and the need for extensive development efforts using powerful computer facilities, high-speed and low-speed wind tunnels, and flight tests of models (mounted on specially designed carrier aircraft) is indicated.

Watercolor World

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-04-17

When imaged by NASA Cassini spacecraft at infrared wavelengths that pierce the planet upper haze layer, the high-speed winds of Saturn atmosphere produce watercolor-like patterns. With no solid surface creating atmospheric drag, winds on Saturn can reach speeds of more than 1,100 miles per hour (1,800 kilometers per hour) -- some of the fastest in the solar system. This view was taken from a vantage point about 28 degrees above Saturn's equator. The image was taken with the Cassini spacecraft wide-angle camera on Dec. 2, 2016, with a combination of spectral filters which preferentially admits wavelengths of near-infrared light centered at 728 nanometers. The view was acquired at a distance of approximately 592,000 miles (953,000 kilometers) from Saturn. Image scale is 35 miles (57 kilometers) per pixel. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA20528

Wind noise under a pine tree canopy.

PubMed

Raspet, Richard; Webster, Jeremy

2015-02-01

It is well known that infrasonic wind noise levels are lower for arrays placed in forests and under vegetation than for those in open areas. In this research, the wind noise levels, turbulence spectra, and wind velocity profiles are measured in a pine forest. A prediction of the wind noise spectra from the measured meteorological parameters is developed based on recent research on wind noise above a flat plane. The resulting wind noise spectrum is the sum of the low frequency wind noise generated by the turbulence-shear interaction near and above the tops of the trees and higher frequency wind noise generated by the turbulence-turbulence interaction near the ground within the tree layer. The convection velocity of the low frequency wind noise corresponds to the wind speed above the trees while the measurements showed that the wind noise generated by the turbulence-turbulence interaction is near stationary and is generated by the slow moving turbulence adjacent to the ground. Comparison of the predicted wind noise spectrum with the measured wind noise spectrum shows good agreement for four measurement sets. The prediction can be applied to meteorological estimates to predict the wind noise under other pine forests.

Safe housing ensured by an electric field screen that excludes insect-net permeating haematophagous mosquitoes carrying human pathogens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matsuda, Y.; Kakutani, K.; Nonomura, T.; Kimbara, J.; Osamura, K.; Kusakar, S.; Toyoda, H.

2015-10-01

An electric field screen can be used to keep mosquitoes out of houses with open windows. In this study, doubly charged dipolar electric field screens (DD-screens) were used to capture mosquitoes entering through a window. The screen had two components: three layers of insulated conductor iron wires (ICWs) in parallel arrays and two electrostatic direct current (DC) voltage generators that supplied negative or positive voltages to the ICWs. Within each layer, the ICWs were parallel at 5-mm intervals, and connected to each other and to a negative or positive voltage generator. The negatively and positively charged ICWs are represented as ICW(-) and ICW(+), respectively. The screen consisted of one ICW(+) layer with an ICW(-) layer on either side. The Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) and house mosquito (Culex pipiens) were used as models of vectors carrying viral pathogens. Adult mosquitoes were blown into the space between the ICWs by sending compressed air through the tip of an insect aspirator to determine the voltage range that captured all of the test insects. Wind speed was measured at the surface of the ICW using a sensitive anemometer. The result showed that at ≥ 1.2 kV, the force was strong enough that the ICWs captured all of the mosquitoes, despite a wind speed of 7 m/s. Therefore, the DD-screen could serve as a physical barrier to prevent noxious mosquitoes from entering houses with good air penetration.

Analytical expressions for maximum wind turbine average power in a Rayleigh wind regime

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Carlin, P.W.

Average or expectation values for annual power of a wind turbine in a Rayleigh wind regime are calculated and plotted as a function of cut-out wind speed. This wind speed is expressed in multiples of the annual average wind speed at the turbine installation site. To provide a common basis for comparison of all real and imagined turbines, the Rayleigh-Betz wind machine is postulated. This machine is an ideal wind machine operating with the ideal Betz power coefficient of 0.593 in a Rayleigh probability wind regime. All other average annual powers are expressed in fractions of that power. Cases consideredmore » include: (1) an ideal machine with finite power and finite cutout speed, (2) real machines operating in variable speed mode at their maximum power coefficient, and (3) real machines operating at constant speed.« less

Aerothermodynamics of expert ballistic vehicle at hypersonic speeds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kharitonov, A. M.; Adamov, N. P.; Chirkashenko, V. F.; Mazhul, I. I.; Shpak, S. I.; Shiplyuk, A. N.; Vasenyov, L. G.; Zvegintsev, V. I.; Muylaert, J. M.

2012-01-01

The European EXPErimental Re-entry Test bed (EXPERT) vehicle is intended for studying various basic phenomena, such as the boundary-layer transition on blunted bodies, real gas effects during shock wave/boundary layer interaction, and effect of surface catalycity. Another task is to develop methods for recalculating the results of windtunnel experiments to flight conditions. The EXPERT program implies large-scale preflight research, in particular, various calculations with the use of advanced numerical methods, experimental studies of the models in various wind tunnels, and comparative analysis of data obtained for possible extrapolation of data to in-flight conditions. The experimental studies are performed in various aerodynamic centers of Europe and Russia under contracts with ESA-ESTEC. In particular, extensive experiments are performed at the Von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics (VKI, Belgium) and also at the DLR aerospace center in Germany. At ITAM SB RAS, the experimental studies of the EXPERT model characteristic were performed under ISTC Projects 2109, 3151, and 3550, in the T-313 supersonic wind tunnel and AT-303 hypersonic wind tunnel.

Spatiotemporal Variability of Surface Meteorological Variables During Fog and No-Fog Events in the Heber Valley, UT; Selected Case Studies From MATERHORN-Fog

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van den Bossche, Michael; De Wekker, Stephan F. J.

2016-09-01

We investigated the spatiotemporal variability of surface meteorological variables in the nocturnal boundary layer using six automatic weather stations deployed in the Heber Valley, UT, during the MATERHORN-Fog experiment. The stations were installed on the valley floor within a 1.5 km × 0.8 km area and collected 1-Hz wind and pressure data and 0.2-Hz temperature and humidity data. We describe the weather stations and analyze the spatiotemporal variability of the measured variables during three nights with radiative cooling. Two nights were characterized by the presence of dense ice fog, one night with a persistent (`heavy') fog, and one with a short-lived (`moderate') fog, while the third night had no fog. Frost-point depressions were larger preceding the night without fog and showed a continued decrease during the no-fog night. On both fog nights, the frost-point depression reached values close to zero early in the night, but ~5 h earlier on the heavy-fog night than on the moderate-fog night. Spatial variability of temperature and humidity was smallest during the heavy-fog night and increased temporarily during short periods when wind speeds increased and the fog lifted. During all three nights, wind speeds did not exceed 2 m/s. The temporal variability of the wind speed and direction was larger during the fog nights than during the no-fog nights, but was particularly large during the heavy-fog night. The large variability corresponded with short-lived (5-10 min) pressure variations with amplitudes on the order of 0.5 hPa, indicating gravity wave activity. These pressure fluctuations occurred at all stations and were correlated in particular with variability in wind direction. Although not able to provide a complete picture of the nocturnal boundary layer, our low-cost weather stations were able to continuously collect data that were comparable to those of nearby research-grade instruments. From these data, we distinguished between fog and no-fog events, successfully quantified spatiotemporal variations in surface properties during these events, and detected gravity waves.

Equatorial jet in the lower to middle cloud layer of Venus revealed by Akatsuki

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horinouchi, Takeshi; Murakami, Shin-Ya; Satoh, Takehiko; Peralta, Javier; Ogohara, Kazunori; Kouyama, Toru; Imamura, Takeshi; Kashimura, Hiroki; Limaye, Sanjay S.; McGouldrick, Kevin; Nakamura, Masato; Sato, Takao M.; Sugiyama, Ko-Ichiro; Takagi, Masahiro; Watanabe, Shigeto; Yamada, Manabu; Yamazaki, Atsushi; Young, Eliot F.

2017-09-01

The Venusian atmosphere is in a state of superrotation where prevailing westward winds move much faster than the planet's rotation. Venus is covered with thick clouds that extend from about 45 to 70 km altitude, but thermal radiation emitted from the lower atmosphere and the surface on the planet's nightside escapes to space at narrow spectral windows of the near-infrared. The radiation can be used to estimate winds by tracking the silhouettes of clouds in the lower and middle cloud regions below about 57 km in altitude. Estimates of wind speeds have ranged from 50 to 70 m s-1 at low to mid-latitudes, either nearly constant across latitudes or with winds peaking at mid-latitudes. Here we report the detection of winds at low latitude exceeding 80 m s-1 using IR2 camera images from the Akatsuki orbiter taken during July and August 2016. The angular speed around the planetary rotation axis peaks near the equator, which we suggest is consistent with an equatorial jet, a feature that has not been observed previously in the Venusian atmosphere. The mechanism producing the jet remains unclear. Our observations reveal variability in the zonal flow in the lower and middle cloud region that may provide clues to the dynamics of Venus's atmospheric superrotation.

Equatorial jet in the lower to middle cloud layer of Venus revealed by Akatsuki.

PubMed

Horinouchi, Takeshi; Murakami, Shin-Ya; Satoh, Takehiko; Peralta, Javier; Ogohara, Kazunori; Kouyama, Toru; Imamura, Takeshi; Kashimura, Hiroki; Limaye, Sanjay S; McGouldrick, Kevin; Nakamura, Masato; Sato, Takao M; Sugiyama, Ko-Ichiro; Takagi, Masahiro; Watanabe, Shigeto; Yamada, Manabu; Yamazaki, Atsushi; Young, Eliot F

2017-01-01

The Venusian atmosphere is in a state of superrotation where prevailing westward winds move much faster than the planet's rotation. Venus is covered with thick clouds that extend from about 45 to 70 km altitude, but thermal radiation emitted from the lower atmosphere and the surface on the planet's night-side escapes to space at narrow spectral windows of near-infrared. The radiation can be used to estimate winds by tracking the silhouettes of clouds in the lower and middle cloud regions below about 57 km in altitude. Estimates of wind speeds have ranged from 50 to 70 m/s at low- to mid-latitudes, either nearly constant across latitudes or with winds peaking at mid-latitudes. Here we report the detection of winds at low latitude exceeding 80 m/s using IR2 camera images from the Akatsuki orbiter taken during July and August 2016. The angular speed around the planetary rotation axis peaks near the equator, which we suggest is consistent with an equatorial jet, a feature that has not been observed previously in the Venusian atmosphere. The mechanism producing the jet remains unclear. Our observations reveal variability in the zonal flow in the lower and middle cloud region that may provide new challenges and clues to the dynamics of Venus's atmospheric superrotation.

Improved Modeling of Surface Layer Parameters in a AGCM Using Refined Vertical Resolution in the Surface Layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shin, H. H.; Zhao, M.; Ming, Y.; Chen, X.; Lin, S. J.

2017-12-01

Surface layer (SL) parameters in atmospheric models - such as 2-m air temperature (T2), 10-m wind speed (U10), and surface turbulent fluxes - are computed by applying the Monin-Obukhov Similarity Theory (MOST) to the lowest model level height (LMH) in the models. The underlying assumption is that LMH is within surface layer height (SLH), but most AGCMs hardly meet the condition in stable boundary layers (SBLs) over land. To assess the errors in modeled SL parameters caused by this, offline computations of the MOST are performed with different LMHs from 1 to 100 m, for an idealized SBL case with prescribed surface parameters (surface temperature, roughness length and Obukhov length), and vertical profiles of temperature and winds. The results show that when LMH is higher than SLH, T2 and U10 are underestimated by O(1 K) and O(1 m/s), respectively, and the biases increase as LMH increases. Based on this, the refined vertical resolution with an additional layer in the SL is applied to the GFDL AGCM, and it reduces the systematic cold biases in T2 and the systematic underestimation of U10.

Effective wind speed estimation: Comparison between Kalman Filter and Takagi-Sugeno observer techniques.

PubMed

Gauterin, Eckhard; Kammerer, Philipp; Kühn, Martin; Schulte, Horst

2016-05-01

Advanced model-based control of wind turbines requires knowledge of the states and the wind speed. This paper benchmarks a nonlinear Takagi-Sugeno observer for wind speed estimation with enhanced Kalman Filter techniques: The performance and robustness towards model-structure uncertainties of the Takagi-Sugeno observer, a Linear, Extended and Unscented Kalman Filter are assessed. Hence the Takagi-Sugeno observer and enhanced Kalman Filter techniques are compared based on reduced-order models of a reference wind turbine with different modelling details. The objective is the systematic comparison with different design assumptions and requirements and the numerical evaluation of the reconstruction quality of the wind speed. Exemplified by a feedforward loop employing the reconstructed wind speed, the benefit of wind speed estimation within wind turbine control is illustrated. Copyright © 2015 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characteristics of Turbulent Transfer during Episodes of Heavy Haze Pollution in Beijing in Winter 2016/17

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ren, Yan; Zheng, Shuwen; Wei, Wei; Wu, Bingui; Zhang, Hongsheng; Cai, Xuhui; Song, Yu

2018-02-01

We analyzed the structure and evolution of turbulent transfer and the wind profile in the atmospheric boundary layer in relation to aerosol concentrations during an episode of heavy haze pollution from 6 December 2016 to 9 January 2017. The turbulence data were recorded at Peking University's atmospheric science and environment observation station. The results showed a negative correlation between the wind speed and the PM2.5 concentration. The turbulence kinetic energy was large and showed obvious diurnal variations during unpolluted (clean) weather, but was small during episodes of heavy haze pollution. Under both clean and heavy haze conditions, the relation between the non-dimensional wind components and the stability parameter z/ L followed a 1/3 power law, but the normalized standard deviations of the wind speed were smaller during heavy pollution events than during clean periods under near-neutral conditions. Under unstable conditions, the normalized standard deviation of the potential temperature σ θ /| θ *| was related to z/ L, roughly following a -1/3 power law, and the ratio during pollution days was greater than that during clean days. The three-dimensional turbulence energy spectra satisfied a -2/3 power exponent rate in the high-frequency band. In the low-frequency band, the wind velocity spectrum curve was related to the stability parameters under clear conditions, but was not related to atmospheric stratification under polluted conditions. In the dissipation stage of the heavy pollution episode, the horizontal wind speed first started to increase at high altitudes and then gradually decreased at lower altitudes. The strong upward motion during this stage was an important dynamic factor in the dissipation of the heavy haze.

Improving wind energy forecasts using an Ensemble Kalman Filter data assimilation technique in a fully coupled hydrologic and atmospheric model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, J. L.; Maxwell, R. M.; Delle Monache, L.

2012-12-01

Wind power is rapidly gaining prominence as a major source of renewable energy. Harnessing this promising energy source is challenging because of the chaotic nature of wind and its propensity to change speed and direction over short time scales. Accurate forecasting tools are critical to support the integration of wind energy into power grids and to maximize its impact on renewable energy portfolios. Numerous studies have shown that soil moisture distribution and land surface vegetative processes profoundly influence atmospheric boundary layer development and weather processes on local and regional scales. Using the PF.WRF model, a fully-coupled hydrologic and atmospheric model employing the ParFlow hydrologic model with the Weather Research and Forecasting model coupled via mass and energy fluxes across the land surface, we have explored the connections between the land surface and the atmosphere in terms of land surface energy flux partitioning and coupled variable fields including hydraulic conductivity, soil moisture and wind speed, and demonstrated that reductions in uncertainty in these coupled fields propagate through the hydrologic and atmospheric system. We have adapted the Data Assimilation Research Testbed (DART), an implementation of the robust Ensemble Kalman Filter data assimilation algorithm, to expand our capability to nudge forecasts produced with the PF.WRF model using observational data. Using a semi-idealized simulation domain, we examine the effects of assimilating observations of variables such as wind speed and temperature collected in the atmosphere, and land surface and subsurface observations such as soil moisture on the quality of forecast outputs. The sensitivities we find in this study will enable further studies to optimize observation collection to maximize the utility of the PF.WRF-DART forecasting system.

Peak Wind Tool for General Forecasting

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barrett, Joe H., III; Short, David

2008-01-01

This report describes work done by the Applied Meteorology Unit (AMU) in predicting peak winds at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS). The 45th Weather Squadron requested the AMU develop a tool to help them forecast the speed and timing of the daily peak and average wind, from the surface to 300 ft on KSC/CCAFS during the cool season. Based on observations from the KSC/CCAFS wind tower network , Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) surface observations, and CCAFS sounding s from the cool season months of October 2002 to February 2007, the AMU created mul tiple linear regression equations to predict the timing and speed of the daily peak wind speed, as well as the background average wind speed. Several possible predictors were evaluated, including persistence , the temperature inversion depth and strength, wind speed at the top of the inversion, wind gust factor (ratio of peak wind speed to average wind speed), synoptic weather pattern, occurrence of precipitation at the SLF, and strongest wind in the lowest 3000 ft, 4000 ft, or 5000 ft.

Generalized extreme gust wind speeds distributions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cheng, E.; Yeung, C.

2002-01-01

Since summer 1996, the US wind engineers are using the extreme gust (or 3-s gust) as the basic wind speed to quantify the destruction of extreme winds. In order to better understand these destructive wind forces, it is important to know the appropriate representations of these extreme gust wind speeds. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to determine the most suitable extreme value distributions for the annual extreme gust wind speeds recorded in large selected areas. To achieve this objective, we are using the generalized Pareto distribution as the diagnostic tool for determining the types of extreme gust wind speed distributions. The three-parameter generalized extreme value distribution function is, thus, reduced to either Type I Gumbel, Type II Frechet or Type III reverse Weibull distribution function for the annual extreme gust wind speeds recorded at a specific site.With the considerations of the quality and homogeneity of gust wind data collected at more than 750 weather stations throughout the United States, annual extreme gust wind speeds at selected 143 stations in the contiguous United States were used in the study. ?? 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

A new method for wind speed forecasting based on copula theory.

PubMed

Wang, Yuankun; Ma, Huiqun; Wang, Dong; Wang, Guizuo; Wu, Jichun; Bian, Jinyu; Liu, Jiufu

2018-01-01

How to determine representative wind speed is crucial in wind resource assessment. Accurate wind resource assessments are important to wind farms development. Linear regressions are usually used to obtain the representative wind speed. However, terrain flexibility of wind farm and long distance between wind speed sites often lead to low correlation. In this study, copula method is used to determine the representative year's wind speed in wind farm by interpreting the interaction of the local wind farm and the meteorological station. The result shows that the method proposed here can not only determine the relationship between the local anemometric tower and nearby meteorological station through Kendall's tau, but also determine the joint distribution without assuming the variables to be independent. Moreover, the representative wind data can be obtained by the conditional distribution much more reasonably. We hope this study could provide scientific reference for accurate wind resource assessments. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Vertical Error Characteristics of GOES-derived Winds: Description and Impact on Numerical Weather Prediction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rao, P. Anil; Velden, Christopher S.; Braun, Scott A.; Einaudi, Franco (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Errors in the height assignment of some satellite-derived winds exist because the satellites sense radiation emitted from a finite layer of the atmosphere rather than a specific level. Potential problems in data assimilation may arise because the motion of a measured layer is often represented by a single-level value. In this research, cloud and water vapor motion winds that are derived from the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES winds) are compared to collocated rawinsonde observations (RAOBs). An important aspect of this work is that in addition to comparisons at each assigned height, the GOES winds are compared to the entire profile of the collocated RAOB data to determine the vertical error characteristics of the GOES winds. The impact of these results on numerical weather prediction is then investigated. The comparisons at individual vector height assignments indicate that the error of the GOES winds range from approx. 3 to 10 m/s and generally increase with height. However, if taken as a percentage of the total wind speed, accuracy is better at upper levels. As expected, comparisons with the entire profile of the collocated RAOBs indicate that clear-air water vapor winds represent deeper layers than do either infrared or water vapor cloud-tracked winds. This is because in cloud-free regions the signal from water vapor features may result from emittance over a thicker layer. To further investigate characteristics of the clear-air water vapor winds, they are stratified into two categories that are dependent on the depth of the layer represented by the vector. It is found that if the vertical gradient of moisture is smooth and uniform from near the height assignment upwards, the clear-air water vapor wind tends to represent a relatively deep layer. The information from the comparisons is then used in numerical model simulations of two separate events to determine the forecast impacts. Four simulations are performed for each case: 1) A control simulation that assimilates no satellite wind data, 2) assimilation of all GOES winds according to their assigned single level height, 3) assimilation of all GOES winds spread over multiple levels, and 4) assimilation of all GOES winds spread over multiple levels, but with variations in the vertical influence of clear-air water vapor winds based on the moisture profile in the model. In the first case, a strong mid-latitude cyclone is present and the use of the satellite data results in improved storm tracks during the initial approx. 36 h forecast period. This is because the satellite data improves the analysis of the environment into which the storm progresses. Statistics for mean wind vector and height differences show that, with the exception of the height field at later times in the first case, the use of GOES winds improves the simulation with time. The simulation results suggest that it is beneficial to spread the GOES wind information over multiple levels, particularly when the moisture profile is used to define the vertical influence.

Nonparametric Stochastic Model for Uncertainty Quantifi cation of Short-term Wind Speed Forecasts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

AL-Shehhi, A. M.; Chaouch, M.; Ouarda, T.

2014-12-01

Wind energy is increasing in importance as a renewable energy source due to its potential role in reducing carbon emissions. It is a safe, clean, and inexhaustible source of energy. The amount of wind energy generated by wind turbines is closely related to the wind speed. Wind speed forecasting plays a vital role in the wind energy sector in terms of wind turbine optimal operation, wind energy dispatch and scheduling, efficient energy harvesting etc. It is also considered during planning, design, and assessment of any proposed wind project. Therefore, accurate prediction of wind speed carries a particular importance and plays significant roles in the wind industry. Many methods have been proposed in the literature for short-term wind speed forecasting. These methods are usually based on modeling historical fixed time intervals of the wind speed data and using it for future prediction. The methods mainly include statistical models such as ARMA, ARIMA model, physical models for instance numerical weather prediction and artificial Intelligence techniques for example support vector machine and neural networks. In this paper, we are interested in estimating hourly wind speed measures in United Arab Emirates (UAE). More precisely, we predict hourly wind speed using a nonparametric kernel estimation of the regression and volatility functions pertaining to nonlinear autoregressive model with ARCH model, which includes unknown nonlinear regression function and volatility function already discussed in the literature. The unknown nonlinear regression function describe the dependence between the value of the wind speed at time t and its historical data at time t -1, t - 2, … , t - d. This function plays a key role to predict hourly wind speed process. The volatility function, i.e., the conditional variance given the past, measures the risk associated to this prediction. Since the regression and the volatility functions are supposed to be unknown, they are estimated using nonparametric kernel methods. In addition, to the pointwise hourly wind speed forecasts, a confidence interval is also provided which allows to quantify the uncertainty around the forecasts.

The effect of tip speed ratio on a vertical axis wind turbine at high Reynolds numbers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parker, Colin M.; Leftwich, Megan C.

2016-05-01

This work visualizes the flow surrounding a scaled model vertical axis wind turbine at realistic operating conditions. The model closely matches geometric and dynamic properties—tip speed ratio and Reynolds number—of a full-size turbine. The flow is visualized using particle imaging velocimetry (PIV) in the midplane upstream, around, and after (up to 4 turbine diameters downstream) the turbine, as well as a vertical plane behind the turbine. Time-averaged results show an asymmetric wake behind the turbine, regardless of tip speed ratio, with a larger velocity deficit for a higher tip speed ratio. For the higher tip speed ratio, an area of averaged flow reversal is present with a maximum reverse flow of -0.04U_∞. Phase-averaged vorticity fields—achieved by syncing the PIV system with the rotation of the turbine—show distinct structures form from each turbine blade. There were distinct differences in results by tip speed ratios of 0.9, 1.3, and 2.2 of when in the cycle structures are shed into the wake—switching from two pairs to a single pair of vortices being shed—and how they convect into the wake—the middle tip speed ratio vortices convect downstream inside the wake, while the high tip speed ratio pair is shed into the shear layer of the wake. Finally, results show that the wake structure is much more sensitive to changes in tip speed ratio than to changes in Reynolds number.

Meteorological Simulations of Ozone Episode Case Days during the 1996 Paso del Norte Ozone Study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brown, M.J.; Costigan, K.; Muller, C.

1999-02-01

Meteorological simulations centered around the border cities of El Paso and Ciudad Juarez have been performed during an ozone episode that occurred on Aug. 13,1996 during the 1996 Paso del Norte Ozone Study field campaign. Simulations were petiormed using the HOTMAC mesoscale meteorological model using a 1,2,4, and 8 km horizontal grid size nested mesh system. Investigation of the vertical structure and evolution of the atmospheric boundary layer for the Aug. 11-13 time period is emphasized in this paper. Comparison of model-produced wind speed profiles to rawirisonde and radar profiler measurements shows reasonable agreement. A persistent upper-level jet was capturedmore » in the model simulations through data assimilation. In the evening hours, the model was not able to produce the strong wind direction shear seen in the radar wind profiles. Based on virtual potential temperature profile comparisons, the model appears to correctly simulate the daytime growth of the convective mixed layer. However, the model underestimates the cooling of the surface layer at night. We found that the upper-level jet significantly impacted the turbulence structure of the boundary layer, leading to relatively high turbulent kinetic energy (tke) values aloft at night. The model indicates that these high tke values aloft enhance the mid-morning growth of the boundary layer. No upper-level turbulence measurements were available to verify this finding, however. Radar profiler-derived mixing heights do indicate relatively rapid morning growth of the mixed layer.« less

Three-Dimensional Temperature and Wind Profiles Obtained Using UAV-Based Acoustic Atmospheric Tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Finn, A.

