Survey of the height and exposure variation of empirical parameters entering an empirical probability density function for wind speed. Final report

Technical Report · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1981

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5281419· OSTI ID:5281419

Buell, C. E.; Bundgaard, R. C.

Since the Weibull distribution is not a physically acceptable distribution function for scalar wind speed and since even the wind speed data itself is frequently bimodal, it is suggested that a mixture of two generalized Rayleigh distributions (a thoroughly acceptable distribution) be used to describe the distribution of scalar wind speed. A reasonably extensive analysis of scaler wind speed data of several kinds is reported. Data from meteorological towers at Patrick AFB, FL, the Hanford Meteorological Station, Cape Kennedy (NASA), FL, and White Sands Missile Range, NM, were analyzed in some detail and the variation of parameters as a function of anemometer height was determined. Data from meteorological towers at nuclear power plant sites was analyzed for those cases where anemometers were located at two or more levels. Data was provided by Pacific Northwest Laboratory from locations in the northwestern U.S. where the anemometer had been located at two different elevations and the wind speed frequency tabulated separately at the different levels. In all of these cases the variation of the parameters entering the distribution function was determined as a function of height. It was found that insofar as the empirical distribution function remained of the same type from level to level, the parameter variation was reasonably well described by the frequently applied power law with the exception of the mixing proportion of the two components of the mixture of the two generalized Rayleigh distributions used.

• Research Organization: Science Applications, Inc., Colorado Springs, CO (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-79ET23114
• OSTI ID: 5281419
• Report Number(s): DOE/ET/23114-80/1; ON: DE82008098
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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