Thesis
Large-eddy simulations of atmospheric flows over idealized and realistic double-hill terrain in the WRF model
Washington State University
Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
12/2020
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7273/000004181
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/125014
Abstract
Airflow over complex terrain throughout the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) governs the transport and mixing of mass, momentum, and heat. Topography causes obstruction of the airflow and generates airflow distortion and turbulence. Perturbations in land-atmosphere interactions cause various weather phenomena like cold-air pools (CAPs) leading to changes in many aspects of weather and climate that impact the optimal position of wind-turbine, forest-fire behavior, and forecasting, as well as trace-gas and pollutant dispersion. This thesis investigates the flow over complex terrain, specifically double-hill terrain, with new numerical model approaches. The first study utilizes the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model with large eddy simulations (LES) and the immersed-boundary method (IBM) to improve the simulations of the flow and recirculation regions over steep double-hill terrain. The gap distance controls the flow distribution behind both hills. The upwind hill has a significant influence on the second hill. When the gap distance is too small, the flow after the upwind hill cannot regain its momentum. The second study examines the flow distribution over a forested double-hill and the impact of the gap distance between two hills on scalar transport (CO2 and H2O). This study uses the WRF-LES model coupled with a new multiple-layer canopy module (MCANOPY module). We find that flow recirculation is the primary factor dominating scalar transport. Scalars are transported and trapped in both recirculation regions and accumulated on the lee sides of both hills. Our simulation shows the occurrence of two vortices on the lee side of the upstream hill enhances the accumulation of scalars in the valleys. In the end, we extend our work from the first study to understand flow patterns over a realistic double-hill topography. Results show that the valley gap distance is so small that the recirculation region in the valley between two hills cannot fully develop. Additionally, the WRF-IBM captures the structure of microscale flows that other models have not captured in the previous studies.
Metrics
Details
- Title
- Large-eddy simulations of atmospheric flows over idealized and realistic double-hill terrain in the WRF model
- Creators
- Yayun Qiao
- Contributors
- Heping Liu (Advisor) - Washington State University, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Department of
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Department of
- Theses and Dissertations
- Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University
- Identifiers
- 99900896440801842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Thesis