2017-12-01

The natural sound generated by an unmanned aerial vehicle is used in conjunction with tomography to remotely sense atmospheric temperature and wind profiles simultaneously. Sound fields recorded onboard the aircraft and by an array of microphones on the ground are compared and converted to sound speed estimates for the ray paths intersecting the intervening medium. Tomographic inversion is then used to transform these sound speed values into vertical cross-sections and 3D volumes of virtual temperature and wind vectors, which enables the atmosphere to be visualised and monitored over time up to altitudes of 1,200m and over baselines of up to 600m. This paper reports on results from two short campaigns during which 2D and 3D profiles of wind and temperature obtained in this way were compared to: measurements taken by co-located mid-range Doppler SODAR and LIDAR; and temperature measurements made by instruments carried by unmanned aircraft flying through the intervening atmosphere. Large eddy simulation of daytime atmospheric boundary layers were also used to examine the anticipated performance of the instruments and the nature of any errors. The observations obtained using all systems are shown to correspond closely.

Characterization of Water Vapor Fluxes by the Raman Lidar System Basil and the Univeristy of Cologne Wind Lidar in the Frame of the HD(CP)2 Observational Prototype Experiment - Hope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Di Girolamo, Paolo; Summa, Donato; Stelitano, Dario; Cacciani, Marco; Scoccione, Andrea; Schween, Jan H.

2016-06-01

Measurements carried out by the Raman lidar system BASIL and the University of Cologne wind lidar are reported to demonstrate the capability of these instruments to characterize water vapour fluxes within the Convective Boundary Layer (CBL). In order to determine the water vapour flux vertical profiles, high resolution water vapour and vertical wind speed measurements, with a temporal resolution of 1 sec and a vertical resolution of 15-90, are considered. Measurements of water vapour flux profiles are based on the application of covariance approach to the water vapour mixing ratio and vertical wind speed time series. The algorithms are applied to a case study (IOP 11, 04 May 2013) from the HD(CP)2 Observational Prototype Experiment (HOPE), held in Central Germany in the spring 2013. For this case study, the water vapour flux profile is characterized by increasing values throughout the CBL with lager values (around 0.1 g/kg m/s) in the entrainment region. The noise errors are demonstrated to be small enough to allow the derivation of water vapour flux profiles with sufficient accuracy.

Correlation parameters for the study of leeside heating on a lifting body at hypersonic speeds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vidal, R. J.

1974-01-01

Leeside heating was studied with the aim of gaining some insight into: (1) the magnitude of the leeside heating rates and (2) the methods to be used to extrapolate wind tunnel leeside heating rates to the full scale flight condition. This study was based on existing experimental data obtained in a hypersonic shock tunnel on lifting body configurations that are typical of shuttle orbiter vehicles. Heat transfer was first measured on the windward side to determine the boundary layer type. Then the leeside heating was investigated with the classified boundary layer. Correlation data are given on the windward turbulent boundary layer, the windward laminar boundary layer, and the leeside surfaces.

Controlled meteorological (CMET) balloon profiling of the Arctic atmospheric boundary layer around Spitsbergen compared to a mesoscale model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roberts, T. J.; Dütsch, M.; Hole, L. R.; Voss, P. B.

2015-10-01

Observations from CMET (Controlled Meteorological) balloons are analyzed in combination with mesoscale model simulations to provide insights into tropospheric meteorological conditions (temperature, humidity, wind-speed) around Svalbard, European High Arctic. Five Controlled Meteorological (CMET) balloons were launched from Ny-Ålesund in Svalbard over 5-12 May 2011, and measured vertical atmospheric profiles above Spitsbergen Island and over coastal areas to both the east and west. One notable CMET flight achieved a suite of 18 continuous soundings that probed the Arctic marine boundary layer over a period of more than 10 h. The CMET profiles are compared to simulations using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model using nested grids and three different boundary layer schemes. Variability between the three model schemes was typically smaller than the discrepancies between the model runs and the observations. Over Spitsbergen, the CMET flights identified temperature inversions and low-level jets (LLJ) that were not captured by the model. Nevertheless, the model largely reproduced time-series obtained from the Ny-Ålesund meteorological station, with exception of surface winds during the LLJ. Over sea-ice east of Svalbard the model underestimated potential temperature and overestimated wind-speed compared to the CMET observations. This is most likely due to the full sea-ice coverage assumed by the model, and consequent underestimation of ocean-atmosphere exchange in the presence of leads or fractional coverage. The suite of continuous CMET soundings over a sea-ice free region to the northwest of Svalbard are analysed spatially and temporally, and compared to the model. The observed along-flight daytime increase in relative humidity is interpreted in terms of the diurnal cycle, and in the context of marine and terrestrial air-mass influences. Analysis of the balloon trajectory during the CMET soundings identifies strong wind-shear, with a low-level channeled flow. The study highlights the challenges of modelling the Arctic atmosphere, especially in coastal zones with varying topography, sea-ice and surface conditions. In this context, CMET balloons provide a valuable technology for profiling the free atmosphere and boundary layer in remote regions where few other observations are available for model validation.

Parameterization of volcanic ash remobilization by wind-tunnel erosion experiments.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Del Bello, Elisabetta; Taddeucci, Jacopo; Merrison, Jonathan; Alois, Stefano; Iversen, Jens Jacob; Scarlato, Piergiorgio

2017-04-01

The remobilization of volcanic ash from the ground is one of the many problems posing threat to life and infrastructures during and after the course of an explosive volcanic eruption. A proper management of the risks connected to this problem requires a thorough understanding of the factors that influence and promote the dispersal of particles over large distances. Towards this target, we conducted a series of experiments aimed at defining first-order processes controlling the remobilization threshold of ash particles by wind erosion. In the framework of the EU-funded Europlanet project, we joinly used the environmental wind tunnel facility at Aarhus University (DK) and the state-of-the art high-speed imaging equipment of INGV experimental lab (Italy) to capture at unparalleled temporal and spatial resolution the removal dynamics of ash-sized (half-millimetre to micron-sized) particles. A homogenous layer of particles was set at on a plate placed downwind a boundary layer setup. Resuspension processes were filmed at 2000 fps and 50 micron pixel resolution, and the plate weighted pre and post-experiment. Explored variables include: 1) wind speed (from ca. 1 to 7 m/s) and boundary layer structure; 2) particle grain size (from 32-63 to 90-125 micron), and sample sorting); 3) chemical and textural features, using basalt and trachyte samples from Campi Flegrei (Pomici Principali,10 ka) and Eyjafjallajökull (May 2010) eruptions; and 4) temperature and humidity, by conducting experiments either at ambient conditions or with a heated sample. We found that the grain size distribution exerts a strong control on the fundamental dynamics of gas-particle coupling. Particles > 90 micron detach from the particles layer individually, also entering the gas flow individually. Conversely, removal < 63 micron particles occurs in clumps of aggregates. These clumps, once taken in charge by the gas flow, are frequently disaggregated and dispersed rapidly (order of few milliseconds). Our preliminary results shows that, for a given size distribution, the boundary between the two dynamics may shift greatly as a function of ambient humidity.

Modeling and measuring the nocturnal drainage flow in a high-elevation, subalpine forest with complex terrain

USGS Publications Warehouse

Yi, C.; Monson, Russell K.; Zhai, Z.; Anderson, D.E.; Lamb, B.; Allwine, G.; Turnipseed, A.A.; Burns, Sean P.

2005-01-01

The nocturnal drainage flow of air causes significant uncertainty in ecosystem CO2, H2O, and energy budgets determined with the eddy covariance measurement approach. In this study, we examined the magnitude, nature, and dynamics of the nocturnal drainage flow in a subalpine forest ecosystem with complex terrain. We used an experimental approach involving four towers, each with vertical profiling of wind speed to measure the magnitude of drainage flows and dynamics in their occurrence. We developed an analytical drainage flow model, constrained with measurements of canopy structure and SF6 diffusion, to help us interpret the tower profile results. Model predictions were in good agreement with observed profiles of wind speed, leaf area density, and wind drag coefficient. Using theory, we showed that this one-dimensional model is reduced to the widely used exponential wind profile model under conditions where vertical leaf area density and drag coefficient are uniformly distributed. We used the model for stability analysis, which predicted the presence of a very stable layer near the height of maximum leaf area density. This stable layer acts as a flow impediment, minimizing vertical dispersion between the subcanopy air space and the atmosphere above the canopy. The prediction is consistent with the results of SF6 diffusion observations that showed minimal vertical dispersion of nighttime, subcanopy drainage flows. The stable within-canopy air layer coincided with the height of maximum wake-to-shear production ratio. We concluded that nighttime drainage flows are restricted to a relatively shallow layer of air beneath the canopy, with little vertical mixing across a relatively long horizontal fetch. Insight into the horizontal and vertical structure of the drainage flow is crucial for understanding the magnitude and dynamics of the mean advective CO2 flux that becomes significant during stable nighttime conditions and are typically missed during measurement of the turbulent CO2 flux. The model and interpretation provided in this study should lead to research strategies for the measurement of these advective fluxes and their inclusion in the overall mass balance for CO2 at this site with complex terrain. Copyright 2005 by the American Geophysical Union.

Modeling and measuring the nocturnal drainage flow in a high-elevation, subalpine forest with complex terrain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yi, Chuixiang; Monson, Russell K.; Zhai, Zhiqiang; Anderson, Dean E.; Lamb, Brian; Allwine, Gene; Turnipseed, Andrew A.; Burns, Sean P.

2005-11-01

The nocturnal drainage flow of air causes significant uncertainty in ecosystem CO2, H2O, and energy budgets determined with the eddy covariance measurement approach. In this study, we examined the magnitude, nature, and dynamics of the nocturnal drainage flow in a subalpine forest ecosystem with complex terrain. We used an experimental approach involving four towers, each with vertical profiling of wind speed to measure the magnitude of drainage flows and dynamics in their occurrence. We developed an analytical drainage flow model, constrained with measurements of canopy structure and SF6 diffusion, to help us interpret the tower profile results. Model predictions were in good agreement with observed profiles of wind speed, leaf area density, and wind drag coefficient. Using theory, we showed that this one-dimensional model is reduced to the widely used exponential wind profile model under conditions where vertical leaf area density and drag coefficient are uniformly distributed. We used the model for stability analysis, which predicted the presence of a very stable layer near the height of maximum leaf area density. This stable layer acts as a flow impediment, minimizing vertical dispersion between the subcanopy air space and the atmosphere above the canopy. The prediction is consistent with the results of SF6 diffusion observations that showed minimal vertical dispersion of nighttime, subcanopy drainage flows. The stable within-canopy air layer coincided with the height of maximum wake-to-shear production ratio. We concluded that nighttime drainage flows are restricted to a relatively shallow layer of air beneath the canopy, with little vertical mixing across a relatively long horizontal fetch. Insight into the horizontal and vertical structure of the drainage flow is crucial for understanding the magnitude and dynamics of the mean advective CO2 flux that becomes significant during stable nighttime conditions and are typically missed during measurement of the turbulent CO2 flux. The model and interpretation provided in this study should lead to research strategies for the measurement of these advective fluxes and their inclusion in the overall mass balance for CO2 at this site with complex terrain.

Event-based measurement of boundary-layer winds and topographic effects with a small unmanned aircraft system (sUas)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riddell, K.; Hugenholtz, C.

2012-12-01

Numerical models are invaluable tools for developing and testing hypotheses about interactions and feedbacks between wind and topography. However, field-based measurements are equally important for building and enhancing confidence in model output. Several field methods are available, including conventional approaches using tall masts equipped with an array of anemometers, as well as weather balloons, but few methods are able to match the level of detail available in model simulations of topographically-modified windflow. Here we propose an alternative method that may enhance numerical models. The method involves a small unmanned aircraft system (sUas) equipped with a meteorological sensor payload. The sUas is a two blade helicopter that weighs 5.5 kg, and has a length of 1.32 m. We designed a simple measurement and control system using an Arduino micro-controller, which acquired measurements at pre-defined coordinates autonomously. The entire survey was pre-configured and uploaded to the aircraft, effectively avoiding the need for manual aircraft operation and data collection. We collected raw measurements at each waypoint, yielding a point cloud of windspeed data. During test flights the sUas was able to maintain a stable position (± 0.6 m vertical and horizontal) in wind speeds up to 50 km/h. We used the raw data to map the wind speed-up ratio relative to a reference anemometer. Although it would be preferable to acquire continuous measurements at each waypoint, the sUas method only provides a snapshot of wind at each location. However, despite this limitation, the sUas does fill a void in terms of spatial measurements within the boundary layer. It may be possible to enhance this method in the future through deployment of sUas swarms that measure wind concurrently at many locations. Furthermore, other sensors can be deployed on sUas for measuring aeolian processes such as dust.

Forecasting surface-layer atmospheric parameters at the Large Binocular Telescope site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Turchi, Alessio; Masciadri, Elena; Fini, Luca

2017-04-01

In this paper, we quantify the performance of an automated weather forecast system implemented on the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) site at Mt Graham (Arizona) in forecasting the main atmospheric parameters close to the ground. The system employs a mesoscale non-hydrostatic numerical model (Meso-Nh). To validate the model, we compare the forecasts of wind speed, wind direction, temperature and relative humidity close to the ground with the respective values measured by instrumentation installed on the telescope dome. The study is performed over a large sample of nights uniformly distributed over 2 yr. The quantitative analysis is done using classical statistical operators [bias, root-mean-square error (RMSE) and σ] and contingency tables, which allows us to extract complementary key information, such as the percentage of correct detections (PC) and the probability of obtaining a correct detection within a defined interval of values (POD). The results of our study indicate that the model performance in forecasting the atmospheric parameters we have just cited are very good, in some cases excellent: RMSE for temperature is below 1°C, for relative humidity it is 14 per cent and for the wind speed it is around 2.5 m s-1. The relative error of the RMSE for wind direction varies from 9 to 17 per cent depending on the wind speed conditions. This work is performed in the context of the ALTA (Advanced LBT Turbulence and Atmosphere) Center project, whose final goal is to provide forecasts of all the atmospheric parameters and the optical turbulence to support LBT observations, adaptive optics facilities and interferometric facilities.

Some considerations in the evaluation of Seasat-A scatterometer /SASS/ measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Halberstam, I.

1980-01-01

A study is presented of the geophysical algorithms relating the Seasat-A scatterometer (SASS) backscatter measurements with a wind parameter. Although these measurements are closely related to surface features, an identification with surface layer parameters such as friction velocity or the roughness length is difficult. It is shown how surface truth in the form of wind speeds and coincident stability can be used to derive friction velocity or the equivalent neutral wind at an arbitrary height; it is also shown that the derived friction velocity values are sensitive to contested formulations relating friction velocity to the roughness length, while the derived values of the equivalent neutral wind are not. Examples of geophysical verification are demonstrated using values obtained from the Gulf of Alaska Seasat Experiment; these results show very little sensitivity to the type of wind parameter employed, suggesting that this insensitivity is mainly due to a large scatter in the SASS and surface truth data.

ARC-2012-ACD12-0020-002

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-02-02

Shen_Nargis: Snapshot of a very large simulation showing the altitude and velocity of wind speeds within the 2008 Cyclone Nargis. Top wind speeds for the storm were measured at 135 mph. The lowest altitude winds are shown in blue, while the highest altitude winds are shown in pink. Wind speed is shown by color density: higher density denotes stronger winds, slightly transparent color indicates slower wind speeds. Credit: Bryan Green, NASA Ames Research Center; Bo-wen Shen, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.

Subsonic Investigation of a Leading-Edge Boundary Layer Control Suction System on a High-Speed Civil Transport Configuration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Campbell, Bryan A.; Applin, Zachary T.; Kemmerly, Guy T.; Coe, Paul L., Jr.; Owens, D. Bruce; Gile, Brenda E.; Parikh, Pradip G.; Smith, Don

1999-01-01

A wind tunnel investigation of a leading edge boundary layer control system was conducted on a High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT) configuration in the Langley 14- by 22-Foot Subsonic Tunnel. Data were obtained over a Mach number range of 0.08 to 0.27, with corresponding chord Reynolds numbers of 1.79 x 10(exp 6) to 5.76 x 10(exp 6). Variations in the amount of suction, as well as the size and location of the suction area, were tested with outboard leading edge flaps deflected 0 and 30 deg and trailing-edge flaps deflected 0 and 20 deg. The longitudinal and lateral aerodynamic data are presented without analysis. A complete tabulated data listing is also presented herein.

An Investigation into the Mechanics of Windblown Dust Entrainment from Nickel Slag Surfaces Resembling Armoured Desert Pavements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanderson, Robert Steven

The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the dynamics of PM 10 emission from a nickel slag stockpile that closely resembles a desert pavement in physical characteristics. In the field, it was observed that slag surfaces develop by natural processes into a well-armoured surface over some period of time. The surface then consists of two distinct layers; a surficial armour layer containing only non-erodible gravel and cobble-sized clasts, and an underlying dust-laden layer, which contains a wide size range of slag particles, from clay-sized to cobble-sized. This surficial armour layer protects the underlying fines from wind entrainment, at least under typical wind conditions; however, particle emissions still do occur under high wind speeds. The dynamics of particle entrainment from within these surfaces are investigated herein. It is shown that the dynamics of the boundary layer flow over these lag surfaces are influenced by the inherent roughness and permeability of the surficial armour layer, such that the flow resembles those observed over and within vegetation canopies, and those associated with permeable gravel-bed river channels. Restriction of air flow within the permeable surface produces a high-pressure zone within the pore spaces, resulting in a Kelvin-Helmholtz shear instability, which triggers coherent motions in the form of repeating burst-sweep cycles. Using Laser Doppler Anemometry (LDA), it is demonstrated that the lower boundary layer is characterized by both Q4 sweeping motions and Q2 bursting motions, while the upper boundary layer is dominated by Q2 bursts. Pore air motions within the slag material were measured using buried pressure ports. It is shown that the mean pressure gradient which forms within the slag material results in net upward displacement of air, or wind pumping. However, this net upward motion is a result of rapid oscillatory motions which are directly driven by coherent boundary layer motions. It is also demonstrated that these coherent motions are able to penetrate at least 4 cm through the surficial armour layer, thereby transporting turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) downward to the dust-laden sub-surface layer. This represents a mechanism of momentum transfer that is able to reach the erodible material, while the wind pumping effect represents a mechanism for particle exhaustion.

Post-processing method for wind speed ensemble forecast using wind speed and direction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sofie Eide, Siri; Bjørnar Bremnes, John; Steinsland, Ingelin

2017-04-01

Statistical methods are widely applied to enhance the quality of both deterministic and ensemble NWP forecasts. In many situations, like wind speed forecasting, most of the predictive information is contained in one variable in the NWP models. However, in statistical calibration of deterministic forecasts it is often seen that including more variables can further improve forecast skill. For ensembles this is rarely taken advantage of, mainly due to that it is generally not straightforward how to include multiple variables. In this study, it is demonstrated how multiple variables can be included in Bayesian model averaging (BMA) by using a flexible regression method for estimating the conditional means. The method is applied to wind speed forecasting at 204 Norwegian stations based on wind speed and direction forecasts from the ECMWF ensemble system. At about 85 % of the sites the ensemble forecasts were improved in terms of CRPS by adding wind direction as predictor compared to only using wind speed. On average the improvements were about 5 %, but mainly for moderate to strong wind situations. For weak wind speeds adding wind direction had more or less neutral impact.

Large-Eddy Simulation of Atmospheric Boundary-Layer Flow Through a Wind Farm Sited on Topography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shamsoddin, Sina; Porté-Agel, Fernando

2017-04-01

Large-eddy simulation (LES) has recently been well validated and applied in the context of wind turbines over flat terrain; however, to date its accuracy has not been tested systematically in the case of turbine-wake flows over topography. Here, we investigate the wake flow in a wind farm situated on hilly terrain using LES for a case where wind-tunnel experimental data are available. To this end, first boundary-layer flow is simulated over a two-dimensional hill in order to characterize the spatial distribution of the mean velocity and the turbulence statistics. A flow simulation is then performed through a wind farm consisting of five horizontal-axis wind turbines sited over the same hill in an aligned layout. The resulting flow characteristics are compared with the former case, i.e., without wind turbines. To assess the validity of the simulations, the results are compared with the wind-tunnel measurements. It is found that LES can reproduce the flow field effectively, and, specifically, the speed-up over the hilltop and the velocity deficit and turbulence intensity enhancement induced by the turbines are well captured by the simulations. Besides, the vertical profiles of the mean velocity and turbulence intensity at different streamwise positions match well those for the experiment. In addition, another numerical experiment is carried out to show how higher (and more realistic) thrust coefficients of the turbines lead to stronger wakes and, at the same time, higher turbulence intensities.

40 CFR Table F-2 to Subpart F of... - Particle Sizes and Wind Speeds for Full Wind Tunnel Test, Wind Tunnel Inlet Aspiration Test, and...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 5 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Particle Sizes and Wind Speeds for Full Wind Tunnel Test, Wind Tunnel Inlet Aspiration Test, and Static Chamber Test F Table F-2 to Subpart F... Part 53—Particle Sizes and Wind Speeds for Full Wind Tunnel Test, Wind Tunnel Inlet Aspiration Test...

40 CFR Table F-2 to Subpart F of... - Particle Sizes and Wind Speeds for Full Wind Tunnel Test, Wind Tunnel Inlet Aspiration Test, and...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 5 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Particle Sizes and Wind Speeds for Full Wind Tunnel Test, Wind Tunnel Inlet Aspiration Test, and Static Chamber Test F Table F-2 to Subpart F... Part 53—Particle Sizes and Wind Speeds for Full Wind Tunnel Test, Wind Tunnel Inlet Aspiration Test...

Results of the Imager for Mars Pathfinder windsock experiment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sullivan, R.; Greeley, R.; Kraft, M.; Wilson, G.; Golombek, M.; Herkenhoff, K.; Murphy, J.; Smith, P.

2000-01-01

The Imager for Mars Pathfinder (IMP) windsock experiment measured wind speeds at three heights within 1.2 m of the Martian surface during Pathfinder landed operations. These wind data allowed direct measurement of near-surface wind profiles on Mars for the first time, including determination of aerodynamic roughness length and wind friction speeds. Winds were light during periods of windsock imaging, but data from the strongest breezes indicate aerodynamic roughness length of 3 cm at the landing site, with wind friction speeds reaching 1 m/s. Maximum wind friction speeds were about half of the threshold-of-motion friction speeds predicted for loose, fine-grained materials on smooth Martian terrain and about one third of the threshold-of-motion friction speeds predicted for the same size particles over terrain with aerodynamic roughness of 3 cm. Consistent with this, and suggesting that low wind speeds prevailed when the windsock array was not imaged and/or no particles were available for aeolian transport, no wind-related changes to the surface during mission operations have been recognized. The aerodynamic roughness length reported here implies that proposed deflation of fine particles around the landing site, or activation of duneforms seen by IMP and Sojourner, would require wind speeds >28 m/s at the Pathfinder top windsock height (or >31 m/s at the equivalent Viking wind sensor height of 1.6 m) and wind speeds >45 m/s above 10 m. These wind speeds would cause rock abrasion if a supply of durable particles were available for saltation. Previous analyses indicate that the Pathfinder landing site probably is rockier and rougher than many other plains units on Mars, so aerodynamic roughness length elsewhere probably is less than the 3-cm value reported for the Pathfinder site. Copyright 2000 by the American Geophysical Union.

Effect of chord-to-diameter ratio on vertical-axis wind turbine wake development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parker, Colin M.; Araya, Daniel B.; Leftwich, Megan C.

2017-12-01

The wake structure of a vertical-axis wind turbine (VAWT) is strongly dependent on the tip-speed ratio, λ, or the tangential speed of the turbine blade relative to the incoming wind speed. The geometry of a turbine can influence λ, but the precise relationship among VAWT geometric parameters and VAWT wake characteristics remains unknown. To investigate this relationship, we present the results of an experiment to characterize the wakes of three VAWTs that are geometrically similar except for the ratio of the turbine diameter ( D), to blade chord ( c), which was chosen to be D/c = 3, 6, and 9. For a fixed freestream Reynolds number based on the blade chord of Re_c = 1.6× 10^3, both two-component particle image velocimetry (PIV) and single-component hot-wire anemometer measurements are taken at the horizontal mid-plane in the wake of each turbine. PIV measurements are ensemble averaged in time and phase averaged with each rotation of the turbine. Hot-wire measurement points are selected to coincide with the edge of the shear layer of each turbine wake, as deduced from the PIV data, which allows for an analysis of the frequency content of the wake due to vortex shedding by the turbine.

