Features of the Athens Basin wind flow in view of recent experimental work

摘要

According to past experience, the nearly stagnant conditions caused by the presumed equilibrium between the Saronikos Gulf sea breeze and an opposing synoptic flow is identified as the principal mechanism leading to high pollution episodes in Athens during the summer. Previous experimental work could not answer several questions related to air mass flow over the "transitional" areas of the Athens Basin such as the offshore, the coastal regions and the natural openings. In this context, recent experimental work focuses on the inland propagation of the southerly sea breeze from the coast to the northern part of the basin mainly under moderate northerly background winds. An experimental campaign was designed to cover the basic key-locations revealing the wind flow over the Athens Basin. With the aid of a network of meteorological stations, two tethered balloons and a high range acoustic sounder operated over a two months summer period it is attempted to address some features of the wind flow over the Athens Basin. Results from this experimental campaign are presented and discussed.