Modeling in the Microscale- The Atmospheric Boundary Layer Environment (ABLE) Model

The Atmospheric Boundary Layer Environment model (ABLE) is a new model being developed for microscale environments. The 3-dimensional, finite-volume model uses a new time-integration scheme described in Sun (2012) that is well-behaved in the presence of strong gradients in flow quantities without requiring significant explicit or implicit smoothing. The model, currently a direct numerical simulation code, has been improved by incorporating a cut-cell immersed boundary method to allow for steep terrain. Results of simulations over a modest, idealized mountain ridge are compared with simulations using a terrain-following coordinate. Results for steeper slopes will also be shown.