Microclimatic modeling of the desert in the United Arab Emirates

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Khalil, A.K.; Abdrabboh, M.A.; Kamel, K.A.

1996-10-01

The present study is concerned with the prediction of the weather parameters in the microclimate layer (less than 2 m above the ground surface) in the desert and sparsely vegetated areas in the United Arab Emirates. A survey was made of the weather data in these regions including solar radiation, wind speed, screen temperatures and relative humidity. Additionally, wind speed data were obtained at heights below two meters and surface albedo was recorded for various soil and vegetation conditions. A survey was also carried out for the different plant species in various areas of the U.A.E. Data on soil andmore » surface temperature were then analyzed. An energy balance model was formulated including incident short- and long-wave length radiation between earth and sky, convective heat transfer to/from earth surface, surface reflection of solar radiation and soil/plant evapotranspiration. An explicit one dimensional finite difference scheme was adapted to solve the resulting algebraic finite difference equations. The equation for surface nodes included thermal radiation as well as convection effects. The heat transfer coefficient was evaluated on the basis of wind speed and surface roughness at the site where the energy balance was set. Theoretical predictions of air and soil temperatures were accordingly compared to experimental measurements in selected sites, where reasonable agreements were observed.« less

A Vortical Dawn Flank Boundary Layer for Near-Radial IMF: Wind Observations on 24 October 2001

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Farrugia, C. J.; Gratton, F. T.; Gnavi, G.; Torbert, R. B.; Wilson, Lynn B., III

2014-01-01

We present an example of a boundary layer tailward of the dawn terminator which is entirely populated by rolled-up flow vortices. Observations were made by Wind on 24 October 2001 as the spacecraft moved across the region at the X plane approximately equal to -13 Earth radii. Interplanetary conditions were steady with a near-radial interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). Approximately 15 vortices were observed over the 1.5 hours duration of Wind's crossing, each lasting approximately 5 min. The rolling up is inferred from the presence of a hot tenuous plasma being accelerated to speeds higher than in the adjoining magnetosheath, a circumstance which has been shown to be a reliable signature of this in single-spacecraft observations. A blob of cold dense plasma was entrained in each vortex, at whose leading edge abrupt polarity changes of field and velocity components at current sheets were regularly observed. In the frame of the average boundary layer velocity, the dense blobs were moving predominantly sunward and their scale size along the X plane was approximately 7.4 Earth radii. Inquiring into the generation mechanism of the vortices, we analyze the stability of the boundary layer to sheared flows using compressible magnetohydrodynamic Kelvin-Helmholtz theory with continuous profiles for the physical quantities. We input parameters from (i) the exact theory of magnetosheath flow under aligned solar wind field and flow vectors near the terminator and (ii) the Wind data. It is shown that the configuration is indeed Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) unstable. This is the first reported example of KH-unstable waves at the magnetopause under a radial IMF.

Wind tunnel testing of low-drag airfoils

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harvey, W. Donald; Mcghee, R. J.; Harris, C. D.

1986-01-01

Results are presented for the measured performance recently obtained on several airfoil concepts designed to achieve low drag by maintaining extensive regions of laminar flow without compromising high-lift performance. The wind tunnel results extend from subsonic to transonic speeds and include boundary-layer control through shaping and suction. The research was conducted in the NASA Langley 8-Ft Transonic Pressure Tunnel (TPT) and Low Turbulence Pressure Tunnel (LTPT) which have been developed for testing such low-drag airfoils. Emphasis is placed on identifying some of the major factors influencing the anticipated performance of low-drag airfoils.

A design method for entrance sections of transonic wind tunnels with rectangular cross sections

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lionel, L.; Mcdevitt, J. B.

1975-01-01

A mathematical technique developed to design entrance sections for transonic or high-speed subsonic wind tunnels with rectangular cross sections is discribed. The transition from a circular cross-section setting chamber to a rectangular test section is accomplished smoothly so as not to introduce secondary flows (vortices or boundary-layer separation) into a uniform test stream. The results of static-pressure measurements in the transition region and of static and total-pressure surveys in the test section of a pilot model for a new facility at the Ames Research Center are presented.

Validation of Simplified Urban-Canopy Aerodynamic Parametrizations Using a Numerical Simulation of an Actual Downtown Area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramirez, N.; Afshari, Afshin; Norford, L.

2018-07-01

A steady-state Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stoke computational fluid dynamics (CFD) investigation of boundary-layer flow over a major portion of downtown Abu Dhabi is conducted. The results are used to derive the shear stress and characterize the logarithmic region for eight sub-domains, where the sub-domains overlap and are overlaid in the streamwise direction. They are characterized by a high frontal area index initially, which decreases significantly beyond the fifth sub-domain. The plan area index is relatively stable throughout the domain. For each sub-domain, the estimated local roughness length and displacement height derived from CFD results are compared to prevalent empirical formulations. We further validate and tune a mixing-length model proposed by Coceal and Belcher (Q J R Meteorol Soc 130:1349-1372, 2004). Finally, the in-canopy wind-speed attenuation is analysed as a function of fetch. It is shown that, while there is some room for improvement in Macdonald's empirical formulations (Boundary-Layer Meteorol 97:25-45, 2000), Coceal and Belcher's mixing model in combination with the resolution method of Di Sabatino et al. (Boundary-Layer Meteorol 127:131-151, 2008) can provide a robust estimation of the average wind speed in the logarithmic region. Within the roughness sublayer, a properly parametrized Cionco exponential model is shown to be quite accurate.

Estimation of actual evapotranspiration in the Nagqu river basin of the Tibetan Plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zou, Mijun; Zhong, Lei; Ma, Yaoming; Hu, Yuanyuan; Feng, Lu

2018-05-01

As a critical component of the energy and water cycle, terrestrial actual evapotranspiration (ET) can be influenced by many factors. This study was mainly devoted to providing accurate and continuous estimations of actual ET for the Tibetan Plateau (TP) and analyzing the effects of its impact factors. In this study, summer observational data from the Coordinated Enhanced Observing Period (CEOP) Asia-Australia Monsoon Project (CAMP) on the Tibetan Plateau (CAMP/Tibet) for 2003 to 2004 was selected to determine actual ET and investigate its relationship with energy, hydrological, and dynamical parameters. Multiple-layer air temperature, relative humidity, net radiation flux, wind speed, precipitation, and soil moisture were used to estimate actual ET. The regression model simulation results were validated with independent data retrieved using the combinatory method. The results suggested that significant correlations exist between actual ET and hydro-meteorological parameters in the surface layer of the Nagqu river basin, among which the most important factors are energy-related elements (net radiation flux and air temperature). The results also suggested that how ET is eventually affected by precipitation and two-layer wind speed difference depends on whether their positive or negative feedback processes have a more important role. The multivariate linear regression method provided reliable estimations of actual ET; thus, 6-parameter simplified schemes and 14-parameter regular schemes were established.

Temporal and spatial variation of maximum wind speed days during the past 20 years in major cities of Xinjiang

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baidourela, Aliya; Jing, Zhen; Zhayimu, Kahaer; Abulaiti, Adili; Ubuli, Hakezi

2018-04-01

Wind erosion and sandstorms occur in the neighborhood of exposed dust sources. Wind erosion and desertification increase the frequency of dust storms, deteriorate air quality, and damage the ecological environment and agricultural production. The Xinjiang region has a relatively fragile ecological environment. Therefore, the study of the characteristics of maximum wind speed and wind direction in this region is of great significance to disaster prevention and mitigation, the management of activated dunes, and the sustainable development of the region. Based on the latest data of 71 sites in Xinjiang, this study explores the temporal evolution and spatial distribution of maximum wind speed in Xinjiang from 1993 to 2013, and highlights the distribution of annual and monthly maximum wind speed and the characteristics of wind direction in Xinjiang. Between 1993 and 2013, Ulugchat County exhibited the highest number of days with the maximum wind speed (> 17 m/s), while Wutian exhibited the lowest number. In Xinjiang, 1999 showed the highest number of maximum wind speed days (257 days), while 2013 showed the lowest number (69 days). Spring and summer wind speeds were greater than those in autumn and winter. There were obvious differences in the direction of maximum wind speed in major cities and counties of Xinjiang. East of the Tianshan Mountains, maximum wind speeds are mainly directed southeast and northeast. North and south of the Tianshan Mountains, they are mainly directed northwest and northeast, while west of the Tianshan Mountains, they are mainly directed southeast and northwest.

A Comparison Of Primitive Model Results Of The Short Term Wind Energy Prediction System (Sweps): WRF vs MM5

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Unal, E.; Tan, E.; Mentes, S. S.; Caglar, F.; Turkmen, M.; Unal, Y. S.; Onol, B.; Ozdemir, E. T.

2012-04-01

Although discontinuous behavior of wind field makes energy production more difficult, wind energy is the fastest growing renewable energy sector in Turkey which is the 6th largest electricity market in Europe. Short-term prediction systems, which capture the dynamical and statistical nature of the wind field in spatial and time scales, need to be advanced in order to increase the wind power prediction accuracy by using appropriate numerical weather forecast models. Therefore, in this study, performances of the next generation mesoscale Numerical Weather Forecasting model, WRF, and The Fifth-Generation NCAR/Penn State Mesoscale Model, MM5, have been compared for the Western Part of Turkey. MM5 has been widely used by Turkish State Meteorological Service from which MM5 results were also obtained. Two wind farms of the West Turkey have been analyzed for the model comparisons by using two different model domain structures. Each model domain has been constructed by 3 nested domains downscaling from 9km to 1km resolution by the ratio of 3. Since WRF and MM5 models have no exactly common boundary layer, cumulus, and microphysics schemes, the similar physics schemes have been chosen for these two models in order to have reasonable comparisons. The preliminary results show us that, depending on the location of the wind farms, MM5 wind speed RMSE values are 1 to 2 m/s greater than that of WRF values. Since 1 to 2 m/s errors can be amplified when wind speed is converted to wind power; it is decided that the WRF model results are going to be used for the rest of the project.

Design and Navier-Stokes analysis of hypersonic wind tunnel nozzles. M.S. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Benton, James R.

1989-01-01

Four hypersonic wind tunnel nozzles ranging in Mach number from 6 to 17 are designed with the method of characteristics and boundary layer approach (MOC/BL) and analyzed with a Navier-Stokes solver. Limitations of the MOC/BL approach when applied to thick high speed boundary layers with non-zero normal pressure gradients are investigated. Working gases include ideal air, thermally perfect nitrogen and virial CF4. Agreement between the design conditions and Navier-Stokes solutions for ideal air at Mach 6 is good. Thermally perfect nitrogen showed poor agreement at Mach 13.5 and Mach 17. Navier-Stokes solutions for CF4 are not obtained, but comparison of the effects of low gamma to those of high Mach number suggests that the Navier-Stokes solution would not compare well with design.

Design features of a low-disturbance supersonic wind tunnel for transition research at low supersonic Mach numbers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wolf, Stephen W. D.; Laub, James A.; King, Lyndell S.; Reda, Daniel C.

1992-01-01

A unique, low-disturbance supersonic wind tunnel is being developed at NASA-Ames to support supersonic laminar flow control research at cruise Mach numbers of the High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT). The distinctive design features of this new quiet tunnel are a low-disturbance settling chamber, laminar boundary layers along the nozzle/test section walls, and steady supersonic diffuser flow. This paper discusses these important aspects of our quiet tunnel design and the studies necessary to support this design. Experimental results from an 1/8th-scale pilot supersonic wind tunnel are presented and discussed in association with theoretical predictions. Natural laminar flow on the test section walls is demonstrated and both settling chamber and supersonic diffuser performance is examined. The full-scale wind tunnel should be commissioned by the end of 1993.

Spatio-temporal modelling of wind speed variations and extremes in the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rychlik, Igor; Mao, Wengang

2018-02-01

The wind speed variability in the North Atlantic has been successfully modelled using a spatio-temporal transformed Gaussian field. However, this type of model does not correctly describe the extreme wind speeds attributed to tropical storms and hurricanes. In this study, the transformed Gaussian model is further developed to include the occurrence of severe storms. In this new model, random components are added to the transformed Gaussian field to model rare events with extreme wind speeds. The resulting random field is locally stationary and homogeneous. The localized dependence structure is described by time- and space-dependent parameters. The parameters have a natural physical interpretation. To exemplify its application, the model is fitted to the ECMWF ERA-Interim reanalysis data set. The model is applied to compute long-term wind speed distributions and return values, e.g., 100- or 1000-year extreme wind speeds, and to simulate random wind speed time series at a fixed location or spatio-temporal wind fields around that location.

Statistical Short-Range Guidance for Peak Wind Speed Forecasts on Kennedy Space Center/Cape Canaveral Air Force Station: Phase I Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lambert, Winifred C.; Merceret, Francis J. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

This report describes the results of the ANU's (Applied Meteorology Unit) Short-Range Statistical Forecasting task for peak winds. The peak wind speeds are an important forecast element for the Space Shuttle and Expendable Launch Vehicle programs. The Keith Weather Squadron and the Spaceflight Meteorology Group indicate that peak winds are challenging to forecast. The Applied Meteorology Unit was tasked to develop tools that aid in short-range forecasts of peak winds at tower sites of operational interest. A 7 year record of wind tower data was used in the analysis. Hourly and directional climatologies by tower and month were developed to determine the seasonal behavior of the average and peak winds. In all climatologies, the average and peak wind speeds were highly variable in time. This indicated that the development of a peak wind forecasting tool would be difficult. Probability density functions (PDF) of peak wind speed were calculated to determine the distribution of peak speed with average speed. These provide forecasters with a means of determining the probability of meeting or exceeding a certain peak wind given an observed or forecast average speed. The climatologies and PDFs provide tools with which to make peak wind forecasts that are critical to safe operations.

Transient response of sap flow to wind speed.

PubMed

Chu, Chia R; Hsieh, Cheng-I; Wu, Shen-Yuang; Phillips, Nathan G

2009-01-01

Transient responses of sap flow to step changes in wind speed were experimentally investigated in a wind tunnel. A Granier-type sap flow sensor was calibrated and tested in a cylindrical tube for analysis of its transient time response. Then the sensor was used to measure the transient response of a well-watered Pachira macrocarpa plant to wind speed variations. The transient response of sap flow was described using the resistance-capacitance model. The steady sap flow rate increased as the wind speed increased at low wind speeds. Once the wind speed exceeded 8.0 m s(-1), the steady sap flow rate did not increase further. The transpiration rate, measured gravimetrically, showed a similar trend. The response of nocturnal sap flow to wind speed variation was also measured and compared with the results in the daytime. Under the same wind speed, the steady sap flow rate was smaller than that in the daytime, indicating differences between diurnal and nocturnal hydraulic function, and incomplete stomatal closure at night. In addition, it was found that the temporal response of the Granier sensor is fast enough to resolve the transient behaviour of water flux in plant tissue.

An analytical two-flow model to simulate the distribution of irradiance in coastal waters with a wind-roughed surface and bottom reflectance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Wei-Ming

1997-06-01

An analytical two-flow model is derived from the radiative transfer equation to simulate the distribution of irradiance in coastal waters with a wind-roughed surface and bottom reflectance. The model utilizes unique boundary conditions, including the surface slope of the downwelling and upwelling irradiance as well as the influence of wind and bottom reflectance on simulated surface reflectance. The developed model provides a simple mathematical concept for understanding the irradiant light flux and associated processes in coastal or fresh water as well as turbid estuarine waters. The model is applied to data from the Banana River and coastal Atlantic Ocean water off the east coast of central Florida, USA. The two-flow irradiance model is capable of simulating realistic above-surface reflectance signatures under wind-roughened air-water surface given realistic input parameters including a specular flux conversion coefficient, absorption coefficient, backscattering coefficient, atmospheric visibility, bottom reflectance, and water depth. The root-mean-squared error of the calculated above-surface reflectances is approximately 3% in the Banana River and is less than 15% in coastal Atlantic Ocean off the east of Florida. Result of the subsurface reflectance sensitivity analysis indicates that the specular conversion coefficient is the most sensitive parameter in the model, followed by the beam attenuation coefficient, absorption coefficient, water depth, backscattering coefficient, specular irradiance, diffuse irradiance, bottom reflectance, and wind speed. On the other hand, result of the above-surface reflectance sensitivity analysis indicates that the wind speed is the most important parameter, followed by bottom reflectance, attenuation coefficient, water depth, conversion coefficient, specular irradiance, downwelling irradiance, absorption coefficient, and backscattering coefficient. Model results depend on the accuracy of these parameters to a large degree and more important the water depth and value of the bottom reflectance. The results of this work indicates little change of subsurface or in-water reflectances, due to variations of wind speed and observation angle. Simulations of the wind effect on the total downwelling irradiance from the two- flow model indicates that the total downwelling irradiance just below a wind-roughened water surface increases to about 1% of the total downwelling irradiance on a calm water surface when the sun is near zenith and increases to about 3% when the sun is near the horizon. This analytically based model, solved or developed utilizing the unique boundary conditions, can be applied to remote sensing of oceanic upper mixed layer dynamics, plant canopies, primary production, and shallow water environments with different bottom type reflectances. Future applications may include determining effects of sediment resuspension of bottom sediments in the bottom boundary layer on remotely sensed data.

Evaluating anemometer drift: A statistical approach to correct biases in wind speed measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azorin-Molina, Cesar; Asin, Jesus; McVicar, Tim R.; Minola, Lorenzo; Lopez-Moreno, Juan I.; Vicente-Serrano, Sergio M.; Chen, Deliang

2018-05-01

Recent studies on observed wind variability have revealed a decline (termed "stilling") of near-surface wind speed during the last 30-50 years over many mid-latitude terrestrial regions, particularly in the Northern Hemisphere. The well-known impact of cup anemometer drift (i.e., wear on the bearings) on the observed weakening of wind speed has been mentioned as a potential contributor to the declining trend. However, to date, no research has quantified its contribution to stilling based on measurements, which is most likely due to lack of quantification of the ageing effect. In this study, a 3-year field experiment (2014-2016) with 10-minute paired wind speed measurements from one new and one malfunctioned (i.e., old bearings) SEAC SV5 cup anemometer which has been used by the Spanish Meteorological Agency in automatic weather stations since mid-1980s, was developed for assessing for the first time the role of anemometer drift on wind speed measurement. The results showed a statistical significant impact of anemometer drift on wind speed measurements, with the old anemometer measuring lower wind speeds than the new one. Biases show a marked temporal pattern and clear dependency on wind speed, with both weak and strong winds causing significant biases. This pioneering quantification of biases has allowed us to define two regression models that correct up to 37% of the artificial bias in wind speed due to measurement with an old anemometer.

Assessing the Impact of Different Measurement Time Intervals on Observed Long-Term Wind Speed Trends

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azorin-Molina, C.; Vicente-Serrano, S. M.; McVicar, T.; Jerez, S.; Revuelto, J.; López Moreno, J. I.

2014-12-01

During the last two decades climate studies have reported a tendency toward a decline in measured near-surface wind speed in some regions of Europe, North America, Asia and Australia. This weakening in observed wind speed has been recently termed "global stilling", showing a worldwide average trend of -0.140 m s-1 dec-1 during last 50-years. The precise cause of the "global stilling" remains largely uncertain and has been hypothetically attributed to several factors, mainly related to: (i) an increasing surface roughness (i.e. forest growth, land use changes, and urbanization); (ii) a slowdown in large-scale atmospheric circulation; (iii) instrumental drifts and technological improvements, maintenance, and shifts in measurements sites and calibration issues; (iv) sunlight dimming due to air pollution; and (v) astronomical changes. This study proposed a novel investigation aimed at analyzing how different measurement time intervals used to calculate a wind speed series can affect the sign and magnitude of long-term wind speed trends. For instance, National Weather Services across the globe estimate daily average wind speed using different time intervals and formulae that may affect the trend results. Firstly, we carried out a comprehensive review of wind studies reporting the sign and magnitude of wind speed trend and the sampling intervals used. Secondly, we analyzed near-surface wind speed trends recorded at 59 land-based stations across Spain comparing monthly mean wind speed series obtained from: (a) daily mean wind speed data averaged from standard 10-min mean observations at 0000, 0700, 1300 and 1800 UTC; and (b) average wind speed of 24 hourly measurements (i.e., wind run measurements) from 0000 to 2400 UTC. Thirdly and finally, we quantified the impact of anemometer drift (i.e. bearing malfunction) by presenting preliminary results (1-year of paired measurements) from a comparison of one new anemometer sensor against one malfunctioned anenometer sensor due to old bearings.

Unique Observations in Hurricane Maria (2017) using the Coyote Uncrewed Aircraft System (UAS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bryan, G. H.; Cione, J.; Aksoy, A.; Baker, B.; Dahl, B. A.; de Boer, G.; Dobosy, R.; Dumas, E. J.; Fairall, C. W.; Farber, A. M.; Halliwell, G. R., Jr.; Kalina, E. A.; Kent, B.; Klotz, B.; Lee, T.; Marks, F.; Ryan, K. E.; Troudt, C.; Wiggins, R.; Zawislak, J.; Zhang, J.

2017-12-01

Scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) collected valuable and highly unique data from six Coyote Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) deployed into Hurricane Maria on 22-24 September 2017. Using NOAA's crewed P-3 reconnaissance aircraft as a deployment vehicle, low-level observations of wind speed, wind direction, atmospheric pressure, temperature, moisture and sea surface temperature were measured and transmitted by the UAS. In all cases, high-definition observations collected by the Coyote were transmitted to NOAA's National Hurricane Center and made available to forecasters in near-real time. A brief synopsis of the data collected will be given. Highlights include: 1) the highest (to our knowledge) UAS-measured wind speed in a hurricane (64 m/s at 340 m above sea level); 2) record endurance for a Coyote UAS mission in a hurricane (42 minutes); and 3) high-frequency (>2 Hz) measurements in the hurricane boundary layer, which allow for calculations of turbulence intensity. Plans for data analysis and future UAS deployments in hurricanes will also be discussed.

Exploring the Effects of Atmospheric Forcings on Evaporation: Experimental Integration of the Atmospheric Boundary Layer and Shallow Subsurface

PubMed Central

Smits, Kathleen; Eagen, Victoria; Trautz, Andrew

2015-01-01

Evaporation is directly influenced by the interactions between the atmosphere, land surface and soil subsurface. This work aims to experimentally study evaporation under various surface boundary conditions to improve our current understanding and characterization of this multiphase phenomenon as well as to validate numerical heat and mass transfer theories that couple Navier-Stokes flow in the atmosphere and Darcian flow in the porous media. Experimental data were collected using a unique soil tank apparatus interfaced with a small climate controlled wind tunnel. The experimental apparatus was instrumented with a suite of state of the art sensor technologies for the continuous and autonomous collection of soil moisture, soil thermal properties, soil and air temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed. This experimental apparatus can be used to generate data under well controlled boundary conditions, allowing for better control and gathering of accurate data at scales of interest not feasible in the field. Induced airflow at several distinct wind speeds over the soil surface resulted in unique behavior of heat and mass transfer during the different evaporative stages. PMID:26131928

Experimental investigation of effect of surface gravity waves and spray on heat and momentum flux at strong wind conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Troitskaya, Yuliya; Sergeev, Daniil; Vdovin, Maxim; Kandaurov, Alexander; Ermakova, Olga; Kazakov, Vassily

2015-04-01

The most important characteristics that determine the interaction between atmosphere and ocean are fluxes of momentum, heat and moisture. For their parameterization the dimensionless exchange coefficients (the surface drag coefficient CD and the heat transfer coefficient or the Stanton number CT) are used. Numerous field and laboratory experiments show that CD increases with increasing wind speed at moderate and strong wind, and as it was shows recently CD decreases at hurricane wind speed. Waves are known to increase the sea surface resistance due to enhanced form drag, the sea spray is considered as a possible mechanism of the 'drag reduction' at hurricane conditions. The dependence of heat transfer coefficient CD on the wind speed is not so certain and the role of the mechanism associated with the wave disturbances in the mass transfer is not completely understood. Observations and laboratory data show that this dependence is weaker than for the CD, and there are differences in the character of the dependence in different data sets. The purpose of this paper is investigation of the effect of surface waves on the turbulent exchange of momentum and heat within the laboratory experiment, when wind and wave parameters are maintained and controlled. The effect of spray on turbulent exchange at strong winds is also estimated. A series of experiments to study the processes of turbulent exchange of momentum and heat in a stably stratified temperature turbulent boundary layer air flow over waved water surface were carried out at the Wind - wave stratified flume of IAP RAS, the peculiarity of this experiment was the option to change the surface wave parameters regardless of the speed of the wind flow in the channel. For this purpose a polyethylene net with the variable depth (0.25 mm thick and a cell of 1.6 mm × 1.6mm) has been stretched along the channel. The waves were absent when the net was located at the level of the undisturbed water surface, and had maximum amplitude at the maximum depth of the net (33cm). To create a stable temperature stratification of the wind, the air entering the flume was heated to 30-40 oC. The water temperature was maintained about 15 degrees. The air flow velocity in the flume corresponded to the 10-m wind speed from 10 to 35 m/s. Turbulent fluxes of heat and momentum and roughness parameters were retrieved from the velocity and temperature profiles measured at the distance 6.5 m from the inlet of the flume and subsequent data processing exploiting the self-similarity of the temperature and velocity profiles. In a result surface drag and heat exchange coefficients and roughness parameters were obtained. Wind wave spectra and integral parameters (significant wave height, mean square slope) were retrieved from measurements by 3-channel array wave gauge by coherent spectral data processing. To estimate the amount of spray in the air flow, a spray marker was introduced using the effect of a sharp decline in film anemometer readings in contact with a droplet. Dependences of the exchange coefficients on the wind speed, wave parameters and the spray marker were obtained. It is shown that the exchange coefficients increase with the wind speed and wave height. It was found, that the sharp increase of the drag and heat exchange coefficients at wind speeds exceeded 25 m/s was accompanied by the emergence and increasing concentration of the spray in the air flow over water. The correlation coefficient between the drag coefficient and the spray marker was about 0.9. Using high-speed video revealed the dominant mechanism for the generation of spray at strong winds. It is shown that it is associated with the development of a special type of instability of the air-water interface, which is known as "bag-breakup instability" in the theory of fragmentation of liquids. The hypothesis is suggested, that the observed increase of surface drag and heat exchange can be attributed to the development of this type of instability. This work was supported by the Russian Foundation of Basic Research (13-05-00865, 14-05-91767, 13-05-12093, 15-05-) and Alexander Kandaurov, Maxim Vdovin and Olga Ermakova acknowledge partial support from Russian Science Foundation (Agreement No. 14-17-00667).

