Modeling bulk atmospheric drainage flow in a valley

Journal Article · Fri Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1989 · Journal of Applied Meteorology; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0450(1989)028<0936:MBADFI>2.0.CO;2· OSTI ID:5484205

Dobosy, R J ^[1]

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1. Atmospheric Turbulence and Diffusion Division, NOAA/ARL, Oak Ridge, Tennessee (US)

Most simulations of bulk valley-drainage flows depend heavily on parameterizations. The 1984 Atmospheric Studies in Complex Terrain (ASCOT) field experiment in Brush Creek Valley, Colorado, provided an unprecedented density of measurements in a natural valley of simple shape, allowing tests of assumptions and parameterizations developed from laboratory measurements and detailed numerical simulations. This paper uses the ASCOT data to test a model that computes total fluxes of mass (volume) and momentum---determining buoyant and pressure-gradient forces from measured temperature profiles, and parameterizing drag, entrainment, and sidewall and tributary drainage. Computed divergences of volume and momentum flux are within a factor of 2 of the Doppler lidar measurements in Brush Creek Valley. The relative importance of individual terms as parameterized in the model is discussed. A major problem for future work is the treatment of the interaction between valley drainage and ambient flow.

• OSTI ID: 5484205
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Meteorology; (USA), Journal Name: Journal of Applied Meteorology; (USA) Vol. 28:9; ISSN 0894-8763; ISSN JOAME
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500100* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Basic Studies-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ALGORITHMS
COLORADO
CONTINUITY EQUATIONS
DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
DRAINAGE
EQUATIONS
FEDERAL REGION VIII
FLOW MODELS
MATHEMATICAL LOGIC
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NORTH AMERICA
PARTIAL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
USA
VALLEYS
WIND