Spatially Averaging Cross-Wind Sensors and Numerical-Model Results for Nocturnal Drainage Winds in Complex Terrain

摘要

Recent studies in The Geysers region of Northern California have concentrated on drainage wind effects on tracer transport and diffusion in complex terrain, as part of the Atmospheric Studies in Complex Terrain (ASCOT) project. These studies combined tracer measurements, conventional tower and remote sensing meteorological measurements, and numerical wind field transport and diffusion models. One part of the meteorological measurement support used eight optical cross-path wind sensors across the principle air drainage valleys. These sensors had varying optical path lengths within the drainage layer of approx. 300 m to 3 km. Results of this study indicate that the combination of spatially averaged cross-path optical wind sensor and conventional tower mounted cup-vane anemometer data into a numerical plume transport and diffusion model for complex terrain has provided useful results. The most important of these results is an independent measure of wind data on a spatial scale compatible with necessarily large grid scales in numerical wind field models with topography. This allows assessment of terrain associated exposure problems for tower anemometers in complex terrain. The optical cross wind data can be used to compare necessary averaging times, and spatial distribution of point sensors and provide verification data to improve the logistics of instrument placement in combination with numerical models. (ERA citation 08:018597)