Low-speed wind tunnel investigation of a semispan STOL jet transport wing body with an upper surface blown jet flap

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Phelps, A. E., III; Letko, W.; Henderson, R. L.

1973-01-01

An investigation of the static longitudinal aerodynamic characteristics of a semispan STOL jet transport wing-body with an upper-surface blown jet flap for lift augmentation was conducted in a low-speed wind tunnel having a 12-ft octagonal test section. The semispan swept wing had an aspect ratio of 3.92 (7.84 for the full span) and had two simulated turbofan engines mounted ahead of and above the wing in a siamese pod equipped with an exhaust deflector. The purpose of the deflector was to spread the engine exhaust into a jet sheet attached to the upper surface of the wing so that it would turn downward over the flap and provide lift augmentation. The wing also had optional boundary-layer control provided by air blowing through a thin slot over a full-span plain trailing-edge flap.

Gas transfer velocities measured at low wind speed over a lake

USGS Publications Warehouse

Crusius, John; Wanninkhof, R.

2003-01-01

The relationship between gas transfer velocity and wind speed was evaluated at low wind speeds by quantifying the rate of evasion of the deliberate tracer, SF6, from a small oligotrophic lake. Several possible relationships between gas transfer velocity and low wind speed were evaluated by using 1-min-averaged wind speeds as a measure of the instantaneous wind speed values. Gas transfer velocities in this data set can be estimated virtually equally well by assuming any of three widely used relationships between k600 and winds referenced to 10-m height, U10: (1) a bilinear dependence with a break in the slope at ???3.7 m s-1, which resulted in the best fit; (2) a power dependence; and (3) a constant transfer velocity for U10 3.7 m s-1 which, coupled with the typical variability in instantaneous wind speeds observed in the field, leads to average transfer velocity estimates that are higher than those predicted for steady wind trends. The transfer velocities predicted by the bilinear steady wind relationship for U10 < ???3.7 m s-1 are virtually identical to the theoretical predictions for transfer across a smooth surface.

Observational study of upper ocean cooling due to Phet super cyclone in the Arabian Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muni Krishna, K.

2016-05-01

Phet super cyclone (31 May-7 June 2010) was the most intense and also the rarest of the rare track in Arabian Sea as per the recorded history during 1877-2009. The present study focuses on the ocean physical responses to Phet cyclone using satellite and Argo observations. The sea surface temperature is decreased to 6 °C with an approximately 350 km long and 100 km width area in the Arabian Sea after the cyclone passage. The translation speed of cyclone is 3.86 m/s, the mixed layer is 79 m, and thermocline displacement is 13 m at the cooling area. With the relationship of wind stress curl and Ekman pumping velocity (EPV), the author found that the speed of EPV was increased after the passage of cyclone. So the extent of the SST drop was probably due to the moving speed of cyclone and the depth of the mixed layer.

Validation campaigns of a coherent Doppler Wind Lidar for PBL Continuous Profiling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sauvage, Laurent; Cariou, Jean-Pierre; Boquet, Matthieu; Parmentier, Remy

2010-05-01

To fully understand atmospheric dynamics, climate studies, energy transfer and weather prediction, the wind field is one of the most important atmospheric state variables. Studies indicate that a global determination of the tropospheric wind field to an accuracy of 0.5 m/s is critical for improved numerical weather forecasting. LEOSPHERE recently developed a long range compact, eye safe and transportable wind Lidar capable to fully determine locally the wind field in real time in the planetary boundary layer (PBL). The WLS70 is a new generation wind Lidar developed for meteorological applications. The Lidar is derived from the commercial Windcube™ widely used by the wind industry and has been modified increasing the range up to 2 km. In this paper are presented results of the inter comparison measurement campaigns EUCAARI, LUAMI and WAVES in which the WLS70 participated together with both up-to-date active and passive ground-based remote-sensing systems for providing high-quality meteorological parameters reference or ground-truth e.g. to satellite sensors. In May 2008, the first WLS70 prototype started retrieving vertical wind speed profiles during the EUCAARI campaign at Cabauw, the Netherlands. First results were very promising with vertical profiles up to 2km showing high frequency updrafts and downdrafts in the boundary layer. From November 2008 to January 2009, a WLS70 was deployed in Germany, together with an EZ Lidar™ ALS450, in the frame of the Lindenberg Upper Air Methods Intercomparison (LUAMI) campaign. During 62 days, the WLS70 Lidar retrieved 24/24 hours vertical profiles of the 3 wind components, putting in evidence wind shears and veers, as well as gusts and high frequency convective effects with the raise of the mixing layer or with incoming rain fronts. In-cloud and multilayer measurements are also available allowing a large range of additional investigations such as cloud-aerosol interactions or cloud droplet activation. From March to May 2009, LEOSPHERE deployed a WLS70 prototype unit at the Howard University Research Campus in Beltsville, Maryland, for the Water Vapor Validation Experiments (WAVES) from the initiative of the NOAA. The presence of numerous wind profilers, lidars and radio soundings was a perfect opportunity to test and improve this new compact and autonomous long range wind Lidar. The WLS70 showed Low Level Jet phenomena which have strong impact on air quality. In July 2009, the WLS70 took its definitive configuration with a new optical device installed on it allowing enhanced measurement range. New measurements were done at PNNL in Richland, Washington, and NASA Langley in Hampton, Virginia. These results are now processed and will bring a further proof on reliability and accuracy. During these intensive inter comparison campaigns the WLS70 Wind Lidar was validated against Lidars, Radars, Sodars and anemometers. The results show mostly a very good agreement between the instruments. Moreover, the measurements put in evidence both horizontal and vertical wind speed and wind direction vertical profiles and atmosphere structure (PBL height , clouds base) derived from Lidar data with good time resolution (10s/profile), good range resolution (50m from 100m to 2000m), and good velocity accuracy.

Evaluation of reanalysis near-surface winds over northern Africa in Boreal summer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Engelstaedter, Sebastian; Washington, Richard

2014-05-01

The emission of dust from desert surfaces depends on the combined effects of surface properties such as surface roughness, soil moisture, soil texture and particle size (erodibility) and wind speed (erosivity). In order for dust cycle models to realistically simulate dust emissions for the right reasons, it is essential that erosivity and erodibility controlling factors are represented correctly. There has been a focus on improving dust emission schemes or input fields of soil distribution and texture even though it has been shown that the use of wind fields from different reanalysis datasets to drive the same model can result in significant differences in the dust emissions. Here we evaluate the representation of near-surface wind speed from three different reanalysis datasets (ERA-Interim, CFSR and MERRA) over the North African domain. Reanalysis 10m wind speeds are compared with observations from SYNOP and METAR reports available from the UK Meteorological Office Integrated Data Archive System (MIDAS) Land and Marine Surface Stations Dataset. We compare 6-hourly observations of 10m wind speed between 1 January 1989 and 31 December 2009 from more the 500 surface stations with the corresponding reanalysis values. A station data based mean wind speed climatology for North Africa is presented. Overall, the representation of 10m winds is relatively poor in all three reanalysis datasets with stations in the northern parts of the Sahara still being better simulated (correlation coefficients ~ 0.5) than stations in the Sahel (correlation coefficients < 0.3) which points at the reanalyses not being able to realistically capture the Sahel dynamics systems. All three reanalyses have a systematic bias towards overestimating wind speed below 3-4 m/s and underestimating wind speed above 4 m/s. This bias becomes larger with increasing wind speed but is independent of the time of day. For instance, 14 m/s observed wind speeds are underestimated on average by 6 m/s in the ERA-Interim reanalysis. Given the cubic relationship between wind speed and dust emission this large underestimation is expected to significantly impact the simulation of dust emissions. A negative relationship between observed and ERA-Interim wind speed is found for winds above 14 m/s indicating that high wind speed generating processes are not well (if at all) represented in the model.

Relationship between wind speed and gas exchange over the ocean

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wanninkhof, Rik

1992-01-01

A quadratic dependence of gas exchange on wind speed is employed to analyze the relationship between gas transfer and wind speed with particular emphasizing variable and/or low wind speeds. The quadratic dependence is fit through gas-transfer velocities over the ocean determined by methods based on the natural C-14 disequilibrium and the bomb C-14 inventory. The variation in the CO2 levels is related to these mechanisms, but the results show that other causes play significant roles. A weaker dependence of gas transfer on wind is suggested for steady winds, and long-term averaged winds demonstrate a stronger dependence in the present model. The chemical enhancement of CO2 exchange is also shown to play a role by increasing CO2 fluxes at low wind speeds.

Wind tunnel test of Teledyne Geotech model 1564B cup anemometer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Parker, M.J.; Addis, R.P.

1991-04-04

The Department of Energy (DOE) Environment, Safety and Health Compliance Assessment (Tiger Team) of the Savannah River Site (SRS) questioned the method by which wind speed sensors (cup anemometers) are calibrated by the Environmental Technology Section (ETS). The Tiger Team member was concerned that calibration data was generated by running the wind tunnel to only 26 miles per hour (mph) when speeds exceeding 50 mph are readily obtainable. A wind tunnel experiment was conducted and confirmed the validity of the practice. Wind speeds common to SRS (6 mph) were predicted more accurately by 0--25 mph regression equations than 0--50 mphmore » regression equations. Higher wind speeds were slightly overpredicted by the 0--25 mph regression equations when compared to 0--50 mph regression equations. However, the greater benefit of more accurate lower wind speed predictions accuracy outweight the benefit of slightly better high (extreme) wind speed predictions. Therefore, it is concluded that 0--25 mph regression equations should continue to be utilized by ETS at SRS. During the Department of Energy Tiger Team audit, concerns were raised about the calibration of SRS cup anemometers. Wind speed is measured by ETS with Teledyne Geotech model 1564B cup anemometers, which are calibrated in the ETS wind tunnel. Linear regression lines are fitted to data points of tunnel speed versus anemometer output voltages up to 25 mph. The regression coefficients are then implemented into the data acquisition computer software when an instrument is installed in the field. The concern raised was that since the wind tunnel at SRS is able to generate a maximum wind speed higher than 25 mph, errors may be introduced in not using the full range of the wind tunnel.« less

Wind tunnel test of Teledyne Geotech model 1564B cup anemometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parker, M. J.; Addis, R. P.

1991-04-01

The Department of Energy (DOE) Environment, Safety, and Health Compliance Assessment (Tiger Team) of the Savannah River Site (SRS) questioned the method by which wind speed sensors (cup anemometers) are calibrated by the Environmental Technology Section (ETS). The Tiger Team member was concerned that calibration data was generated by running the wind tunnel to only 26 miles per hour (mph) when speeds exceeding 50 mph are readily obtainable. A wind tunnel experiment was conducted and confirmed the validity of the practice. Wind speeds common to SRS (6 mph) were predicted more accurately by 0-25 mph regression equations than 0-50 mph regression equations. Higher wind speeds were slightly overpredicted by the 0-25 mph regression equations when compared to 0-50 mph regression equations. However, the greater benefit of more accurate lower wind speed predictions accuracy outweigh the benefit of slightly better high (extreme) wind speed predictions. Therefore, it is concluded that 0-25 mph regression equations should continue to be utilized by ETS at SRS. During the Department of Energy Tiger Team audit, concerns were raised about the calibration of SRS cup anemometers. Wind speed is measured by ETS with Teledyne Geotech model 1564B cup anemometers, which are calibrated in the ETS wind tunnel. Linear regression lines are fitted to data points of tunnel speed versus anemometer output voltages up to 25 mph. The regression coefficients are then implemented into the data acquisition computer software when an instrument is installed in the field. The concern raised was that since the wind tunnel at SRS is able to generate a maximum wind speed higher than 25 mph, errors may be introduced in not using the full range of the wind tunnel.

Study of the Effect of Wind Speed on Evaporation from Soil Through Integrated Modeling of Atmospheric Boundary Layer and Shallow Subsurface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smits, K. M.; Davarzani, H.; Illangasekare, T. H.

2012-12-01

The study of the interaction between the land and atmosphere is paramount to our understanding of many emerging problems to include climate change and the movement of green house gases such as possible leaking of sequestered CO2. Soil moisture distribution in the shallow subsurface becomes a critical factor in these problems. The heat and mass flux in the form of soil evaporation across the land surface couples the atmospheric boundary layer to the shallow subsurface. The coupling between land and the atmosphere leads to highly dynamic interactions between the porous media properties, transport processes and boundary conditions, resulting in dynamic evaporative behavior. However, the coupling at the land-atmospheric interface is rarely considered in most current models and their validation for practical applications. This is due to the complexity of the problem in field scenarios and the scarcity of field or laboratory data capable of testing and refining coupled energy and mass transfer theories. In most efforts to compute evaporation from soil, only indirect coupling is provided to characterize the interaction between non-isothermal multiphase flows under realistic atmospheric conditions even though heat and mass flux are controlled by the coupled dynamics of the land and the atmospheric boundary layer. In earlier drying modeling concepts, imposing evaporation flux (kinetic of relative humidity) and temperature as surface boundary condition is often needed. With the goal of improving our understanding of the land/atmospheric coupling, we developed a model based on the coupling of Navier-Stokes free flow and Darcy flow in porous medium. The model consists of the coupled equations of mass conservation for the liquid phase (water) and gas phase (water vapor and air) in porous medium with gas phase (water vapor and air) in free flow domain under non-isothermal, non-equilibrium conditions. The boundary conditions at the porous medium-free flow medium interface include dynamical, thermal and solutal equilibriums, and using the Beavers-Joseph slip boundary condition. What is unique about this model is that the evaporation rate and soil surface temperature conditions come directly from the model output. In order to experimentally validate the numerical results, we developed and used a unique two dimensional wind tunnel placed above a soil tank equipped with a network of different sensors. A series of experiments under varying boundary conditions were performed. Precision data under well-controlled transient heat and wind boundary conditions was generated. Results from numerical simulations were compared with experimental data. Results demonstrate that the coupling concept can predict the different stages of the drying process in porous media with good accuracy. Increasing the wind speed increases the first stage evaporation rate and decreases the transition time at low velocity values; then, at high values of wind speed the evaporation rate becomes less dependent of flow in free fluid. In the opposite, the impact of the wind speed on the second stage evaporation (diffusion dominant stage) is not significant. The proposed theoretical model can be used to predict the evaporation process where a porous medium flow is coupled to a free flow for different practical applications.

11- and 22-year variations of the cosmic ray density and of the solar wind speed

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chirkov, N. P.

1985-01-01

Cosmic ray density variations for 17-21 solar activity cycles and the solar wind speed for 20-21 events are investigated. The 22-year solar wind speed recurrence was found in even and odd cycles. The 22-year variations of cosmic ray density were found to be opposite that of solar wind speed and solar activity. The account of solar wind speed in 11-year variations significantly decreases the modulation region of cosmic rays when E = 10-20 GeV.

Viscous and Turbulent Stress Measurements over Wind-driven Surface Waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yousefi, K.; Veron, F.; Buckley, M. P.; Hara, T.; Husain, N.

2017-12-01

In recent years, the exchange of momentum and scalars between the atmosphere and the ocean has been the subject of several investigations. Although the role of surface waves on the air-sea momentum flux is now well established, detailed quantitative measurements of the turbulence in the airflow over surface waves remain scarce. The current incomplete physical understanding of the airflow dynamics impedes further progress in developing physically based parameterizations for improved weather and sea state predictions, particularly in high winds and extreme conditions. Using combined Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) and Laser Induced Fluorescence (LIF) in the laboratory, we have acquired detailed quantitative measurements of the airflow over wind-driven waves and down to within the viscous sub-layer. Various wind-wave conditions are examined with mean wind speeds ranging from 0.86 to 16.63 m s-1. The mean, turbulent, and wave-induced velocity fields are then extracted from instantaneous two-dimensional velocity measurements. Individual airflow separation events precipitate abrupt and dramatic along-wave variations in the surface viscous stress. In the bulk flow above the waves, these separation events are a source of intense vorticity. Phase averages of the viscous stress present a pattern of along-wave asymmetry near the surface; it is highest on the upwind of wave crest with its peak value about the crest and its minimum occurs at the middle of the leeward side of waves. The contribution of the viscous stress to the total momentum flux is not negligible particularly for low to moderate wind speeds and this contribution decreases with increasing wind speed. Away from the surface, the distribution of turbulent Reynolds stress forms a negative-positive pattern along the wave crest with a separation-induced maximum above the downwind side of the wave. Our measurements will be discussed in the context of available previous results.

Generation and Validation of Spatial Distribution of Hourly Wind Speed Time-Series using Machine Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Veronesi, F.; Grassi, S.

2016-09-01

Wind resource assessment is a key aspect of wind farm planning since it allows to estimate the long term electricity production. Moreover, wind speed time-series at high resolution are helpful to estimate the temporal changes of the electricity generation and indispensable to design stand-alone systems, which are affected by the mismatch of supply and demand. In this work, we present a new generalized statistical methodology to generate the spatial distribution of wind speed time-series, using Switzerland as a case study. This research is based upon a machine learning model and demonstrates that statistical wind resource assessment can successfully be used for estimating wind speed time-series. In fact, this method is able to obtain reliable wind speed estimates and propagate all the sources of uncertainty (from the measurements to the mapping process) in an efficient way, i.e. minimizing computational time and load. This allows not only an accurate estimation, but the creation of precise confidence intervals to map the stochasticity of the wind resource for a particular site. The validation shows that machine learning can minimize the bias of the wind speed hourly estimates. Moreover, for each mapped location this method delivers not only the mean wind speed, but also its confidence interval, which are crucial data for planners.

A Novel Wind Speed Forecasting Model for Wind Farms of Northwest China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jian-Zhou; Wang, Yun

2017-01-01

Wind resources are becoming increasingly significant due to their clean and renewable characteristics, and the integration of wind power into existing electricity systems is imminent. To maintain a stable power supply system that takes into account the stochastic nature of wind speed, accurate wind speed forecasting is pivotal. However, no single model can be applied to all cases. Recent studies show that wind speed forecasting errors are approximately 25% to 40% in Chinese wind farms. Presently, hybrid wind speed forecasting models are widely used and have been verified to perform better than conventional single forecasting models, not only in short-term wind speed forecasting but also in long-term forecasting. In this paper, a hybrid forecasting model is developed, the Similar Coefficient Sum (SCS) and Hermite Interpolation are exploited to process the original wind speed data, and the SVM model whose parameters are tuned by an artificial intelligence model is built to make forecast. The results of case studies show that the MAPE value of the hybrid model varies from 22.96% to 28.87 %, and the MAE value varies from 0.47 m/s to 1.30 m/s. Generally, Sign test, Wilcoxon's Signed-Rank test, and Morgan-Granger-Newbold test tell us that the proposed model is different from the compared models.

Indexed semi-Markov process for wind speed modeling.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petroni, F.; D'Amico, G.; Prattico, F.

2012-04-01

The increasing interest in renewable energy leads scientific research to find a better way to recover most of the available energy. Particularly, the maximum energy recoverable from wind is equal to 59.3% of that available (Betz law) at a specific pitch angle and when the ratio between the wind speed in output and in input is equal to 1/3. The pitch angle is the angle formed between the airfoil of the blade of the wind turbine and the wind direction. Old turbine and a lot of that actually marketed, in fact, have always the same invariant geometry of the airfoil. This causes that wind turbines will work with an efficiency that is lower than 59.3%. New generation wind turbines, instead, have a system to variate the pitch angle by rotating the blades. This system able the wind turbines to recover, at different wind speed, always the maximum energy, working in Betz limit at different speed ratios. A powerful system control of the pitch angle allows the wind turbine to recover better the energy in transient regime. A good stochastic model for wind speed is then needed to help both the optimization of turbine design and to assist the system control to predict the value of the wind speed to positioning the blades quickly and correctly. The possibility to have synthetic data of wind speed is a powerful instrument to assist designer to verify the structures of the wind turbines or to estimate the energy recoverable from a specific site. To generate synthetic data, Markov chains of first or higher order are often used [1,2,3]. In particular in [1] is presented a comparison between a first-order Markov chain and a second-order Markov chain. A similar work, but only for the first-order Markov chain, is conduced by [2], presenting the probability transition matrix and comparing the energy spectral density and autocorrelation of real and synthetic wind speed data. A tentative to modeling and to join speed and direction of wind is presented in [3], by using two models, first-order Markov chain with different number of states, and Weibull distribution. All this model use Markov chains to generate synthetic wind speed time series but the search for a better model is still open. Approaching this issue, we applied new models which are generalization of Markov models. More precisely we applied semi-Markov models to generate synthetic wind speed time series. In a previous work we proposed different semi-Markov models, showing their ability to reproduce the autocorrelation structures of wind speed data. In that paper we showed also that the autocorrelation is higher with respect to the Markov model. Unfortunately this autocorrelation was still too small compared to the empirical one. In order to overcome the problem of low autocorrelation, in this paper we propose an indexed semi-Markov model. More precisely we assume that wind speed is described by a discrete time homogeneous semi-Markov process. We introduce a memory index which takes into account the periods of different wind activities. With this model the statistical characteristics of wind speed are faithfully reproduced. The wind is a very unstable phenomenon characterized by a sequence of lulls and sustained speeds, and a good wind generator must be able to reproduce such sequences. To check the validity of the predictive semi-Markovian model, the persistence of synthetic winds were calculated, then averaged and computed. The model is used to generate synthetic time series for wind speed by means of Monte Carlo simulations and the time lagged autocorrelation is used to compare statistical properties of the proposed models with those of real data and also with a time series generated though a simple Markov chain. [1] A. Shamshad, M.A. Bawadi, W.M.W. Wan Hussin, T.A. Majid, S.A.M. Sanusi, First and second order Markov chain models for synthetic generation of wind speed time series, Energy 30 (2005) 693-708. [2] H. Nfaoui, H. Essiarab, A.A.M. Sayigh, A stochastic Markov chain model for simulating wind speed time series at Tangiers, Morocco, Renewable Energy 29 (2004) 1407-1418. [3] F. Youcef Ettoumi, H. Sauvageot, A.-E.-H. Adane, Statistical bivariate modeling of wind using first-order Markov chain and Weibull distribution, Renewable Energy 28 (2003) 1787-1802.

