P1.13
Thermally driven flows in California's Central Valley: A comprehensive analysis using data from a dense wind profiler network
Shiyuan Zhong, PNNL, Richland, WA; and X. Bian, C. D. Whiteman, and S. Tanrikulu
The Central Valley of California, because of its proximity to the ocean, its complex terrain, and the dry and hot weather in the summer, is an area where various types of thermally driven winds occur frequently. As part of the Central California Ozone Study, a dense radar wind profiler network consisting of 25 profilers was deployed in the Central Valley to collect hourly vertical wind profiles from June through October of 2000. Data from this network were analyzed to document the diurnal evolution and seasonal variation of thermally driven flows in the valley. The data analyses focus on the interplay of valley and slope flows, sea breezes, channeled winds, and low-level jets. A measure of wind consistency is defined and calculated for all 25 profiler sites. At some sites, winds exhibit high consistency, while at other locations, the consistency was low. The reasons for differences in wind consistency at different locations are discussed. The transport characteristics in different parts of the valley are examined using several integral quantities including the mean daily wind run, daily averaged transport distance, and daily recirculation factor. The implications for pollutant transport and dispersion in the valley are discussed.
Poster Session 1, PBL Processes and Modeling (with Coffee Break)
Monday, 17 June 2002, 2:45 PM-4:15 PM
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