Study of an observed Low-Level Jet through Large-Eddy Simulations

Low-Level Jets (LLJ) are a frequently observed feature in the Duero basin of the Iberian Peninsula, with typical wind speeds at the nose of 8 m/s at an approximate height of 80 m above ground level. A LLJ observed during the SABLES-98 campaign is studied here through Large-Eddy Simulations.

A common observed characteristic is that there is an inversion close to the maximum of the wind. The combination of these two features minimizes the turbulence mixing at this height and the regime behaves as a two-layer flow. The mixing across the jet is inspected using passive scalars above and below the wind maximum and slightly displacing the location of the wind maximum up and down in respect to the inversion as observed. The results are compared to available observations using Probability Density Functions.