Study of the effect of wind speed on evaporation from soil through integrated modeling of atmospheric boundary layer and shallow subsurface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davarzani, Hossein; Smits, Kathleen; Tolene, Ryan; Illangasekare, Tissa

2013-04-01

The study of the interaction between the land and atmosphere is paramount to our understanding of many emerging problems to include climate change, the movement of green house gases such as possible leaking of sequestered CO2 and the accurate detection of buried objects such as landmines. Soil moisture distribution in the shallow subsurface becomes a critical factor in all these problems. The heat and mass flux in the form of soil evaporation across the land surface couples the atmospheric boundary layer to the shallow subsurface. The coupling between land and the atmosphere leads to highly dynamic interactions between the porous media properties, transport processes and boundary conditions, resulting in dynamic evaporative behavior. However, the coupling at the land-atmospheric interface is rarely considered in most current models and their validation for practical applications. This is due to the complexity of the problem in field scenarios and the scarcity of field or laboratory data capable of testing and refining coupled energy and mass transfer theories. In most efforts to compute evaporation from soil, only indirect coupling is provided to characterize the interaction between non-isothermal multiphase flows under realistic atmospheric conditions even though heat and mass flux are controlled by the coupled dynamics of the land and the atmospheric boundary layer. In earlier drying modeling concepts, imposing evaporation flux (kinetic of relative humidity) and temperature as surface boundary condition is often needed. With the goal of improving our understanding of the land/atmospheric coupling, we developed a model based on the coupling of Navier-Stokes free flow and Darcy flow in porous medium. The model consists of the coupled equations of mass conservation for the liquid phase (water) and gas phase (water vapor and air) in porous medium with gas phase (water vapor and air) in free flow domain under non-isothermal, non-equilibrium conditions. The boundary conditions at the porous medium-free flow medium interface include dynamical, thermal and solutal equilibriums, and using the Beavers-Joseph slip boundary condition. What is unique about this model is that the evaporation rate and soil surface temperature conditions come directly from the model output. In order to experimentally validate the numerical results, we developed and used a unique two dimensional wind tunnel placed above a soil tank equipped with a network of different sensors. A series of experiments under varying boundary conditions, using a test sand for which the hydraulic and thermal properties were well characterized, were performed. Precision data for soil moisture, soil and air temperature and relative humidity, and also wind velocity under well-controlled transient heat and wind boundary conditions was generated. Results from numerical simulations were compared with experimental data. Results demonstrate that the coupling concept can predict the different stages of the drying process in porous media with good accuracy. Increasing the wind speed increases the first stage evaporation rate and decreases the transition time at low velocity values; then, at high values of wind speed the evaporation rate becomes less dependent of flow in free fluid. In the opposite, the impact of the wind speed on the second stage evaporation (diffusion dominant stage) is not significant. The proposed theoretical model can be used to predict the evaporation process where a porous medium flow is coupled to a free flow for different practical applications.

A multiple-fan active control wind tunnel for outdoor wind speed and direction simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jia-Ying; Meng, Qing-Hao; Luo, Bing; Zeng, Ming

2018-03-01

This article presents a new type of active controlled multiple-fan wind tunnel. The wind tunnel consists of swivel plates and arrays of direct current fans, and the rotation speed of each fan and the shaft angle of each swivel plate can be controlled independently for simulating different kinds of outdoor wind fields. To measure the similarity between the simulated wind field and the outdoor wind field, wind speed and direction time series of two kinds of wind fields are recorded by nine two-dimensional ultrasonic anemometers, and then statistical properties of the wind signals in different time scales are analyzed based on the empirical mode decomposition. In addition, the complexity of wind speed and direction time series is also investigated using multiscale entropy and multivariate multiscale entropy. Results suggest that the simulated wind field in the multiple-fan wind tunnel has a high degree of similarity with the outdoor wind field.

Methods and apparatus for reducing peak wind turbine loads

DOEpatents

Moroz, Emilian Mieczyslaw

2007-02-13

A method for reducing peak loads of wind turbines in a changing wind environment includes measuring or estimating an instantaneous wind speed and direction at the wind turbine and determining a yaw error of the wind turbine relative to the measured instantaneous wind direction. The method further includes comparing the yaw error to a yaw error trigger that has different values at different wind speeds and shutting down the wind turbine when the yaw error exceeds the yaw error trigger corresponding to the measured or estimated instantaneous wind speed.

From Near-Neutral to Strongly Stratified: Adequately Modelling the Clear-Sky Nocturnal Boundary Layer at Cabauw.

PubMed

Baas, P; van de Wiel, B J H; van der Linden, S J A; Bosveld, F C

2018-01-01

The performance of an atmospheric single-column model (SCM) is studied systematically for stably-stratified conditions. To this end, 11 years (2005-2015) of daily SCM simulations were compared to observations from the Cabauw observatory, The Netherlands. Each individual clear-sky night was classified in terms of the ambient geostrophic wind speed with a [Formula: see text] bin-width. Nights with overcast conditions were filtered out by selecting only those nights with an average net radiation of less than [Formula: see text]. A similar procedure was applied to the observational dataset. A comparison of observed and modelled ensemble-averaged profiles of wind speed and potential temperature and time series of turbulent fluxes showed that the model represents the dynamics of the nocturnal boundary layer (NBL) at Cabauw very well for a broad range of mechanical forcing conditions. No obvious difference in model performance was found between near-neutral and strongly-stratified conditions. Furthermore, observed NBL regime transitions are represented in a natural way. The reference model version performs much better than a model version that applies excessive vertical mixing as is done in several (global) operational models. Model sensitivity runs showed that for weak-wind conditions the inversion strength depends much more on details of the land-atmosphere coupling than on the turbulent mixing. The presented results indicate that in principle the physical parametrizations of large-scale atmospheric models are sufficiently equipped for modelling stably-stratified conditions for a wide range of forcing conditions.

From Near-Neutral to Strongly Stratified: Adequately Modelling the Clear-Sky Nocturnal Boundary Layer at Cabauw

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baas, P.; van de Wiel, B. J. H.; van der Linden, S. J. A.; Bosveld, F. C.

2018-02-01

The performance of an atmospheric single-column model (SCM) is studied systematically for stably-stratified conditions. To this end, 11 years (2005-2015) of daily SCM simulations were compared to observations from the Cabauw observatory, The Netherlands. Each individual clear-sky night was classified in terms of the ambient geostrophic wind speed with a 1 m s^{-1} bin-width. Nights with overcast conditions were filtered out by selecting only those nights with an average net radiation of less than - 30 W m^{-2}. A similar procedure was applied to the observational dataset. A comparison of observed and modelled ensemble-averaged profiles of wind speed and potential temperature and time series of turbulent fluxes showed that the model represents the dynamics of the nocturnal boundary layer (NBL) at Cabauw very well for a broad range of mechanical forcing conditions. No obvious difference in model performance was found between near-neutral and strongly-stratified conditions. Furthermore, observed NBL regime transitions are represented in a natural way. The reference model version performs much better than a model version that applies excessive vertical mixing as is done in several (global) operational models. Model sensitivity runs showed that for weak-wind conditions the inversion strength depends much more on details of the land-atmosphere coupling than on the turbulent mixing. The presented results indicate that in principle the physical parametrizations of large-scale atmospheric models are sufficiently equipped for modelling stably-stratified conditions for a wide range of forcing conditions.

Station Keeping of Small Outboard-Powered Boats

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fisher, A. D.; VanZwieten, J. H., Jr.; VanZwieten, T. S.

2010-01-01

Three station keeping controllers have been developed which work to minimize displacement of a small outboard-powered vessel from a desired location. Each of these three controllers has a common initial layer that uses fixed-gain feedback control to calculate the desired heading of the vessel. A second control layer uses a common fixed-gain feedback controller to calculate the net forward thrust, one of two algorithms for controlling engine angle (Fixed-Gain Proportional-integral-derivative (PID) or PID with Adaptively Augmented Gains), and one of two algorithms for differential throttle control (Fixed-Gain PID and PID with Adaptive Differential Throttle gains), which work together to eliminate heading error. The three selected controllers are evaluated using a numerical simulation of a 33-foot center console vessel with twin outboards that is subject to wave, wind, and current disturbances. Each controller is tested for its ability to maintain position in the presence of three sets of environmental disturbances. These algorithms were tested with current velocity of 1.5 m/s, significant wave height of 0.5 m, and wind speeds of 2, 5, and 10 m/s. These values were chosen to model conditions a small vessel may experience in the Gulf Stream off of Fort Lauderdale. The Fixed-gain PID controller progressively got worse as wind speeds increased, while the controllers using adaptive methodologies showed consistent performance over all weather conditions and decreased heading error by as much as 20%. Thus, enhanced robustness to environmental changes has been gained by using an adaptive algorithm.

Wind Retrievals under Rain for Passive Satellite Microwave Radiometers and its Applications to Hurricane Tracking

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meissner, Thomas; Wentz, Frank J.

2008-01-01

We have developed an algorithm that retrieves wind speed under rain using C-hand and X-band channels of passive microwave satellite radiometers. The spectral difference of the brightness temperature signals due to wind or rain allows to find channel combinations that are sufficiently sensitive to wind speed but little or not sensitive to rain. We &ve trained a statistical algorithm that applies under hurricane conditions and is able to measure wind speeds in hurricanes to an estimated accuracy of about 2 m/s. We have also developed a global algorithm, that is less accurate but can be applied under all conditions. Its estimated accuracy is between 2 and 5 mls, depending on wind speed and rain rate. We also extend the wind speed region in our model for the wind induced sea surface emissivity from currently 20 m/s to 40 mls. The data indicate that the signal starts to saturate above 30 mls. Finally, we make an assessment of the performance of wind direction retrievals from polarimetric radiometers as function of wind speed and rain rate

On the measurement of turbulent fluctuations in high-speed flows using hot wires and hot films

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Acharya, M.

1978-01-01

A hot wire has a limited life in high speed wind-tunnel flows because it is typically subjected to large dynamic loads. As a consequence hot films and modified hot wires are frequently used for turbulence measurements in such flows. However, the fluctuation sensitivities of such probes are reduced because of various factors, leading to erroneous results. This paper describes the results of tests on some sensors in both subsonic and supersonic boundary-layer flows. A simple technique to determine dynamic calibration correction factors for the sensitivities is also presented.

New insights into modeling an organic mass fraction of sea spray aerosol

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meskhidze, N.; Gantt, B.

2010-12-01

As the study of climate change progresses, a need to separate the effects of natural and anthropogenic processes becomes essential in order to correctly forecast the future climate. Due to their massive source regions underlying an atmosphere with low aerosol concentration, marine aerosols derived from sea spray and ocean emitted biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) are extremely important for the Earth’s radiative budget, regional air quality and biogeochemical cycling of elements. Measurements of freshly-emitted sea spray have revealed that bubble bursting processes, largely responsible for the production of sea salt aerosol, also control sea-to-air transfer of marine organic matter. It has been established that the organic mass fraction of sea spray can be a function of sea-water composition (e.g., concentrations of Chlorophyll-a, [Chl-a], dissolved organic carbon, [DOC], particulate organic carbon, [POC], types of organic carbon, and the amount of surfactants). Current paramaterizations of marine primary organic aerosol emissions use remotely sensed [Chl-a] data as a proxy for oceanic biological activity. However, it has also been shown that the path length, size, and lifetime of bubbles in seawater as well as spatial coverage of seawater surface by streaks or slicks (visible film of a roughly 50 μm thick layer, highly enriched in organics) can have dramatic effect on organic mass fraction of sea spray (OCss). Dynamics of bubble entrainment and the level of microlayer enrichment by organics relative to the underlying bulk water can be controlled by surface wind speed. For bubble entrainment, high winds can increase rising bubble path length and therefore the amount of organics scavenged by the bubble. However, when the surface wind speeds exceed 8 m s-1 breaking of ocean waves can entirely destroy surface organic films and diminish the amount of organics leaving the sea. Despite the probable impact of wind speed, existing parameterizations do not consider the wind speed dependence of OCss. In this study we use remotely sensed data for ocean slick coverage and surface wind speed in conjunction with an upwind averaged concentrations of [Chl-a], [DOC] and [POC] to derive marine primary organic aerosol emission function. Derived empirical relationships between the aerosol and ocean/meteorological data are then compared to observed OCss at Mace Head and Point Reyes National Seashore. MATLAB curve fitting tool revealed that multi-variable regression analysis (with both wind speed and [Chl-a]) yields a significant improvement between model predicted and observed submicron fraction of OCss. The coefficient of determination increased from R2=0.1 for previous parameterizations to R2=0.6. Based on the results of this study we propose that in addition to sea-water composition, future parameterizations of marine primary organic aerosol emissions should include sea spray organic mass fraction dependence on surface wind speed.

Detecting surface roughness effects on the atmospheric boundary layer via AIRSAR data: A field experiment in Death Valley, California

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blumberg, Dan G.; Greeley, Ronald

1992-01-01

The part of the troposphere influenced by the surface of the earth is termed the atmospheric boundary layer. Flow within this layer is influenced by the roughness of the surface; rougher surfaces induce more turbulence than smoother surfaces and, hence, higher atmospheric transfer rates across the surface. Roughness elements also shield erodible particles, thus decreasing the transport of windblown particles. Therefore, the aerodynamic roughness length (z(sub 0)) is an important parameter in aeolian and atmospheric boundary layer processes as it describes the aerodynamic properties of the underlying surface. z(sub 0) is assumed to be independent of wind velocity or height, and dependent only on the surface topography. It is determined using in situ measurements of the wind speed distribution as a function of height. For dry, unvegetated soils the intensity of the radar backscatter (sigma(sup 0)) is affected primarily by surface roughness at a scale comparable with the radar wavelength. Thus, both wind and radar respond to surface roughness variations on a scale of a few meters or less. Greeley showed the existence of a correlation between z(sub 0) and sigma(sup 0). This correlation was based on measurements over lava flows, alluvial fans, and playas in the southwest deserts of the United States. It is shown that the two parameters behave similarly also when there are small changes over a relatively homogeneous surface.

Schlieren visualization of flow-field modification over an airfoil by near-surface gas-density perturbations generated by a nanosecond-pulse-driven plasma actuator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Komuro, Atsushi; Takashima, Keisuke; Konno, Kaiki; Tanaka, Naoki; Nonomura, Taku; Kaneko, Toshiro; Ando, Akira; Asai, Keisuke

2017-06-01

Gas-density perturbations near an airfoil surface generated by a nanosecond dielectric-barrier-discharge plasma actuator (ns-DBDPA) are visualized using a high-speed Schlieren imaging method. Wind-tunnel experiments are conducted for a wind speed of 20 m s-1 with an NACA0015 airfoil whose chord length is 100 mm. The results show that the ns-DBDPA first generates a pressure wave and then stochastic perturbations of the gas density near the leading edge of the airfoil. Two structures with different characteristics are observed in the stochastic perturbations. One structure propagates along the boundary between the shear layer and the main flow at a speed close to that of the main flow. The other propagates more slowly on the surface of the airfoil and causes mixing between the main and shear flows. It is observed that these two heated structures interact with each other, resulting in a recovery in the negative pressure coefficient at the leading edge of the airfoil.

Inconsistencies in the Weather Research and Forecasting Model of the Marine Boundary Layer Along the Coast of California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fisher, Andrew M.

The late spring and summer low-level wind field along the California coast is primarily controlled by the pressure gradient between the Pacific high and the thermal low over the desert southwest. Strong northwesterly winds within the marine boundary layer (MBL) are common and the flow is often described as a two-layer shallow water hydraulic system, capped above by subsidence and bounded laterally by high coastal topography. Hydraulic features such as an expansion fan can occur near major coastal headlands. Numerical simulations using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) modeling system were conducted over a two-month period and compared to observations from several buoy stations and aircraft measurements from the Precision Atmospheric Marine Boundary Layer Experiment (PreAMBLE). Model performance of the atmospheric adjustment near the Point Arguello and Point Conception (PAPC) headlands and into the Santa Barbara Channel (SBC) is assessed. Substantial inconsistencies are revealed, especially in the SBC. The strength of the synoptic forcing impacts model performance upstream of PAPC. The model maintains stronger winds than observed under weak forcing regimes, inadequately representing periods of wind relaxation. The large-scale forcing has minimal impact on the flow in the SBC, where poor modeling of the MBL characteristics exists throughout the entire period. Similar results are found in the coarser North American Mesoscale (NAM) model. In general, WRF overestimates the wind speed around PAPC and the expansion fan extends too far into the SBC. Previous conceptual models were based on similar flawed model results and limited observations. PreAMBLE measurements reveal a more complex lower atmosphere in the SBC than the simulations can represent. Mischaracterization of surface wind stress in the SBC has implications for forcing ocean models with WRF. Understanding model biases of the vertical profile of temperature and humidity are also critical to several national defense agencies with interests in atmospheric refractivity conditions and its impact on their operations.

Measurements in the near-wall region of a relaxing three-dimensional low speed turbulent air boundary layer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hebbar, K. S.; Melnik, W. L.

1976-01-01

An experimental investigation was conducted at selected locations of the near-wall region of a three dimensional turbulent air boundary layer relaxing in a nominally zero external pressure gradient behind a transverse hump (in the form of a 30 deg swept, 5-foot chord wing-type model) faired into the side wall of a low speed wind tunnel. Wall shear stresses measured with a flush-mounted hot-film gage and a sublayer fence were in very good agreement with experimental data obtained with two Preston probes. With the upstream unit Reynolds number held constant at 325,000/ft. approximately one-fourth of the boundary layer thickness adjacent to the wall was surveyed with a single rotated hot-wire probe mounted on a specially designed minimum interference traverse mechanism. The boundary layer (approximately 3.5 in thick near the first survey station where the length Reynolds number was 5.5 million) had a maximum crossflow velocity ratio of 0.145 and a maximum crossflow angle of 21.875 deg close to the wall.

Direct Torque Control of a Small Wind Turbine with a Sliding-Mode Speed Controller

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sri Lal Senanayaka, Jagath; Karimi, Hamid Reza; Robbersmyr, Kjell G.

2016-09-01

In this paper. the method of direct torque control in the presence of a sliding-mode speed controller is proposed for a small wind turbine being used in water heating applications. This concept and control system design can be expanded to grid connected or off-grid applications. Direct torque control of electrical machines has shown several advantages including very fast dynamics torque control over field-oriented control. Moreover. the torque and flux controllers in the direct torque control algorithms are based on hvsteretic controllers which are nonlinear. In the presence of a sliding-mode speed control. a nonlinear control system can be constructed which is matched for AC/DC conversion of the converter that gives fast responses with low overshoots. The main control objectives of the proposed small wind turbine can be maximum power point tracking and soft-stall power control. This small wind turbine consists of permanent magnet synchronous generator and external wind speed. and rotor speed measurements are not required for the system. However. a sensor is needed to detect the rated wind speed overpass events to activate proper speed references for the wind turbine. Based on the low-cost design requirement of small wind turbines. an available wind speed sensor can be modified. or a new sensor can be designed to get the required measurement. The simulation results will be provided to illustrate the excellent performance of the closed-loop control system in entire wind speed range (4-25 m/s).

MiniSODAR(TradeMark) Evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Short, David A.; Wheeler, Mark M.

2003-01-01

This report describes results of the AMU's Instrumentation and Measurement task for evaluation of the Doppler miniSODAR(TradeMark) System (DmSS). The DmSS is an acoustic wind profiler providing high resolution data to a height of approx. 410 ft. The Boeing Company installed a DmSS near Space Launch Complex 37 in mid-2002 as a substitute for a tall wind tower and plans to use DmSS data for the analysis and forecasting of winds during ground and launch operations. Peak wind speed data are of particular importance to Launch Weather Officers of the 45th Weather Squadron for evaluating user Launch Commit Criteria. The AMU performed a comparative analysis of wind data between the DmSS and nearby wind towers from August 2002 to July 2003. The DmSS vertical profile of average wind speed showed good agreement with the wind towers. However, the DMSS peak wind speeds were higher, on average, than the wind tower peak wind speeds by about 25%. A statistical model of an idealized Doppler profiler was developed and it predicted that average wind speeds would be well determined but peak wind speeds would be over-estimated due to an under-specification of vertical velocity variations in the atmosphere over the Profiler.

An examination of loads and responses of a wind turbine undergoing variable-speed operation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wright, A.D.; Buhl, M.L. Jr.; Bir, G.S.

1996-11-01

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has recently developed the ability to predict turbine loads and responses for machines undergoing variable-speed operation. The wind industry has debated the potential benefits of operating wind turbine sat variable speeds for some time. Turbine system dynamic responses (structural response, resonance, and component interactions) are an important consideration for variable-speed operation of wind turbines. The authors have implemented simple, variable-speed control algorithms for both the FAST and ADAMS dynamics codes. The control algorithm is a simple one, allowing the turbine to track the optimum power coefficient (C{sub p}). The objective of this paper is tomore » show turbine loads and responses for a particular two-bladed, teetering-hub, downwind turbine undergoing variable-speed operation. The authors examined the response of the machine to various turbulent wind inflow conditions. In addition, they compare the structural responses under fixed-speed and variable-speed operation. For this paper, they restrict their comparisons to those wind-speed ranges for which limiting power by some additional control strategy (blade pitch or aileron control, for example) is not necessary. The objective here is to develop a basic understanding of the differences in loads and responses between the fixed-speed and variable-speed operation of this wind turbine configuration.« less

Measurement of Damage Profiles from Solar Wind Implantation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McNamara, K. M.; Synowicki, R. A.; Tiwald, T. E.

2007-01-01

NASA's Genesis Mission launched from Cape Canaveral in August of 2001 with the goal of collecting solar wind in ultra-pure materials. The samples were returned to Earth more than three years later for subsequent analysis. Although the solar wind is comprised primarily of protons, it also contains ionized species representing the entire periodic table. The Genesis mission took advantage of the natural momentum of these ionized species to implant themselves in specialized collectors including single crystal Si and SiC. The collectors trapped the solar wind species of interest and sustained significant damage to the surface crystal structure as a result of the ion bombardment. In this work, spectroscopic ellipsometry has been used to evaluate the extent of this damage in Si and SiC samples. These results and models are compared for artificially implanted samples and pristine non-flight material. In addition, the flown samples had accumulated a thin film of molecular contamination as a result of outgassing in flight, and we demonstrate that this layer can be differentiated from the material damage. In addition to collecting bulk solar wind samples (continuous exposure), the Genesis mission actually returned silicon exposed to four different solar wind regimes: bulk, high speed, low speed, and coronal mass ejections. Each of these solar wind regimes varies in energy, but may vary in composition as well. While determining the composition is a primary goal of the mission, we are also interested in the variation in depth and extent of the damage layer as a function of solar wind regime. Here, we examine flight Si from the bulk solar wind regime and compare the results to both pristine and artificially implanted Si. Finally, there were four samples which were mounted in an electrostatic "concentrator" designed to reject a large fraction (>85%) of incoming protons while enhancing the concentration of ions mass 4-28 amu by a factor of at least 20. Two of these samples were single crystal 6H silicon carbide. (The others were polycrystalline CVD diamond and amorphous carbon that were not examined in the work.) The ion damaged SiC samples from the concentrator were studied in comparison to the flight Si from the bulk array to understand differences in the extent of the damage.

Wind turbine wake characterization from temporally disjunct 3-D measurements

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Doubrawa, Paula; Barthelmie, Rebecca J.; Wang, Hui

Scanning LiDARs can be used to obtain three-dimensional wind measurements in and beyond the atmospheric surface layer. In this work, metrics characterizing wind turbine wakes are derived from LiDAR observations and from large-eddy simulation (LES) data, which are used to recreate the LiDAR scanning geometry. The metrics are calculated for two-dimensional planes in the vertical and cross-stream directions at discrete distances downstream of a turbine under single-wake conditions. The simulation data are used to estimate the uncertainty when mean wake characteristics are quantified from scanning LiDAR measurements, which are temporally disjunct due to the time that the instrument takes tomore » probe a large volume of air. Based on LES output, we determine that wind speeds sampled with the synthetic LiDAR are within 10% of the actual mean values and that the disjunct nature of the scan does not compromise the spatial variation of wind speeds within the planes. We propose scanning geometry density and coverage indices, which quantify the spatial distribution of the sampled points in the area of interest and are valuable to design LiDAR measurement campaigns for wake characterization. Lastly, we find that scanning geometry coverage is important for estimates of the wake center, orientation and length scales, while density is more important when seeking to characterize the velocity deficit distribution.« less

Wind turbine wake characterization from temporally disjunct 3-D measurements

DOE PAGES

Doubrawa, Paula; Barthelmie, Rebecca J.; Wang, Hui; ...

2016-11-10

Scanning LiDARs can be used to obtain three-dimensional wind measurements in and beyond the atmospheric surface layer. In this work, metrics characterizing wind turbine wakes are derived from LiDAR observations and from large-eddy simulation (LES) data, which are used to recreate the LiDAR scanning geometry. The metrics are calculated for two-dimensional planes in the vertical and cross-stream directions at discrete distances downstream of a turbine under single-wake conditions. The simulation data are used to estimate the uncertainty when mean wake characteristics are quantified from scanning LiDAR measurements, which are temporally disjunct due to the time that the instrument takes tomore » probe a large volume of air. Based on LES output, we determine that wind speeds sampled with the synthetic LiDAR are within 10% of the actual mean values and that the disjunct nature of the scan does not compromise the spatial variation of wind speeds within the planes. We propose scanning geometry density and coverage indices, which quantify the spatial distribution of the sampled points in the area of interest and are valuable to design LiDAR measurement campaigns for wake characterization. Lastly, we find that scanning geometry coverage is important for estimates of the wake center, orientation and length scales, while density is more important when seeking to characterize the velocity deficit distribution.« less

Natural ventilation of buildings: opposing wind and buoyancy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Linden, Paul; Hunt, Gary

1998-11-01

The use of natural ventilation in buildings is an attractive way to reduce energy usage thereby reducing costs and CO2 emissions. Generally, it is necessary to remove excess heat from a building and the designer can use the buoyancy forces associated with the above ambient temperatures within the building to drive a flow - 'stack' ventilation. The most efficient mode is displacement ventilation where warm air accumulates near the top of the building and flows out through upper level vents and cooler air flows in at lower levels. Ventilation will also be driven between these lower and upper openings by the wind. We report on laboratory modeling and theory which investigates the effects of an opposing wind on stack ventilation driven by a constant source of heat within a space under displacement ventilation. We show that there is a critical wind speed, expressed in dimensionless terms as a critical Froude number, above which displacement ventilation is replaced by (less efficient) mixing ventilation with reversed flow. Below this critical speed, displacement ventilation, in which the interior has a two-layer stratification, is maintained. The criterion for the change in ventilation mode is derived from general considerations of mixing efficiencies in stratified flows. We conclude that even when wind effects might appear to be dominant, the inhibition of mixing by the stable stratification within the space ensures that stack ventilation can operate over a wide range of apparently adverse conditions.

