Evaluation of a High Resolution Wind Model Over a Complex Terrain Surface

A complete and comprehensive description of the high resolution wind (HRW) model is presented. The HRW model has been in development at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory, formerly U.S. Army Atmospheric Sciences Laboratory, since 1978. This model is a two-dimensional, diagnostic atmospheric surface-l...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Chang, Sam S, Garvey, Dennis M, Williamson, chatt C, Huynh, Giap
Format: Report
Language:English
Subjects:
ARMY RESEARCH
ATMOSPHERE MODELS
ATMOSPHERIC SURFACE LAYERD
BUOYANCY
CONSERVATION
COORDINATES
HIGH RESOLUTION
HORIZONTAL ORIENTATION
HRW(HIGH RESOLUTION WIND)
Meteorology
NONUNIFORM
RELAXATION
TERRAIN FOLLOWING
TEST AND EVALUATION
TOPOGRAPHY
UNITED KINGDOM
WIND
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Summary:A complete and comprehensive description of the high resolution wind (HRW) model is presented. The HRW model has been in development at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory, formerly U.S. Army Atmospheric Sciences Laboratory, since 1978. This model is a two-dimensional, diagnostic atmospheric surface-layer wind model with a horizontal grid spacing of the order of 100 m over a domain of about 5 by 5 km. It uses Gauss? principle of least constraint and a direct variational relaxation method to adjust an initially uniform wind field to conform with topography, mass conservation, and buoyancy forces. A distinctive feature of the model is the use of a non-orthogonal, terrain following, warped coordinate system. A valuable observational dataset of surface wind has been provided from the field study of Meteorology and Diffusion Over Non-Uniform Areas (MADONA) at Porton Down, Salisbury, England during September and October 1992. Using the MADONA data, a critical evaluation for the HRW model for 39 cases has been carried out. The results of this study are presented, indicating both the range of validity and the limitations of the HRW model. The original document contains color images.