Numerical simulations of the urban boundary layer observed during Joint Urban 2003

A prototype of an urban modeling system has been under development at MSC for some time, aiming at accurate prediction of urban flows and atmospheric dispersion over major North American cities. The main features of this new system include an assessment of the high-resolution capability of the MC2 model for micro-alpha scale applications (down to about 200 m), an extension of our current turbulent diffusion scheme to 3D turbulence, the inclusion of urban processes with the Town Energy Balance (TEB) scheme, and the generation of surface fields characterizing urban type covers for use in TEB. As a first validation of the urban modeling system, high-resolution simulations will be presented that examine the impact of urban processes on the structure of the atmospheric boundary layer. These will be compared against observations from the Joint Urban 2003 experimental campaign held in Oklahoma City during July 2003.