Equatorial jet in the lower to middle cloud layer of Venus revealed by Akatsuki

PubMed Central

Horinouchi, Takeshi; Murakami, Shin-ya; Satoh, Takehiko; Peralta, Javier; Ogohara, Kazunori; Kouyama, Toru; Imamura, Takeshi; Kashimura, Hiroki; Limaye, Sanjay S.; McGouldrick, Kevin; Nakamura, Masato; Sato, Takao M.; Sugiyama, Ko-ichiro; Takagi, Masahiro; Watanabe, Shigeto; Yamada, Manabu; Yamazaki, Atsushi; Young, Eliot F.

2018-01-01

The Venusian atmosphere is in a state of superrotation where prevailing westward winds move much faster than the planet’s rotation. Venus is covered with thick clouds that extend from about 45 to 70 km altitude, but thermal radiation emitted from the lower atmosphere and the surface on the planet’s night-side escapes to space at narrow spectral windows of near-infrared. The radiation can be used to estimate winds by tracking the silhouettes of clouds in the lower and middle cloud regions below about 57 km in altitude. Estimates of wind speeds have ranged from 50 to 70 m/s at low- to mid-latitudes, either nearly constant across latitudes or with winds peaking at mid-latitudes. Here we report the detection of winds at low latitude exceeding 80 m/s using IR2 camera images from the Akatsuki orbiter taken during July and August 2016. The angular speed around the planetary rotation axis peaks near the equator, which we suggest is consistent with an equatorial jet, a feature that has not been observed previously in the Venusian atmosphere. The mechanism producing the jet remains unclear. Our observations reveal variability in the zonal flow in the lower and middle cloud region that may provide new challenges and clues to the dynamics of Venus’s atmospheric superrotation. PMID:29887914

Secondary Craters in Bas Relief

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-04-17

NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) captured this region of Mars, sprayed with secondary craters from 10-kilometer Zunil Crater to the northwest. Secondary craters form from rocks ejected at high speed from the primary crater, which then impact the ground at sufficiently high speed to make huge numbers of much smaller craters over a large region. In this scene, however, the secondary crater ejecta has an unusual raised-relief appearance like bas-relief sculpture. How did that happen? One idea is that the region was covered with a layer of fine-grained materials like dust or pyroclastics about 1 to 2 meters thick when the Zunil impact occurred (about a million years ago), and the ejecta served to harden or otherwise protect the fine-grained layer from later erosion by the wind. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA21591

Mixed H2/H∞ pitch control of wind turbine with a Markovian jump model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Zhongwei; Liu, Jizhen; Wu, Qiuwei; Niu, Yuguang

2018-01-01

This paper proposes a Markovian jump model and the corresponding H2/H∞ control strategy for the wind turbine driven by the stochastic switching wind speed, which can be used to regulate the generator speed in order to harvest the rated power while reducing the fatigue loads on the mechanical side of wind turbine. Through sampling the low-frequency wind speed data into separate intervals, the stochastic characteristic of the steady wind speed can be represented as a Markov process, while the high-frequency wind speed in the each interval is regarded as the disturbance input. Then, the traditional operating points of wind turbine can be divided into separate subregions correspondingly, where the model parameters and the control mode can be fixed in each mode. Then, the mixed H2/H∞ control problem is discussed for such a class of Markovian jump wind turbine working above the rated wind speed to guarantee both the disturbance rejection and the mechanical loads objectives, which can reduce the power volatility and the generator torque fluctuation of the whole transmission mechanism efficiently. Simulation results for a 2 MW wind turbine show the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Prospects for generating electricity by large onshore and offshore wind farms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Volker, Patrick J. H.; Hahmann, Andrea N.; Badger, Jake; Jørgensen, Hans E.

2017-03-01

The decarbonisation of energy sources requires additional investments in renewable technologies, including the installation of onshore and offshore wind farms. For wind energy to remain competitive, wind farms must continue to provide low-cost power even when covering larger areas. Inside very large wind farms, winds can decrease considerably from their free-stream values to a point where an equilibrium wind speed is reached. The magnitude of this equilibrium wind speed is primarily dependent on the balance between turbine drag force and the downward momentum influx from above the wind farm. We have simulated for neutral atmospheric conditions, the wind speed field inside different wind farms that range from small (25 km2) to very large (105 km2) in three regions with distinct wind speed and roughness conditions. Our results show that the power density of very large wind farms depends on the local free-stream wind speed, the surface characteristics, and the turbine density. In onshore regions with moderate winds the power density of very large wind farms reaches 1 W m-2, whereas in offshore regions with very strong winds it exceeds 3 W m-2. Despite a relatively low power density, onshore regions with moderate winds offer potential locations for very large wind farms. In offshore regions, clusters of smaller wind farms are generally preferable; under very strong winds also very large offshore wind farms become efficient.

A novel application of artificial neural network for wind speed estimation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fang, Da; Wang, Jianzhou

2017-05-01

Providing accurate multi-steps wind speed estimation models has increasing significance, because of the important technical and economic impacts of wind speed on power grid security and environment benefits. In this study, the combined strategies for wind speed forecasting are proposed based on an intelligent data processing system using artificial neural network (ANN). Generalized regression neural network and Elman neural network are employed to form two hybrid models. The approach employs one of ANN to model the samples achieving data denoising and assimilation and apply the other to predict wind speed using the pre-processed samples. The proposed method is demonstrated in terms of the predicting improvements of the hybrid models compared with single ANN and the typical forecasting method. To give sufficient cases for the study, four observation sites with monthly average wind speed of four given years in Western China were used to test the models. Multiple evaluation methods demonstrated that the proposed method provides a promising alternative technique in monthly average wind speed estimation.

Comparisons of Measurements Made Using Two Sodars in an Urban Environment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Berg, Larry K.; Reynolds, R. M.; Allwine, K Jerry

2006-02-01

A Scintec MFAS sodar and an AeroVironment Model 3000 Mini-sodar were operated at the Stevens Institute of Technology (SIT) during the Urban Dispersion Program’s New York City field campaign that was conducted between 7 March and 21 March 2005. The Scintec sodar was located on a dock on the Hudson River. The AeroVironment sodar was located on the roof of the Howe Center, a 17-story building located near the Hudson River. The AeroVironment sodar was approximately 90 m above the Scintec, and the horizontal separation of the two units was approximately 350 m. The Scintec MFAS sodar and the AeroVironmentmore » mini sodar operate at different frequencies, with the AeroVironment operating at a much higher frequency. Because of these differences, different range gate spacing were selected for each instrument. The range gate spacing used with Scintec MFAS sodar was particularly course to try to probe deeper into the boundary layer. In addition to these two sodars, a meteorological tower was located at the top of the Howe Center. The original experimental plan called for us to operate the Scintec sodar on top the Howe Center, but there was significant ambient noise that degraded the performance. Therefore, the AeroVironment sodar was placed on the building top, while the Scintec MFAS sodar was moved to a dock near the Hudson River. Unfortunately, this location was close to a number of student dormitories, so the sodar could only be operated during Intensive Operations Periods (IOPs). Detailed comparisons of the wind speed and wind direction measured by both sodars and the propeller anemometer have been completed for each IOP. At a height of 100 m above the river (very close to the height of the Howe Center), the wind speed measured by the propeller anemometer and the two sodars were very close. During both IOPs there were times when the wind direction measured by the AeroVironment sodar was much different than the wind direction measured by the Scintec MFAS sodar and the propeller anemometer. At a height of 200 m above the Hudson River, the wind speed measured by the Scintec MFAS sodar was significantly smaller than the wind speed measured using the AeroVironment sodar. At this height, there were also large differences in the wind directions measured by the two sodars, with the wind direction measured by the Scintec being closer to the wind direction measured by the propeller anemometer mounted on top of the Howe Center.« less

Effect of Wind Speed on Aerosol Optical Depth over Remote Oceans, Based on Data from the Maritime Aerosol Network

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smirnov, A.; Sayer, A. M.; Holben, B. N.; Hsu, N. C.; Sakerin, S. M.; Macke, A.; Nelson, N. B.; Courcoux, Y.; Smyth, T. J.; Croot, P.;

Effect of wind speed on aerosol optical depth over remote oceans, based on data from the Maritime Aerosol Network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smirnov, A.; Sayer, A. M.; Holben, B. N.; Hsu, N. C.; Sakerin, S. M.; Macke, A.; Nelson, N. B.; Courcoux, Y.; Smyth, T. J.; Croot, P.; Quinn, P. K.; Sciare, J.; Gulev, S. K.; Piketh, S.; Losno, R.; Kinne, S.; Radionov, V. F.

2011-12-01

The Maritime Aerosol Network (MAN) has been collecting data over the oceans since November 2006. The MAN archive provides a valuable resource for aerosol studies in maritime environments. In the current paper we investigate correlations between ship-borne aerosol optical depth (AOD) and near-surface wind speed, either measured (onboard or from satellite) or modeled (NCEP). According to our analysis, wind speed influences columnar aerosol optical depth, although the slope of the linear regression between AOD and wind speed is not steep (∼0.004-0.005), even for strong winds over 10 m s-1. The relationships show significant scatter (correlation coefficients typically in the range 0.3-0.5); the majority of this scatter can be explained by the uncertainty on the input data. The various wind speed sources considered yield similar patterns. Results are in good agreement with the majority of previously published relationships between surface wind speed and ship-based or satellite-based AOD measurements. The basic relationships are similar for all the wind speed sources considered; however, the gradient of the relationship varies by around a factor of two depending on the wind data used.

Effect of wind speed on aerosol optical depth over remote oceans, based on data from the Maritime Aerosol Network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smirnov, A.; Sayer, A. M.; Holben, B. N.; Hsu, N. C.; Sakerin, S. M.; Macke, A.; Nelson, N. B.; Courcoux, Y.; Smyth, T. J.; Croot, P.; Quinn, P. K.; Sciare, J.; Gulev, S. K.; Piketh, S.; Losno, R.; Kinne, S.; Radionov, V. F.

2012-02-01

The Maritime Aerosol Network (MAN) has been collecting data over the oceans since November 2006. The MAN archive provides a valuable resource for aerosol studies in maritime environments. In the current paper we investigate correlations between ship-borne aerosol optical depth (AOD) and near-surface wind speed, either measured (onboard or from satellite) or modeled (NCEP). According to our analysis, wind speed influences columnar aerosol optical depth, although the slope of the linear regression between AOD and wind speed is not steep (~0.004-0.005), even for strong winds over 10 m s-1. The relationships show significant scatter (correlation coefficients typically in the range 0.3-0.5); the majority of this scatter can be explained by the uncertainty on the input data. The various wind speed sources considered yield similar patterns. Results are in good agreement with the majority of previously published relationships between surface wind speed and ship-based or satellite-based AOD measurements. The basic relationships are similar for all the wind speed sources considered; however, the gradient of the relationship varies by around a factor of two depending on the wind data used.

Differences between nonprecipitating tropical and trade wind marine shallow cumuli

DOE PAGES

Ghate, Virendra P.; Miller, Mark A.; Zhu, Ping

2015-11-13

In this study, marine nonprecipitating cumulus topped boundary layers (CTBLs) observed in a tropical and in a trade wind region are contrasted based on their cloud macrophysical, dynamical, and radiative structures. Data from the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) observational site previously operating at Manus Island, Papua New Guinea, and data collected during the deployment of ARM Mobile Facility at the island of Graciosa, in the Azores, were used in this study. The tropical marine CTBLs were deeper, had higher surface fluxes and boundary layer radiative cooling, but lower wind speeds compared to their trade wind counterparts. The radiative velocity scalemore » was 50%-70% of the surface convective velocity scale at both locations, highlighting the prominent role played by radiation in maintaining turbulence in marine CTBLs. Despite greater thicknesses, the chord lengths of tropical cumuli were on average lower than those of trade wind cumuli, and as a result of lower cloud cover, the hourly averaged (cloudy and clear) liquid water paths of tropical cumuli were lower than the trade wind cumuli. At both locations ~70% of the cloudy profiles were updrafts, while the average amount of updrafts near cloud base stronger than 1 m s –1 was ~22% in tropical cumuli and ~12% in the trade wind cumuli. The mean in-cloud radar reflectivity within updrafts and mean updraft velocity was higher in tropical cumuli than the trade wind cumuli. Despite stronger vertical velocities and a higher number of strong updrafts, due to lower cloud fraction, the updraft mass flux was lower in the tropical cumuli compared to the trade wind cumuli. The observations suggest that the tropical and trade wind marine cumulus clouds differ significantly in their macrophysical and dynamical structures« less

Differences between nonprecipitating tropical and trade wind marine shallow cumuli

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ghate, Virendra P.; Miller, Mark A.; Zhu, Ping

In this study, marine nonprecipitating cumulus topped boundary layers (CTBLs) observed in a tropical and in a trade wind region are contrasted based on their cloud macrophysical, dynamical, and radiative structures. Data from the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) observational site previously operating at Manus Island, Papua New Guinea, and data collected during the deployment of ARM Mobile Facility at the island of Graciosa, in the Azores, were used in this study. The tropical marine CTBLs were deeper, had higher surface fluxes and boundary layer radiative cooling, but lower wind speeds compared to their trade wind counterparts. The radiative velocity scalemore » was 50%-70% of the surface convective velocity scale at both locations, highlighting the prominent role played by radiation in maintaining turbulence in marine CTBLs. Despite greater thicknesses, the chord lengths of tropical cumuli were on average lower than those of trade wind cumuli, and as a result of lower cloud cover, the hourly averaged (cloudy and clear) liquid water paths of tropical cumuli were lower than the trade wind cumuli. At both locations ~70% of the cloudy profiles were updrafts, while the average amount of updrafts near cloud base stronger than 1 m s –1 was ~22% in tropical cumuli and ~12% in the trade wind cumuli. The mean in-cloud radar reflectivity within updrafts and mean updraft velocity was higher in tropical cumuli than the trade wind cumuli. Despite stronger vertical velocities and a higher number of strong updrafts, due to lower cloud fraction, the updraft mass flux was lower in the tropical cumuli compared to the trade wind cumuli. The observations suggest that the tropical and trade wind marine cumulus clouds differ significantly in their macrophysical and dynamical structures« less

Modeling the Dynamics of the Atmospheric Boundary Layer Over the Antarctic Plateau With a General Circulation Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vignon, Etienne; Hourdin, Frédéric; Genthon, Christophe; Van de Wiel, Bas J. H.; Gallée, Hubert; Madeleine, Jean-Baptiste; Beaumet, Julien

2018-01-01

Observations evidence extremely stable boundary layers (SBL) over the Antarctic Plateau and sharp regime transitions between weakly and very stable conditions. Representing such features is a challenge for climate models. This study assesses the modeling of the dynamics of the boundary layer over the Antarctic Plateau in the LMDZ general circulation model. It uses 1 year simulations with a stretched-grid over Dome C. The model is nudged with reanalyses outside of the Dome C region such as simulations can be directly compared to in situ observations. We underline the critical role of the downward longwave radiation for modeling the surface temperature. LMDZ reasonably represents the near-surface seasonal profiles of wind and temperature but strong temperature inversions are degraded by enhanced turbulent mixing formulations. Unlike ERA-Interim reanalyses, LMDZ reproduces two SBL regimes and the regime transition, with a sudden increase in the near-surface inversion with decreasing wind speed. The sharpness of the transition depends on the stability function used for calculating the surface drag coefficient. Moreover, using a refined vertical grid leads to a better reversed "S-shaped" relationship between the inversion and the wind. Sudden warming events associated to synoptic advections of warm and moist air are also well reproduced. Near-surface supersaturation with respect to ice is not allowed in LMDZ but the impact on the SBL structure is moderate. Finally, climate simulations with the free model show that the recommended configuration leads to stronger inversions and winds over the ice-sheet. However, the near-surface wind remains underestimated over the slopes of East-Antarctica.

Observations of micro-turbulence in the solar wind near the sun with interplanetary scintillation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yamauchi, Y.; Misawa, H.; Kojima, M.; Mori, H.; Tanaka, T.; Takaba, H.; Kondo, T.; Tokumaru, M.; Manoharan, P. K.

1995-01-01

Velocity and density turbulence of solar wind were inferred from interplanetary scintillation (IPS) observations at 2.3 GHz and 8.5 GHz using a single-antenna. The observations were made during September and October in 1992 - 1994. They covered the distance range between 5 and 76 solar radii (Rs). We applied the spectrum fitting method to obtain a velocity, an axial ratio, an inner scale and a power-law spectrum index. We examined the difference of the turbulence properties near the Sun between low-speed solar wind and high-speed solar wind. Both of solar winds showed acceleration at the distance range of 10 - 30 Rs. The radial dependence of anisotropy and spectrum index did not have significant difference between low-speed and high-speed solar winds. Near the sun, the radial dependence of the inner scale showed the separation from the linear relation as reported by previous works. We found that the inner scale of high-speed solar wind is larger than that of low-speed wind.

Calculation of wind speeds required to damage or destroy buildings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Henry

Determination of wind speeds required to damage or destroy a building is important not only for the improvement of building design and construction but also for the estimation of wind speeds in tornadoes and other damaging storms. For instance, since 1973 the U.S. National Weather Service has been using the well-known Fujita scale (F scale) to estimate the maximum wind speeds of tornadoes [Fujita, 1981]. The F scale classifies tornadoes into 13 numbers, F-0 through F-12. The wind speed (maximum gust speed) associated with each F number is given in Table 1. Note that F-6 through F-12 are for wind speeds between 319 mi/hr (mph) and the sonic velocity (approximately 760 mph; 1 mph = 1.6 km/kr). However, since no tornadoes have been classified to exceed F-5, the F-6 through F-12 categories have no practical meaning [Fujita, 1981].

On the pollutant removal, dispersion, and entrainment over two-dimensional idealized street canyons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Chun-Ho; Wong, Colman C. C.

2014-01-01

Pollutant dispersion over urban areas is not that well understood, in particular at the street canyon scale. This study is therefore conceived to examine how urban morphology modifies the pollutant removal, dispersion, and entrainment over urban areas. An idealized computational domain consisting of 12 two-dimensional (2D) identical street canyons of unity aspect ratio is employed. The large-eddy simulation (LES) is used to calculate the turbulent flows and pollutant transport in the urban boundary layer (UBL). An area source of uniform pollutant concentration is applied on the ground of the first street canyon. A close examination on the roof-level turbulence reveals patches of low-speed air masses in the streamwise flows and narrow high-speed downdrafts in the shear layer. Different from the flows over a smooth surface, the turbulence intensities are peaked near the top of the building roughness. The pollutant is rather uniformly distributed inside a street canyon but disperses quickly in the UBL over the buildings. Partitioning the vertical pollutant flux into its mean and turbulent components demystifies that the pollutant removal is mainly governed by turbulence. Whereas, mean wind carries pollutant into and out of a street canyon simultaneously. In addition to wind speed promotion, turbulent mixing is thus required to dilute the ground-level pollutants, which are then removed from the street canyon to the UBL. Atmospheric flows slow down rapidly after the leeward buildings, leading to updrafts carrying pollutants away from the street canyons (the basic pollutant removal mechanism).

Wind power in Jamaica

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, A.A.; Daniel, A.R.; Daniel, S.T.

1990-01-01

Parameters to evaluate the potential for using wind energy to generate electricity in Jamaica were obtained. These include the average wind power scaled to a height of 20 m at existing weather stations and temporary anemometer sites, the variation in annual and monthly wind power, and the frequency distribution of wind speed and wind energy available. Four small commercial turbines were assumed to be operating at some of the sites, and the estimated energy captured by them, the time they operated above their cut-in speed and their capacity factors were also determined. Diurnal variations of wind speed and prevailing windmore » directions are discussed and a map showing wind power at various sites was produced. Two stations with long-term averages, Manley and Morant Point, gave results which warranted further investigation. Results from some temporary stations are also encouraging. Mean wind speeds at two other sites in the Caribbean are given for comparison. A method for estimating the power exponent for scaling the wind speed from climatic data is described in Appendix 2.« less

Extended Statistical Short-Range Guidance for Peak Wind Speed Analyses at the Shuttle Landing Facility: Phase II Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lambert, Winifred C.

2003-01-01

This report describes the results from Phase II of the AMU's Short-Range Statistical Forecasting task for peak winds at the Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF). The peak wind speeds are an important forecast element for the Space Shuttle and Expendable Launch Vehicle programs. The 45th Weather Squadron and the Spaceflight Meteorology Group indicate that peak winds are challenging to forecast. The Applied Meteorology Unit was tasked to develop tools that aid in short-range forecasts of peak winds at tower sites of operational interest. A seven year record of wind tower data was used in the analysis. Hourly and directional climatologies by tower and month were developed to determine the seasonal behavior of the average and peak winds. Probability density functions (PDF) of peak wind speed were calculated to determine the distribution of peak speed with average speed. These provide forecasters with a means of determining the probability of meeting or exceeding a certain peak wind given an observed or forecast average speed. A PC-based Graphical User Interface (GUI) tool was created to display the data quickly.

Observations of the Morning Development of the Urban Boundary Layer Over London, UK, Taken During the ACTUAL Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Halios, Christos H.; Barlow, Janet F.

2018-03-01

The study of the boundary layer can be most difficult when it is in transition and forced by a complex surface, such as an urban area. Here, a novel combination of ground-based remote sensing and in situ instrumentation in central London, UK, is deployed, aiming to capture the full evolution of the urban boundary layer (UBL) from night-time until the fully-developed convective phase. In contrast with the night-time stable boundary layer observed over rural areas, the night-time UBL is weakly convective. Therefore, a new approach for the detection of the morning-transition and rapid-growth phases is introduced, based on the sharp, quasi-linear increase of the mixing height. The urban morning-transition phase varied in duration between 0.5 and 4 h and the growth rate of the mixing layer during the rapid-growth phase had a strong positive relationship with the convective velocity scale, and a weaker, negative relationship with wind speed. Wind shear was found to be higher during the night-time and morning-transition phases than the rapid-growth phase and the shear production of turbulent kinetic energy near the mixing-layer top was around six times larger than surface shear production in summer, and around 1.5 times larger in winter. In summer under low winds, low-level jets dominated the UBL, and shear production was greater than buoyant production during the night-time and the morning-transition phase near the mixing-layer top. Within the rapid-growth phase, buoyant production dominated at the surface, but shear production dominated in the upper half of the UBL. These results imply that regional flows such as low-level jets play an important role alongside surface forcing in determining UBL structure and growth.

Aerodynamic design of the National Rotor Testbed.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kelley, Christopher Lee

2015-10-01

A new wind turbine blade has been designed for the National Rotor Testbed (NRT) project and for future experiments at the Scaled Wind Farm Technology (SWiFT) facility with a specific focus on scaled wakes. This report shows the aerodynamic design of new blades that can produce a wake that has similitude to utility scale blades despite the difference in size and location in the atmospheric boundary layer. Dimensionless quantities circulation, induction, thrust coefficient, and tip-speed-ratio were kept equal between rotor scales in region 2 of operation. The new NRT design matched the aerodynamic quantities of the most common wind turbinemore » in the United States, the GE 1.5sle turbine with 37c model blades. The NRT blade design is presented along with its performance subject to the winds at SWiFT. The design requirements determined by the SWiFT experimental test campaign are shown to be met.« less

Impact of combustion products from Space Shuttle launches on ambient air quality

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dumbauld, R. K.; Bowers, J. F.; Cramer, H. E.

1974-01-01

The present work describes some multilayer diffusion models and a computer program for these models developed to predict the impact of ground clouds formed during Space Shuttle launches on ambient air quality. The diffusion models are based on the Gaussian plume equation for an instantaneous volume source. Cloud growth is estimated on the basis of measurable meteorological parameters: standard deviation of the wind azimuth angle, standard deviation of wind elevation angle, vertical wind-speed shear, vertical wind-direction shear, and depth of the surface mixing layer. Calculations using these models indicate that Space Shuttle launches under a variety of meteorological regimes at Kennedy Space Center and Vandenberg AFB are unlikely to endanger the exposure standards for HCl; similar results have been obtained for CO and Al2O3. However, the possibility that precipitation scavenging of the ground cloud might result in an acidic rain that could damage vegetation has not been investigated.

