Evaluation of Building-Resolving Simulations Using Observations from the microSCALES Field Campaign

Observations collected during the ISARRA Small-UAS Coordination for Atmospheric Low-Level Environmental Sampling (SCALES) flight week campaign are used to evaluate the NSF NCAR FastEddy^TM GPU LES model run at building resolving simulations of 2.5 m grid spacing. A set of simulations were conducted using mesoscale forcings derived from the HRRR for cases collected both prior to and during the microSCALES field campaign. Observations from several turbulence-sensing UAS flown to the north and south of downtown Tulsa, OK are compared with highly resolved wind and turbulence estimates obtained with FastEddy. Data from profiling UAS, mobile mesonet vehicles, mobile soundings, Doppler Lidar and turbulence towers will also be used to evaluate the simulations. Uncertainties are characterized by utilizing a time-lagged HRRR ensemble to drive the lateral boundaries of FastEddy. A set of probabilistic UAM hazard guidance products are generated to demonstrate how they could be used to provide in-time support of AAM operations and also to inform the design of autonomous airborne system networks in the future.