On infrasound generated by wind farms and its propagation in low-altitude tropospheric waveguides

Marcillo, Omar; Arrowsmith, Stephen; Blom, Philip; Jones, Kyle

doi:10.1002/2014JD022821

On infrasound generated by wind farms and its propagation in low-altitude tropospheric waveguides

Journal Article · Fri Aug 21 00:00:00 EDT 2015 · Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/2014JD022821· OSTI ID:1468566

^[1]; Arrowsmith, Stephen ^[2]; ^[1]; Jones, Kyle ^[2]

Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

Infrasound from a 60-turbine wind farm was found to propagate to distances up to 90 km under nighttime atmospheric conditions. Four infrasound sensor arrays were deployed in central New Mexico in February 2014; three of these arrays captured infrasound from a large wind farm. The arrays were in a linear configuration oriented southeast with 13, 54, 90, and 126 km radial distances and azimuths of 166°, 119°, 113°, and 111° from the 60 1.6 MW turbine Red Mesa Wind Farm, Laguna Pueblo, New Mexico, USA. Peaks at a fundamental frequency slightly below 0.9 Hz and its harmonics characterize the spectrum of the detected infrasound. The generation of this signal is linked to the interaction of the blades, flow gradients, and the supporting tower. The production of wind-farm sound, its propagation, and detection at long distances can be related to the characteristics of the atmospheric boundary layer. First, under stable conditions, mostly occurring at night, winds are highly stratified, which enhances the production of thickness sound and the modulation of other higher-frequency wind turbine sounds. Second, nocturnal atmospheric conditions can create low-altitude waveguides (with altitudes on the order of hundreds of meters) allowing long-distance propagation. Third, night and early morning hours are characterized by reduced background atmospheric noise that enhances signal detectability. This paper describes the characteristics of the infrasound from a quasi-continuous source with the potential for long-range propagation that could be used to monitor the lower part of the atmospheric boundary layer.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program; USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)

Contributing Organization:: Laguna Pueblo, Laguna, NM (United States). Environmental Dept.; Univ. of Wyoming, Laramie, WY (United States). Dept. of Atmospheric Science

Grant/Contract Number:: AC04-94AL85000; AC52-06NA25396

OSTI ID:: 1468566

Report Number(s):: LA-UR--14-28480

Journal Information:: Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres Journal Issue: 19 Vol. 120; ISSN 2169-897X

Publisher:: American Geophysical UnionCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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