Flying with the wind: Scale dependency of speed and direction measurements in modelling wind support in avian flight

USGS Publications Warehouse

Safi, Kamran; Kranstauber, Bart; Weinzierl, Rolf P.; Griffin, Larry; Reese, Eileen C.; Cabot, David; Cruz, Sebastian; Proaño, Carolina; Takekawa, John Y.; Newman, Scott H.; Waldenström, Jonas; Bengtsson, Daniel; Kays, Roland; Wikelski, Martin; Bohrer, Gil

2013-01-01

Background: Understanding how environmental conditions, especially wind, influence birds' flight speeds is a prerequisite for understanding many important aspects of bird flight, including optimal migration strategies, navigation, and compensation for wind drift. Recent developments in tracking technology and the increased availability of data on large-scale weather patterns have made it possible to use path annotation to link the location of animals to environmental conditions such as wind speed and direction. However, there are various measures available for describing not only wind conditions but also the bird's flight direction and ground speed, and it is unclear which is best for determining the amount of wind support (the length of the wind vector in a bird’s flight direction) and the influence of cross-winds (the length of the wind vector perpendicular to a bird’s direction) throughout a bird's journey.Results: We compared relationships between cross-wind, wind support and bird movements, using path annotation derived from two different global weather reanalysis datasets and three different measures of direction and speed calculation for 288 individuals of nine bird species. Wind was a strong predictor of bird ground speed, explaining 10-66% of the variance, depending on species. Models using data from different weather sources gave qualitatively similar results; however, determining flight direction and speed from successive locations, even at short (15 min intervals), was inferior to using instantaneous GPS-based measures of speed and direction. Use of successive location data significantly underestimated the birds' ground and airspeed, and also resulted in mistaken associations between cross-winds, wind support, and their interactive effects, in relation to the birds' onward flight.Conclusions: Wind has strong effects on bird flight, and combining GPS technology with path annotation of weather variables allows us to quantify these effects for understanding flight behaviour. The potentially strong influence of scaling effects must be considered and implemented in developing sampling regimes and data analysis.

Flying with the wind: scale dependency of speed and direction measurements in modelling wind support in avian flight.

PubMed

Safi, Kamran; Kranstauber, Bart; Weinzierl, Rolf; Griffin, Larry; Rees, Eileen C; Cabot, David; Cruz, Sebastian; Proaño, Carolina; Takekawa, John Y; Newman, Scott H; Waldenström, Jonas; Bengtsson, Daniel; Kays, Roland; Wikelski, Martin; Bohrer, Gil

2013-01-01

Understanding how environmental conditions, especially wind, influence birds' flight speeds is a prerequisite for understanding many important aspects of bird flight, including optimal migration strategies, navigation, and compensation for wind drift. Recent developments in tracking technology and the increased availability of data on large-scale weather patterns have made it possible to use path annotation to link the location of animals to environmental conditions such as wind speed and direction. However, there are various measures available for describing not only wind conditions but also the bird's flight direction and ground speed, and it is unclear which is best for determining the amount of wind support (the length of the wind vector in a bird's flight direction) and the influence of cross-winds (the length of the wind vector perpendicular to a bird's direction) throughout a bird's journey. We compared relationships between cross-wind, wind support and bird movements, using path annotation derived from two different global weather reanalysis datasets and three different measures of direction and speed calculation for 288 individuals of nine bird species. Wind was a strong predictor of bird ground speed, explaining 10-66% of the variance, depending on species. Models using data from different weather sources gave qualitatively similar results; however, determining flight direction and speed from successive locations, even at short (15 min intervals), was inferior to using instantaneous GPS-based measures of speed and direction. Use of successive location data significantly underestimated the birds' ground and airspeed, and also resulted in mistaken associations between cross-winds, wind support, and their interactive effects, in relation to the birds' onward flight. Wind has strong effects on bird flight, and combining GPS technology with path annotation of weather variables allows us to quantify these effects for understanding flight behaviour. The potentially strong influence of scaling effects must be considered and implemented in developing sampling regimes and data analysis.

Structure of magnetopause layers formed by a radial interplanetary magnetic field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Safrankova, Jana; Simunek, Jiri; Nemecek, Zdenek; Prech, Lubomir; Grygorov, Kostiantyn; Shue, Jih-Hong; Samsonov, Andrey; Pi, Gilbert

2016-07-01

The magnetopause location is generally believed to be determined by the solar wind dynamic pressure and by the sign and value of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) vertical (Bz) component. A contribution of other parameters is usually assumed to be minor or negligible near the equatorial plane. However, recent papers have shown a magnetopause expansion during intervals of a nearly radial IMF (large IMF Bx component). Under such conditions, the total pressure exerted on the subsolar magnetopause is significantly lower than the solar wind dynamic pressure as demonstrate both MHD simulations and statistical investigations. During a long-duration radial IMF, all parameters - the IMF magnitude, solar wind speed, density, and especially the temperature are depressed in comparison with their yearly averages. Moreover, in this case, the structures of the LLBL change; the LLBL shows different profiles at both hemispheres for negative and positive IMF Bx polarities. This asymmetry changes over time and influences the LLBL structures due to magnetic reconnection. We present an overview of important physical quantities controlling the magnetopause compression and new results that deal with the structure of the magnetopause and adjacent layers.

Martian Dust Devils: Laboratory Simulations of Particle Threshold

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greeley, Ronald; Balme, Matthew R.; Iverson, James D.; Metzger, Stephen; Mickelson, Robert; Phoreman, Jim; White, Bruce

2003-01-01

An apparatus has been fabricated to simulate terrestrial and Martian dust devils. Comparisons of surface pressure profiles through the vortex core generated in the apparatus with both those in natural dust devils on Earth and those inferred for Mars are similar and are consistent with theoretical Rankine vortex models. Experiments to determine particle threshold under Earth ambient atmospheric pressures show that sand (particles > 60 micron in diameter) threshold is analogous to normal boundary-layer shear, in which the rotating winds of the vortex generate surface shear and hence lift. Lower-pressure experiments down to approx. 65 mbar follow this trend for sand-sized particles. However, smaller particles (i.e., dust) and all particles at very low pressures (w 10-60 mbar) appear to be subjected to an additional lift function interpreted to result from the strong decrease in atmospheric pressure centered beneath the vortex core. Initial results suggest that the wind speeds required for the entrainment of grains approx. 2 microns in diameter (i.e., Martian dust sizes) are about half those required for entrainment by boundary layer winds on both Earth and Mars.

Unsteady viscous effects in the flow over an oscillating surface. [mathematical model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lerner, J. I.

1972-01-01

A theoretical model for the interaction of a turbulent boundary layer with an oscillating wavy surface over which a fluid is flowing is developed, with an application to wind-driven water waves and to panel flutter in low supersonic flow. A systematic methodology is developed to obtain the surface pressure distribution by considering separately the effects on the perturbed flow of a mean shear velocity profile, viscous stresses, the turbulent Reynolds stresses, compressibility, and three-dimensionality. The inviscid theory is applied to the wind-water wave problem by specializing to traveling-wave disturbances, and the pressure magnitude and phase shift as a function of the wave phase speed are computed for a logarithmic mean velocity profile and compared with inviscid theory and experiment. The results agree with experimental evidence for the stabilization of the panel motion due to the influence of the unsteady boundary layer.

Microstructure of Turbulence in the Stably Stratified Boundary Layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sorbjan, Zbigniew; Balsley, Ben B.

2008-11-01

The microstructure of a stably stratified boundary layer, with a significant low-level nocturnal jet, is investigated based on observations from the CASES-99 campaign in Kansas, U.S.A. The reported, high-resolution vertical profiles of the temperature, wind speed, wind direction, pressure, and the turbulent dissipation rate, were collected under nocturnal conditions on October 14, 1999, using the CIRES Tethered Lifting System. Two methods for evaluating instantaneous (1-sec) background profiles are applied to the raw data. The background potential temperature is calculated using the “bubble sort” algorithm to produce a monotonically increasing potential temperature with increasing height. Other scalar quantities are smoothed using a running vertical average. The behaviour of background flow, buoyant overturns, turbulent fluctuations, and their respective histograms are presented. Ratios of the considered length scales and the Ozmidov scale are nearly constant with height, a fact that can be applied in practice for estimating instantaneous profiles of the dissipation rate.

Changes in wind speed and extremes in Beijing during 1960-2008 based on homogenized observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Zhen; Yan, Zhongwei; Tu, Kai; Liu, Weidong; Wang, Yingchun

2011-03-01

Daily observations of wind speed at 12 stations in the Greater Beijing Area during 1960-2008 were homogenized using the Multiple Analysis of Series for Homogenization method. The linear trends in the regional mean annual and seasonal (winter, spring, summer and autumn) wind speed series were -0.26, -0.39, -0.30, -0.12 and -0.22 m s-1 (10 yr)-1, respectively. Winter showed the greatest magnitude in declining wind speed, followed by spring, autumn and summer. The annual and seasonal frequencies of wind speed extremes (days) also decreased, more prominently for winter than for the other seasons. The declining trends in wind speed and extremes were formed mainly by some rapid declines during the 1970s and 1980s. The maximum declining trend in wind speed occurred at Chaoyang (CY), a station within the central business district (CBD) of Beijing with the highest level of urbanization. The declining trends were in general smaller in magnitude away from the city center, except for the winter case in which the maximum declining trend shifted northeastward to rural Miyun (MY). The influence of urbanization on the annual wind speed was estimated to be about -0.05 m s-1 (10 yr)-1 during 1960-2008, accounting for around one fifth of the regional mean declining trend. The annual and seasonal geostrophic wind speeds around Beijing, based on daily mean sea level pressure (MSLP) from the ERA-40 reanalysis dataset, also exhibited decreasing trends, coincident with the results from site observations. A comparative analysis of the MSLP fields between 1966-1975 and 1992-2001 suggested that the influences of both the winter and summer monsoons on Beijing were weaker in the more recent of the two decades. It is suggested that the bulk of wind in Beijing is influenced considerably by urbanization, while changes in strong winds or wind speed extremes are prone to large-scale climate change in the region.

The finite element method in low speed aerodynamics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baker, A. J.; Manhardt, P. D.

1975-01-01

The finite element procedure is shown to be of significant impact in design of the 'computational wind tunnel' for low speed aerodynamics. The uniformity of the mathematical differential equation description, for viscous and/or inviscid, multi-dimensional subsonic flows about practical aerodynamic system configurations, is utilized to establish the general form of the finite element algorithm. Numerical results for inviscid flow analysis, as well as viscous boundary layer, parabolic, and full Navier Stokes flow descriptions verify the capabilities and overall versatility of the fundamental algorithm for aerodynamics. The proven mathematical basis, coupled with the distinct user-orientation features of the computer program embodiment, indicate near-term evolution of a highly useful analytical design tool to support computational configuration studies in low speed aerodynamics.

Sources of the solar wind - the heliospheric point of view

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Von Steiger, Rudolf; Shearer, Paul; Zurbuchen, Thomas

The solar wind as observed in the heliosphere has several properties that can be interpreted as signatures of conditions and processes at its source in the solar atmosphere. Traditionally it has been customary to distinguish between solar wind types solely based on its speed, "fast" and "slow" wind. Over the last couple of decades new instruments resolving not only the main constituents (protons and alpha particles) but also heavy ions from C to Fe have added new observables, in particular the charge state and elemental composition of these ions. The charge states are indicators of the coronal temperature at the source region; they have confirmed that the "fast" wind emanates from the relatively cool coronal hole regions, while the "slow" wind originates from hotter sources such as the streamer belt and active regions. Thus they are more reliable indicators of solar wind source than the speed alone could be because they readily discriminate between "fast" wind from coronal holes and fast coronal mass ejections (CMEs). The elemental composition in the solar wind compared to the abundances in the photosphere shows a typical fractionation that depends on the first ionization potential (FIP) of the elements. Since that fractionation occurs beneath the corona, in the chromosphere, its strength is indicative of the conditions in that layer. While the "fast" wind is very similar to photospheric composition, the fractionation of the "slow" wind and of CMEs is higher and strongly variable. We will review the observations of the SWICS composition instruments on both the ACE and the Ulysses missions, which have made composition observations between 1 and 5 AU and at all latitudes in the heliosphere over the last two decades. Specifically, analysis of the "slow" wind observations at all time scales, from hours to complete solar cycles, will be used to better characterize its source regions.

An improved canopy wind model for predicting wind adjustment factors and wildland fire behavior

Treesearch

W. J. Massman; J. M. Forthofer; M. A. Finney

2017-01-01

The ability to rapidly estimate wind speed beneath a forest canopy or near the ground surface in any vegetation is critical to practical wildland fire behavior models. The common metric of this wind speed is the "mid-flame" wind speed, UMF. However, the existing approach for estimating UMF has some significant shortcomings. These include the assumptions that...

Wind speed vector restoration algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baranov, Nikolay; Petrov, Gleb; Shiriaev, Ilia

2018-04-01

Impulse wind lidar (IWL) signal processing software developed by JSC «BANS» recovers full wind speed vector by radial projections and provides wind parameters information up to 2 km distance. Increasing accuracy and speed of wind parameters calculation signal processing technics have been studied in this research. Measurements results of IWL and continuous scanning lidar were compared. Also, IWL data processing modeling results have been analyzed.

Poster 16: Eclipse-induced changes of Titan's meteorology at equinox

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tokano, Tetsuya

2016-06-01

Titan experiences solar eclipses by Saturn on ˜20 consecutive orbits around equinox for durations of up to ˜6 hours. The impact of these eclipses on Titan's surface, lower atmosphere and middle atmosphere is investigated by a global climate model. When an eclipse commences, the surface temperature on the subsaturnian side drops by up to 0.3 K, so that the diurnal maximum surface temperature remains lower than on the antisaturnian side, which is never eclipsed. By contrast, the tropospheric air temperature does not abruptly decrease during the eclipses because of the large thermal inertia, but the diurnal mean temperature slightly decreases. The surface wind at low latitudes becomes less gusty in the presence of eclipse due to damping of turbulence. The troposphere outside the planetary boundary layer is not sensitive to eclipses. In most parts of the stratosphere and mesosphere the temperature decreases by up to 2 K due to eclipses, but there are also layers, which experience relative warming due to thermal contraction of the underlying layers. The temperature in the middle atmosphere rapidly recovers after the end of the eclipse season. Eclipse-induced cooling and warming changes the zonal wind speed by a few m/s due to thermal wind adjustment to changing latitudinal temperature gradients.

Coupled Atmosphere-Wave-Ocean Modeling of Tropical Cyclones: Progress, Challenges, and Ways Forward

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Shuyi

2015-04-01

It has long been recognized that air-sea interaction plays an important role in tropical cyclones (TC) intensity change. However, most current numerical weather prediction (NWP) models are deficient in predicting TC intensity. The extreme high winds, intense rainfall, large ocean waves, and copious sea spray in TCs push the surface-exchange parameters for temperature, water vapor, and momentum into untested regimes. Parameterizations of air-sea fluxes in NWP models are often crude and create "manmade" energy source/sink that does not exist, especially in the absence of a fully interactive ocean in the model. The erroneous surface heat, moisture, and momentum fluxes can cause compounding errors in the model (e.g., precipitation, water vapor, boundary layer properties). The energy source (heat and moisture fluxes from the ocean) and sink (surface friction and wind-induced upper ocean cooling) are critical to TC intensity. However, observations of air-sea fluxes in TCs are very limited, especially in extreme high wind conditions underneath of the eyewall region. The Coupled Boundary Layer Air-Sea Transfer (CBLAST) program was designed to better understand the air-sea interaction, especially in high wind conditions, which included laboratory and coupled model experiments and field campaign in 2003-04 hurricane seasons. Significant progress has been made in better understanding of air-sea exchange coefficients up to 30 m/s, i.e., a leveling off in drag coefficient and relatively invariant exchange coefficient of enthalpy with wind speed. More recently, the Impact of Typhoon on the Ocean in the Pacific (ITOP) field campaign in 2010 has provided an unprecedented data set to study the air-sea fluxes in TCs and their impact on TC structure and intensity. More than 800 GPS dropsondes and 900 AXBTs/AXCTs as well as drifters, floats, and moorings were deployed in TCs, including Typhoons Fanapi and Malakas, and Supertyphoon Megi with a record peak wind speed of more than 80 m/s. It is found that the air-sea fluxes are quite asymmetric around a storm with complex features representing various air-sea interaction processes in TCs. A unique observation in Typhoon Fanapi is the development of a stable boundary layer in the near-storm cold wake region, which has a direct impact on TC inner core structure and intensity. Despite of the progress, challenges remain. Air-sea momentum exchange in wind speed greater than 30-40 m/s is largely unresolved. Directional wind-wave stress and wave-current stress are difficult to determine from observations. Effects of sea spray on the air-sea fluxes are still not well understood. This talk will provide an overview on progress made in recent years, challenges we are facing, and ways forward. An integrated coupled observational and atmosphere-wave-ocean modeling system is urgently needed, in which coupled model development and targeted observations from field campaign and lab measurements together form the core of the research and prediction system. Another important aspect is that fully coupled models provide explicit, integrated impact forecasts of wind, rain, waves, ocean currents and surges in TCs and winter storms, which are missing in most current NWP models. It requires a new strategy for model development, evaluation, and verification. Ensemble forecasts using high-resolution coupled atmosphere-wave-ocean models can provide probabilistic forecasts and quantitative uncertainty estimates, which also allow us to explore new methodologies to verify probabilistic impact forecasts and evaluate model physics using a stochastic approach. Examples of such approach in TCs including Superstorm Sandy will be presented.

An Initial Assessment of the Impact of CYGNSS Ocean Surface Wind Assimilation on Navy Global and Mesoscale Numerical Weather Prediction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baker, N. L.; Tsu, J.; Swadley, S. D.

2017-12-01

We assess the impact of assimilation of CYclone Global Navigation Satellite System (CYGNSS) ocean surface winds observations into the NAVGEM[i] global and COAMPS®[ii] mesoscale numerical weather prediction (NWP) systems. Both NAVGEM and COAMPS® used the NRL 4DVar assimilation system NAVDAS-AR[iii]. Long term monitoring of the NAVGEM Forecast Sensitivity Observation Impact (FSOI) indicates that the forecast error reduction for ocean surface wind vectors (ASCAT and WindSat) are significantly larger than for SSMIS wind speed observations. These differences are larger than can be explained by simply two pieces of information (for wind vectors) versus one (wind speed). To help understand these results, we conducted a series of Observing System Experiments (OSEs) to compare the assimilation of ASCAT wind vectors with the equivalent (computed) ASCAT wind speed observations. We found that wind vector assimilation was typically 3 times more effective at reducing the NAVGEM forecast error, with a higher percentage of beneficial observations. These results suggested that 4DVar, in the absence of an additional nonlinear outer loop, has limited ability to modify the analysis wind direction. We examined several strategies for assimilating CYGNSS ocean surface wind speed observations. In the first approach, we assimilated CYGNSS as wind speed observations, following the same methodology used for SSMIS winds. The next two approaches converted CYGNSS wind speed to wind vectors, using NAVGEM sea level pressure fields (following Holton, 1979), and using NAVGEM 10-m wind fields with the AER Variational Analysis Method. Finally, we compared these methods to CYGNSS wind speed assimilation using multiple outer loops with NAVGEM Hybrid 4DVar. Results support the earlier studies suggesting that NAVDAS-AR wind speed assimilation is sub-optimal. We present detailed results from multi-month NAVGEM assimilation runs along with case studies using COAMPS®. Comparisons include the fit of analyses and forecasts with in-situ observations and analyses from other NWP centers (e.g. ECMWF and GFS). [i] NAVy Global Environmental Model [ii] COAMPS® is a registered trademark of the Naval Research Laboratory for the Navy's Coupled Ocean Atmosphere Mesoscale Prediction System. [iii] NRL Atmospheric Variational Data Assimilation System

Multifractal analysis of the time series of daily means of wind speed in complex regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laib, Mohamed; Golay, Jean; Telesca, Luciano; Kanevski, Mikhail

2018-04-01

In this paper, we applied the multifractal detrended fluctuation analysis to the daily means of wind speed measured by 119 weather stations distributed over the territory of Switzerland. The analysis was focused on the inner time fluctuations of wind speed, which could be more linked with the local conditions of the highly varying topography of Switzerland. Our findings point out to a persistent behaviour of all the measured wind speed series (indicated by a Hurst exponent significantly larger than 0.5), and to a high multifractality degree indicating a relative dominance of the large fluctuations in the dynamics of wind speed, especially in the Swiss plateau, which is comprised between the Jura and Alp mountain ranges. The study represents a contribution to the understanding of the dynamical mechanisms of wind speed variability in mountainous regions.

Wind tunnel simulations of wind turbine wake interactions in neutral and stratified wind flow.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hancock, P. E.; Pascheke, F.

2010-09-01

A second programme of work is about to commence as part of a further four years of funding for the UK-EPSRC SUPERGEN-Wind large-wind-farm consortium. The first part of the initial programme at Surrey was to establish and set up appropriate techniques for both on- and off-shore boundary layers (though with an emphasis on the latter) at a suitable scale, and to build suitable rotating model wind turbines. The EnFlo wind tunnel, a UK-NCAS special facility, is capable of creating scaled neutral, stable and unstable boundary layers in its 20m long working section. The model turbines are 1/300-scale of 5MW-size, speed controlled with phase-lock measurement capability, and the blade design takes into account low Reynolds-number effects. Velocity measurements are primarily made using two-component LDA, combined with a ‘cold-wire' probe in order to measure the local turbulent heat flux. Simulation of off-shore wakes is particularly constrained because i) at wind tunnel scale the inherently low surface roughness can be below that for fully rough conditions, ii) the power required to stratify the flow varies as the square of the flow speed, and could easily be impractically large, iii) low blade Reynolds number. The boundary layer simulations, set up to give near-equilibrium conditions in terms of streamwise development, and the model turbines have been designed against these constraints, but not all constraints can be always met simultaneously in practice. Most measurements so far have been made behind just one or two turbines in neutral off- and on-shore boundary layers, at stations up to 12 disk diameters downstream. These show how, for example, the wake of a turbine affects the development of the wake of a downwind turbine that is laterally off-set by say half or one diameter, and how the unaffected part from the first turbine merges with the affected wake of the second. As expected a lower level of atmospheric turbulence causes the wakes to develop and fill-in more slowly compared with the on-shore case. A turbine can also suppress the level of atmospheric turbulence below hub height. In neutral flow, the wakes grow in width and height. However, even in mild stable stratification the vertical development of the wake deficit can be completely inhibited; at least some reduction would be expected arising from the stabilizing influence on vertical fluctuations. The width in contrast develops at about the same rate. As anticipated, the wake development is slower still in the stable case because of the lower level ambient turbulence. The maximum deficit is at a lower height than it is for neutral flow. Various aspects of the turbulence in the wake have been investigated. Second-phase work will examine a larger number of wake-turbine and wake-wake interactions, make a more detailed study of how turbines alter the atmospheric turbulence, and examine more cases of stratification. Work is also in hand related to turbines in or near forested regions, and it is expected that aspects of the physics will have links with the effect a large wind farm will have on the ABL and on the wind resource for a downwind farm. The work will produce a series of test cases to assist in the development of better wake and wind resource prediction models as well as a better understanding of wake physics.

All-Fiber Airborne Coherent Doppler Lidar to Measure Wind Profiles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Jiqiao; Zhu, Xiaopeng; Diao, Weifeng; Zhang, Xin; Liu, Yuan; Bi, Decang; Jiang, Liyuan; Shi, Wei; Zhu, Xiaolei; Chen, Weibiao

2016-06-01

An all-fiber airborne pulsed coherent Doppler lidar (CDL) prototype at 1.54μm is developed to measure wind profiles in the lower troposphere layer. The all-fiber single frequency pulsed laser is operated with pulse energy of 300μJ, pulse width of 400ns and pulse repetition rate of 10kHz. To the best of our knowledge, it is the highest pulse energy of all-fiber eye-safe single frequency laser that is used in airborne coherent wind lidar. The telescope optical diameter of monostatic lidar is 100 mm. Velocity-Azimuth-Display (VAD) scanning is implemented with 20 degrees elevation angle in 8 different azimuths. Real-time signal processing board is developed to acquire and process the heterodyne mixing signal with 10000 pulses spectra accumulated every second. Wind profiles are obtained every 20 seconds. Several experiments are implemented to evaluate the performance of the lidar. We have carried out airborne wind lidar experiments successfully, and the wind profiles are compared with aerological theodolite and ground based wind lidar. Wind speed standard error of less than 0.4m/s is shown between airborne wind lidar and balloon aerological theodolite.

Constructing a Plastic Bottle Wind Turbine as a Practical Aid for Learning about Using Wind Energy to Generate Electricity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Appleyard, S. J.

2009-01-01

A simple horizontal axis wind turbine can be easily constructed using a 1.5 l PET plastic bottle, a compact disc and a small dynamo. The turbine operates effectively at low wind speeds and has a rotational speed of 500 rpm at a wind speed of about 14 km h[superscript -1]. The wind turbine can be used to demonstrate the relationship between open…

Wind turbine wake characterization using long-range Doppler lidar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aitken, M.; Lundquist, J. K.; Hestmark, K.; Banta, R. M.; Pichugina, Y.; Brewer, A.

