Wednesday, 12 January 2005
Numerical Simulation of Different Complex Terrain Flows in South-Central Alaska: Implication for Air Pollution Transport
The Arctic MM5, developed by the Mesocale Modeling group at UAF based on the Penn State-NCAR mesoscale model MM5, is used to simulate and better understand the basic features of different flow fields in the Valdez basin and surrounding areas in south-central Alaska, an area which includes extensive rugged mountain ranges and complex coastal topography. Over this highly complex terrain, a variety of wind flows are expected to occur, among them sea breezes, mountain valley nocturnal drainage flows, and daytime upslope winds. A series of dynamical simulations of the different flows will be carried out using the MM5 model. From the simulation results, we will analyze the features of different flows which develop in this complex region. The features of the analyzed wind fields will help to provide a better understanding of the basic nature of air pollution transport in the area.
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