2012-12-01

Wind turbines extract energy from the freestream flow, resulting in a waked region behind the rotor which is characterized by reduced wind speed and increased turbulence. The velocity deficit in the wake diminishes with distance, as faster-moving air outside is gradually entrained. In a concentrated group of turbines, then, downwind machines experience very different inflow conditions compared to those in the front row. As utility-scale turbines rarely exist in isolation, detailed knowledge of the mean flow and turbulence structure inside wakes is needed to correctly model both power production and turbine loading at modern wind farms. To this end, the Turbine Wake and Inflow Characterization Study (TWICS) was conducted in the spring of 2011 to determine the reduction in wind speeds downstream from a multi-MW turbine located at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's National Wind Technology Center (NWTC) near Boulder, Colorado. Full-scale measurements of wake dynamics are hardly practical or even possible with conventional sensors, such as cup anemometers mounted on meteorological (met) masts. Accordingly, the High Resolution Doppler Lidar (HRDL) developed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Earth System Research Laboratory was employed to investigate the formation and propagation of wakes under varying levels of ambient wind speed, shear, atmospheric stability, and turbulence. HRDL remotely senses line-of-sight wind velocities and has been used in several previous studies of boundary layer aerodynamics. With a fully steerable beam and a maximum range up to about 5 km, depending on atmospheric conditions, HRDL performed a comprehensive survey of the wind flow in front of and behind the turbine to study the shape, meandering, and attenuation of wakes. Due in large part to limited experimental data availability, wind farm wake modeling is still subject to an unacceptable amount of uncertainty, particularly in complex terrain. Here, analytical techniques are developed to distinguish wakes from the background variability, and moreover, wakes are then classified by width, height, length, and velocity deficit based on atmospheric stability and inflow conditions. By integrating these advanced observational capabilities with innovative approaches to atmospheric modeling, this work will help to improve simulation tools used to quantify power loss and fatigue loading due to wake effects, thereby aiding the optimization of wind farm layouts.

On the role of high frequency waves in ocean altimetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vandemark, Douglas C.

This work mines a coastal and open ocean air-sea interaction field experiment data set where the goals are to refine satellite retrieval of wind, wind stress, and sea level using a microwave radar altimeter. The data were collected from a low-flying aircraft using a sensor suite designed to measure the surface waves, radar backscatter, the atmospheric flow, and turbulent fluxes within the marine boundary layer. This uncommon ensemble provides the means to address several specific altimeter-related topics. First, we examine and document the impact that non wind-driven gravity wave variability, e.g. swell, has upon the commonly-invoked direct relationship between altimeter backscatter and near surface wind speed. The demonstrated impact is larger in magnitude and more direct than previously suggested. The study also isolates the wind-dependence of short-scale slope variance and suggests its magnitude is somewhat lower than shown elsewhere while a second-order dependence on long waves is also evident. A second study assesses the hypothesis that wind-aligned swell interacts with the atmospheric boundary flow leading to a depressed level of turbulence. Cases of reduced drag coefficient at moderate wind speeds were in evidence within the data set, and buoy observations indicate that swell was present and a likely control during these events. Coincidentally, short-scale wave roughness was also depressed suggesting decreased wind stress. Attempts to confirm the theory failed, however, due to numerous limitations in the quantity and quality of the data in hand. A lesson learned is that decoupling atmospheric stability and wave impacts in field campaigns requires both a very large amount of data as well as vertical resolution of fluxes within the first 10--20 m of the surface.

Association between wind speed and the occurrence of sickle cell acute painful episodes: results of a case-crossover study

PubMed Central

Nolan, Vikki G.; Zhang, Yuqing; Lash, Timothy; Sebastiani, Paola; Steinberg, Martin H.

2015-01-01

Summary The role of the weather as a trigger of sickle cell acute painful episodes has long been debated. To more accurately describe the role of the weather as a trigger of painful events, we conducted a case-crossover study of the association between local weather conditions and the occurrence of painful episodes. From the Cooperative Study of Sickle Cell Disease, we identified 813 patients with sickle cell anaemia who had 3570 acute painful episodes. We found an association between wind speed and the onset of pain, specifically wind speed during the 24-h period preceding the onset of pain. Analysing wind speed as a categorical trait, showed a 13% increase (95% confidence interval: 3%, 24%) in odds of pain, when comparing the high wind speed to lower wind speed (P = 0.007). In addition, the association between wind speed and painful episodes was found to be stronger among men, particularly those in the warmer climate regions of the United States. These results are in agreement with another study that found an association between wind speed and hospital visits for pain in the United Kingdom, and lends support to physiological and clinical studies that have suggested that skin cooling is associated with sickle vasoocclusion and perhaps pain. PMID:18729854

Association between wind speed and the occurrence of sickle cell acute painful episodes: results of a case-crossover study.

PubMed

Nolan, Vikki G; Zhang, Yuqing; Lash, Timothy; Sebastiani, Paola; Steinberg, Martin H

2008-11-01

The role of the weather as a trigger of sickle cell acute painful episodes has long been debated. To more accurately describe the role of the weather as a trigger of painful events, we conducted a case-crossover study of the association between local weather conditions and the occurrence of painful episodes. From the Cooperative Study of Sickle Cell Disease, we identified 813 patients with sickle cell anaemia who had 3570 acute painful episodes. We found an association between wind speed and the onset of pain, specifically wind speed during the 24-h period preceding the onset of pain. Analysing wind speed as a categorical trait, showed a 13% increase (95% confidence interval: 3%, 24%) in odds of pain, when comparing the high wind speed to lower wind speed (P = 0.007). In addition, the association between wind speed and painful episodes was found to be stronger among men, particularly those in the warmer climate regions of the United States. These results are in agreement with another study that found an association between wind speed and hospital visits for pain in the United Kingdom, and lends support to physiological and clinical studies that have suggested that skin cooling is associated with sickle vasoocclusion and perhaps pain.

Reliability of Wind Speed Data from Satellite Altimeter to Support Wind Turbine Energy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uti, M. N.; Din, A. H. M.; Omar, A. H.

2017-10-01

Satellite altimeter has proven itself to be one of the important tool to provide good quality information in oceanographic study. Nowadays, most countries in the world have begun in implementation the wind energy as one of their renewable energy for electric power generation. Many wind speed studies conducted in Malaysia using conventional method and scientific technique such as anemometer and volunteer observing ships (VOS) in order to obtain the wind speed data to support the development of renewable energy. However, there are some limitations regarding to this conventional method such as less coverage for both spatial and temporal and less continuity in data sharing by VOS members. Thus, the aim of this research is to determine the reliability of wind speed data by using multi-mission satellite altimeter to support wind energy potential in Malaysia seas. Therefore, the wind speed data are derived from nine types of satellite altimeter starting from year 1993 until 2016. Then, to validate the reliability of wind speed data from satellite altimeter, a comparison of wind speed data form ground-truth buoy that located at Sabah and Sarawak is conducted. The validation is carried out in terms of the correlation, the root mean square error (RMSE) calculation and satellite track analysis. As a result, both techniques showing a good correlation with value positive 0.7976 and 0.6148 for point located at Sabah and Sarawak Sea, respectively. It can be concluded that a step towards the reliability of wind speed data by using multi-mission satellite altimeter can be achieved to support renewable energy.

The Impact of Variable Wind Shear Coefficients on Risk Reduction of Wind Energy Projects

PubMed Central

Thomson, Allan; Yoonesi, Behrang; McNutt, Josiah

2016-01-01

Estimation of wind speed at proposed hub heights is typically achieved using a wind shear exponent or wind shear coefficient (WSC), variation in wind speed as a function of height. The WSC is subject to temporal variation at low and high frequencies, ranging from diurnal and seasonal variations to disturbance caused by weather patterns; however, in many cases, it is assumed that the WSC remains constant. This assumption creates significant error in resource assessment, increasing uncertainty in projects and potentially significantly impacting the ability to control gird connected wind generators. This paper contributes to the body of knowledge relating to the evaluation and assessment of wind speed, with particular emphasis on the development of techniques to improve the accuracy of estimated wind speed above measurement height. It presents an evaluation of the use of a variable wind shear coefficient methodology based on a distribution of wind shear coefficients which have been implemented in real time. The results indicate that a VWSC provides a more accurate estimate of wind at hub height, ranging from 41% to 4% reduction in root mean squared error (RMSE) between predicted and actual wind speeds when using a variable wind shear coefficient at heights ranging from 33% to 100% above the highest actual wind measurement. PMID:27872898

A Large-Eddy Simulation Study of Vertical Axis Wind Turbine Wakes in the Atmospheric Boundary Layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shamsoddin, Sina; Porté-Agel, Fernando

2017-04-01

In a future sustainable energy vision, in which diversified conversion of renewable energies is essential, vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) exhibit some potential as a reliable means of wind energy extraction alongside conventional horizontal axis wind turbines (HAWTs). Nevertheless, there is currently a relative shortage of scientific, academic and technical investigations of VAWTs as compared to HAWTs. Having this in mind, in this work, we aim to, for the first time, study the wake of a single VAWT placed in the atmospheric boundary layer using large-eddy simulation (LES). To do this, we use a previously-validated LES framework in which an actuator line model (ALM) is incorporated. First, for a typical three- and straight-bladed 1-MW VAWT design, the variation of the power coefficient with both the chord length of the blades and the tip-speed ratio is analyzed by performing 117 simulations using LES-ALM. The optimum combination of solidity (defined as Nc/R, where N is the number of blades, c is the chord length and R is the rotor radius) and tip-speed ratio is found to be 0.18 and 4.5, respectively. Subsequently, the wake of a VAWT with these optimum specifications is thoroughly examined by showing different relevant mean and turbulence wake flow statistics. It is found that for this case, the maximum velocity deficit at the equator height of the turbine occurs 2.7 rotor diameters downstream of the center of the turbine, and only after that point, the wake starts to recover. Moreover, it is observed that the maximum turbulence intensity (TI) at the equator height of the turbine occurs at a distance of about 3.8 rotor diameters downstream of the turbine. As we move towards the upper and lower edges of the turbine, the maximum TI (at a certain height) increases, and its location moves relatively closer to the turbine. Furthermore, whereas both TI and turbulent momentum flux fields show clear vertical asymmetries (with larger magnitudes at the upper wake edge compared to the ones at the lower edge), only slight lateral asymmetries were observed at the optimum tip-speed ratio for which the simulations were performed.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Debnath, Mithu; Iungo, Giacomo Valerio; Brewer, W. Alan

During the eXperimental Planetary boundary layer Instrumentation Assessment (XPIA) campaign, which was carried out at the Boulder Atmospheric Observatory (BAO) in spring 2015, multiple-Doppler scanning strategies were carried out with scanning wind lidars and Ka-band radars. Specifically, step–stare measurements were collected simultaneously with three scanning Doppler lidars, while two scanning Ka-band radars carried out simultaneous range height indicator (RHI) scans. The XPIA experiment provided the unique opportunity to compare directly virtual-tower measurements performed simultaneously with Ka-band radars and Doppler wind lidars. Furthermore, multiple-Doppler measurements were assessed against sonic anemometer data acquired from the meteorological tower (met-tower) present at the BAOmore » site and a lidar wind profiler. As a result, this survey shows that – despite the different technologies, measurement volumes and sampling periods used for the lidar and radar measurements – a very good accuracy is achieved for both remote-sensing techniques for probing horizontal wind speed and wind direction with the virtual-tower scanning technique.« less

Development of the NASA-Ames low disturbance supersonic wind tunnel for transition research up to Mach 2.5

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wolf, Stephen W. D.; Laub, James A.; King, Lyndell S.; Reda, Daniel C.

1992-01-01

A unique, low-disturbance supersonic wind tunnel is being developed at NASA-Ames to support supersonic laminar flow control research at cruise Mach numbers of the High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT). The distinctive aerodynamic features of this new quiet tunnel will be a low-disturbance settling chamber, laminar boundary layers on the nozzle walls and steady supersonic diffuser flow. Furthermore, this new wind tunnel will operate continuously at uniquely low compression ratios (less than unity). This feature allows an existing non-specialist compressor to be used as a major part of the drive system. In this paper, we highlight activities associated with drive system development, the establishment of natural laminar flow on the test section walls, and instrumentation development for transition detection. Experimental results from an 1/8th-scale model of the supersonic wind tunnel are presented and discussed in association with theoretical predictions. Plans are progressing to build the full-scale wind tunnel by the end of 1993.

In-Class Quantification of the Mentos and Diet Coke Analogue Experiment: Effects of Wind on Volcanic Isopach Patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quane, S.; Klos, Z.; Jacobsen, R.

2009-05-01

The Mentos and Diet Coke experiment, where instantaneous emplacement of Mentos candy in Diet Coke creates a soda/CO2 eruptive plume, is a common educational analogue for a volcanic eruption. In this paper, we quantify the effects of varying directional wind speeds on the eruptive plume as a learning tool in advanced Introductory Geology and Volcanology courses. The Mentos and Diet Coke reaction is a fun, safe and affordable analogue for explosive, single pulse, basaltic eruptions (e.g., Strombolian eruptions). Specifically, the physical and chemical reaction nucleating CO2 bubbles on the pitted surface of Mentos candy is directly analogous to the collapsing foam eruption regime described by Parfitt (2004) where inertia driven fragmentation of the liquid (Namiki and Manga, 2008) leads to basaltic pyroclastic eruptions. Often, in these systems, the pyroclasts are carried downwind, resulting lopsided (downwind side taller) cinder cones. In our experiments, we create a single pulse eruption by simultaneously dropping four Mentos candies into a 16.9 oz. bottle of Diet Coke. The experiments are run under different wind conditions created by three stacked box fans in the off (control experiment) low, medium and high settings. Wind speed is measured using a hand held anemometer. The pyroclast dispersal is recorded by degree of liquid saturation through four layers of newspaper. The liquid is allowed to soak in for thirty seconds post eruption and then the individual layers of newspaper are separated and the saturation envelope is traced with a black marker and digitally photographed. The pyroclast dispersal envelope (or saturation area) is then quantified from the photos by image analysis in Adobe Photoshop. In addition, the experiments are videotaped to quantify ejection velocity using frame by frame analysis in iMovie. The resulting isopach ("deposit thickness") maps indicate a strong tightening of dispersal envelopes with increasing wind speed as seen in natural volcanic systems. Ongoing work is being done to scale the ejection velocities and dispersal envelope area up to natural eruptions. This simple and fun experiment brings a quantitative element to an experiment that is often limited to a show and tell exercise. In addition to covering the fundamental concepts of ejection velocity and isopach envelopes during explosive eruptions, it also exposes students to quantitative image and video analysis.

One- to two-month oscillations in SSMI surface wind speed in western tropical Pacific Ocean

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Collins, Michael L.; Stanford, John L.; Halpern, David

1994-01-01

The 10-m wind speed over the ocean can be estimated from microwave brightness temperature measurements recorded by the Special Sensor Microwave Imager (SSMI) instrument mounted on a polar-orbiting spacecraft. Four-year (1988-1991) time series of average daily 1 deg x 1 deg SSMI wind speeds were analyzed at selected sites in the western tropical Pacific Ocean. One- to two-month period wind speed oscillations with amplitudes statistically significant at the 95% confidence level were observed near Kanton, Eniwetok, Guam, and Truk. This is the first report of such an oscillation in SSMI wind speeds.

Hourly Wind Speed Interval Prediction in Arid Regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chaouch, M.; Ouarda, T.

2013-12-01

The long and extended warm and dry summers, the low rate of rain and humidity are the main factors that explain the increase of electricity consumption in hot arid regions. In such regions, the ventilating and air-conditioning installations, that are typically the most energy-intensive among energy consumption activities, are essential for securing healthy, safe and suitable indoor thermal conditions for building occupants and stored materials. The use of renewable energy resources such as solar and wind represents one of the most relevant solutions to overcome the increase of the electricity demand challenge. In the recent years, wind energy is gaining more importance among the researchers worldwide. Wind energy is intermittent in nature and hence the power system scheduling and dynamic control of wind turbine requires an estimate of wind energy. Accurate forecast of wind speed is a challenging task for the wind energy research field. In fact, due to the large variability of wind speed caused by the unpredictable and dynamic nature of the earth's atmosphere, there are many fluctuations in wind power production. This inherent variability of wind speed is the main cause of the uncertainty observed in wind power generation. Furthermore, producing wind power forecasts might be obtained indirectly by modeling the wind speed series and then transforming the forecasts through a power curve. Wind speed forecasting techniques have received substantial attention recently and several models have been developed. Basically two main approaches have been proposed in the literature: (1) physical models such as Numerical Weather Forecast and (2) statistical models such as Autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) models, Neural Networks. While the initial focus in the literature has been on point forecasts, the need to quantify forecast uncertainty and communicate the risk of extreme ramp events has led to an interest in producing probabilistic forecasts. In short term context, probabilistic forecasts might be more relevant than point forecasts for the planner to build scenarios In this paper, we are interested in estimating predictive intervals of the hourly wind speed measures in few cities in United Arab emirates (UAE). More precisely, given a wind speed time series, our target is to forecast the wind speed at any specific hour during the day and provide in addition an interval with the coverage probability 0

Seasonality, interannual variability, and linear tendency of wind speeds in the northeast Brazil from 1986 to 2011.

PubMed

Torres Silva dos Santos, Alexandre; Moisés Santos e Silva, Cláudio

2013-01-01

Wind speed analyses are currently being employed in several fields, especially in wind power generation. In this study, we used wind speed data from records of Universal Fuess anemographs at an altitude of 10 m from 47 weather stations of the National Institute of Meteorology (Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia-INMET) from January 1986 to December 2011. The objective of the study was to investigate climatological aspects and wind speed trends. To this end, the following methods were used: filling of missing data, descriptive statistical calculations, boxplots, cluster analysis, and trend analysis using the Mann-Kendall statistical method. The seasonal variability of the average wind speeds of each group presented higher values for winter and spring and lower values in the summer and fall. The groups G1, G2, and G5 showed higher annual averages in the interannual variability of wind speeds. These observed peaks were attributed to the El Niño and La Niña events, which change the behavior of global wind circulation and influence wind speeds over the region. Trend analysis showed more significant negative values for the G3, G4, and G5 groups for all seasons of the year and in the annual average for the period under study.

Seasonality, Interannual Variability, and Linear Tendency of Wind Speeds in the Northeast Brazil from 1986 to 2011

PubMed Central

Santos e Silva, Cláudio Moisés

2013-01-01

Wind speed analyses are currently being employed in several fields, especially in wind power generation. In this study, we used wind speed data from records of Universal Fuess anemographs at an altitude of 10 m from 47 weather stations of the National Institute of Meteorology (Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia-INMET) from January 1986 to December 2011. The objective of the study was to investigate climatological aspects and wind speed trends. To this end, the following methods were used: filling of missing data, descriptive statistical calculations, boxplots, cluster analysis, and trend analysis using the Mann-Kendall statistical method. The seasonal variability of the average wind speeds of each group presented higher values for winter and spring and lower values in the summer and fall. The groups G1, G2, and G5 showed higher annual averages in the interannual variability of wind speeds. These observed peaks were attributed to the El Niño and La Niña events, which change the behavior of global wind circulation and influence wind speeds over the region. Trend analysis showed more significant negative values for the G3, G4, and G5 groups for all seasons of the year and in the annual average for the period under study. PMID:24250267

Wind speed time series reconstruction using a hybrid neural genetic approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodriguez, H.; Flores, J. J.; Puig, V.; Morales, L.; Guerra, A.; Calderon, F.

2017-11-01

Currently, electric energy is used in practically all modern human activities. Most of the energy produced came from fossil fuels, making irreversible damage to the environment. Lately, there has been an effort by nations to produce energy using clean methods, such as solar and wind energy, among others. Wind energy is one of the cleanest alternatives. However, the wind speed is not constant, making the planning and operation at electric power systems a difficult activity. Knowing in advance the amount of raw material (wind speed) used for energy production allows us to estimate the energy to be generated by the power plant, helping the maintenance planning, the operational management, optimal operational cost. For these reasons, the forecast of wind speed becomes a necessary task. The forecast process involves the use of past observations from the variable to forecast (wind speed). To measure wind speed, weather stations use devices called anemometers, but due to poor maintenance, connection error, or natural wear, they may present false or missing data. In this work, a hybrid methodology is proposed, and it uses a compact genetic algorithm with an artificial neural network to reconstruct wind speed time series. The proposed methodology reconstructs the time series using a ANN defined by a Compact Genetic Algorithm.

Wind speed affects prey-catching behaviour in an orb web spider.

PubMed

Turner, Joe; Vollrath, Fritz; Hesselberg, Thomas

2011-12-01

Wind has previously been shown to influence the location and orientation of spider web sites and also the geometry and material composition of constructed orb webs. We now show that wind also influences components of prey-catching behaviour within the web. A small wind tunnel was used to generate different wind speeds. Araneus diadematus ran more slowly towards entangled Drosophila melanogaster in windy conditions, which took less time to escape the web. This indicates a lower capture probability and a diminished overall predation efficiency for spiders at higher wind speeds. We conclude that spiders' behaviour of taking down their webs as wind speed increases may therefore not be a response only to possible web damage.

Wind speed affects prey-catching behaviour in an orb web spider

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Turner, Joe; Vollrath, Fritz; Hesselberg, Thomas

2011-12-01

Wind has previously been shown to influence the location and orientation of spider web sites and also the geometry and material composition of constructed orb webs. We now show that wind also influences components of prey-catching behaviour within the web. A small wind tunnel was used to generate different wind speeds. Araneus diadematus ran more slowly towards entangled Drosophila melanogaster in windy conditions, which took less time to escape the web. This indicates a lower capture probability and a diminished overall predation efficiency for spiders at higher wind speeds. We conclude that spiders' behaviour of taking down their webs as wind speed increases may therefore not be a response only to possible web damage.

Analysis of Doppler Lidar Data Acquired During the Pentagon Shield Field Campaign

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Newsom, Rob K.

2011-04-14

Observations from two coherent Doppler lidars deployed during the Pentagon Shield field campaign are analyzed in conjunction with other sensors to characterize the overall boundary-layer structure, and identify the dominant flow characteristics during the entire two-week field campaign. Convective boundary layer (CBL) heights and cloud base heights (CBH) are estimated from an analysis of the lidar signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR), and mean wind profiles are computed using a modified velocity-azimuth-display (VAD) algorithm. Three-dimensional wind field retrievals are computed from coordinated overlapping volume scans, and the results are analyzed by visualizing the flow in horizontal and vertical cross sections. The VAD winds showmore » that southerly flows dominate during the two-week field campaign. Low-level jets (LLJ) were evident on all but two of the nights during the field campaign. The LLJs tended to form a couple hours after sunset and reach maximum strength between 03 and 07 UTC. The surface friction velocities show distinct local maxima during four nights when strong LLJs formed. Estimates of the convective boundary layer height and residual layer height are obtained through an analysis of the vertical gradient of the lidar signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR). Strong minimum in the SNR gradient often develops just above the surface after sunrise. This minimum is associated with the developing CBL, and increases rapidly during the early portion of the daytime period. On several days, this minimum continues to increase until about sunset. Secondary minima in the SNR gradient were also observed at higher altitudes, and are believed to be remnants of the CBL height from previous days, i.e. the residual layer height. The dual-Doppler analysis technique used in this study makes use of hourly averaged radial velocity data to produce three-dimensional grids of the horizontal velocity components, and the horizontal velocity variance. Visualization of horizontal and vertical cross sections of the dual-Doppler wind retrievals often indicated a jet-like flow feature over the Potomac River under southerly flow conditions. This linear flow feature is roughly aligned with the Potomac River corridor to the south of the confluence with the Anatostia River, and is most apparent at low levels (i.e. below ~150 m MSL). It is believed that this flow arises due to reduced drag over the water surface and when the large scale flow aligns with the Potomac River corridor. A so-called area-constrained VAD analysis generally confirmed the observations from the dual-Doppler analysis. When the large scale flow is southerly, wind speeds over the Potomac River are consistently larger than the at a site just to the west of the river for altitudes less than 100 m MSL. Above this level, the trend is somewhat less obvious. The data suggest that the depth of the wind speed maximum may be reduced by strong directional shear aloft.« less

Numerical simulation on a straight-bladed vertical axis wind turbine with auxiliary blade

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Y.; Zheng, Y. F.; Feng, F.; He, Q. B.; Wang, N. X.

2016-08-01

To improve the starting performance of the straight-bladed vertical axis wind turbine (SB-VAWT) at low wind speed, and the output characteristics at high wind speed, a flexible, scalable auxiliary vane mechanism was designed and installed into the rotor of SB-VAWT in this study. This new vertical axis wind turbine is a kind of lift-to-drag combination wind turbine. The flexible blade expanded, and the driving force of the wind turbines comes mainly from drag at low rotational speed. On the other hand, the flexible blade is retracted at higher speed, and the driving force is primarily from a lift. To research the effects of the flexible, scalable auxiliary module on the performance of SB-VAWT and to find its best parameters, the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) numerical calculation was carried out. The calculation result shows that the flexible, scalable blades can automatic expand and retract with the rotational speed. The moment coefficient at low tip speed ratio increased substantially. Meanwhile, the moment coefficient has also been improved at high tip speed ratios in certain ranges.