An Airborne Profiling Radar Study of the Impact of Glaciogenic Cloud Seeding on Snowfall from Winter Orographic Clouds

2010 ◽  
Vol 67 (10) ◽  
pp. 3286-3302 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bart Geerts ◽  
Qun Miao ◽  
Yang Yang ◽  
Roy Rasmussen ◽  
Daniel Breed
Keyword(s):  
Doppler Radar ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Cold Season ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Medicine Bow Mountains ◽  
Orographic Clouds ◽  
Surface Reflectivity ◽  
Glaciogenic Seeding ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Composite Data

Abstract Data from an airborne vertically pointing millimeter-wave Doppler radar are used to study the cloud microphysical effect of glaciogenic seeding of cold-season orographic clouds. Fixed flight tracks were flown downstream of ground-based silver iodide (AgI) generators in the Medicine Bow Mountains of Wyoming. Composite data from seven flights, each with a no-seeding period followed by a seeding period, indicate that radar reflectivity was higher near the ground during the seeding periods. Several physical considerations argue in favor of the hypothesis that the increase in near-surface reflectivity is attributed to AgI seeding. While the increase in near-surface reflectivity and thus snowfall rate are statistically significant, caution is warranted in view of the large natural variability of weather conditions and the small size of the dataset.

scholarly journals A Case Study of Radar Observations and WRF LES Simulations of the Impact of Ground-Based Glaciogenic Seeding on Orographic Clouds and Precipitation. Part II: AgI Dispersion and Seeding Signals Simulated by WRF

2016 ◽  
Vol 55 (2) ◽  
pp. 445-464 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lulin Xue ◽  
Xia Chu ◽  
Roy Rasmussen ◽  
Daniel Breed ◽  
Bart Geerts
Keyword(s):  
Nucleation Rate ◽  
Wrf Model ◽  
Grid Spacing ◽  
Medicine Bow Mountains ◽  
Eddy Simulation ◽  
Cloud Dynamics ◽  
Vertical Dispersion ◽  
Orographic Clouds ◽  
Glaciogenic Seeding ◽  
The Impact

AbstractSeveral Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model simulations of natural and seeded clouds have been conducted in non-LES and LES (large-eddy simulation) modes to investigate the seeding impact on wintertime orographic clouds for an actual seeding case on 18 February 2009 in the Medicine Bow Mountains of Wyoming. Part I of this two-part series has shown the capability of WRF LES with 100-m grid spacing to capture the essential environmental conditions by comparing the model results with measurements from a variety of instruments. In this paper, the silver iodide (AgI) dispersion features, the AgI impacts on the turbulent kinetic energy (TKE), the microphysics, and the precipitation are examined in detail using the model data, which leads to five main results. 1) The vertical dispersion of AgI particles is more efficient in cloudy conditions than in clear conditions. 2) The wind shear and the buoyancy are both important TKE production mechanisms in the wintertime PBL over complex terrain in cloudy conditions. The buoyancy-induced eddies are more responsible for the AgI vertical dispersion than the shear-induced eddies are. 3) Seeding has insignificant effects on the cloud dynamics. 4) AgI particles released from the ground-based generators affect the cloud within the boundary layer below 1 km AGL through nucleating extra ice crystals, converting liquid water into ice, depleting more vapor, and generating more precipitation on the ground. The AgI nucleation rate is inversely related to the natural ice nucleation rate. 5) The seeding effects on the ground precipitation are confined within narrow areas. The relative seeding effect ranges between 5% and 20% for the simulations with different grid spacing.

The Impact of Ground-Based Glaciogenic Seeding on Orographic Clouds and Precipitation: A Multisensor Case Study

2014 ◽  
Vol 53 (4) ◽  
pp. 890-909 ◽  
Author(s):  
Binod Pokharel ◽  
Bart Geerts ◽  
Xiaoqin Jing
Keyword(s):  
Band 3 ◽  
Cloud Base ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Target Region ◽  
Orographic Clouds ◽  
Snow Crystals ◽  
Corroborative Evidence ◽  
Glaciogenic Seeding ◽  
The Impact

AbstractA case study is presented from the 2012 AgI Seeding Cloud Impact Investigation, an experiment conducted over the Sierra Madre in southern Wyoming to study the impact of ground-based glaciogenic seeding on precipitation. In this case, on 21 February, the temperature in the turbulent boundary layer above cloud base in the target region was just below −8°C, the target orographic clouds contained liquid water, and the storm was rather steady during the measurement period, consisting of an untreated period, followed by a treated period. Eight silver iodide (AgI) generators were used, located on the windward mountain slope. This study is unprecedented in its diversity of radar systems, which included the W-band (3 mm) profiling Wyoming Cloud Radar (WCR), a pair of Ka-band (1 cm) profiling Micro Rain Radars (MRRs), and an X-band (3 cm) scanning Doppler-on-Wheels (DOW) radar. The WCR was on board a research aircraft flying geographically fixed tracks, the DOW was located on the main mountain pass in the target region, one MRR was at this pass, and the other was upstream of the generators. Composite data from the three radars indicate that near-surface reflectivity was higher during seeding, a change that could not be accounted for by storm intensification upstream of the generators. Data from a Parsivel disdrometer at the pass indicate that the concentration of snow crystals of all sizes was larger during seeding, although this change was somewhat delayed. This study highlights the challenge of an observational study to unambiguously identify a seeding signal, as well as the value of cumulative corroborative evidence from independent sources.

scholarly journals A Case Study of Cloud Radar Observations and Large-Eddy Simulations of a Shallow Stratiform Orographic Cloud, and the Impact of Glaciogenic Seeding

2017 ◽  
Vol 56 (5) ◽  
pp. 1285-1304 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xia Chu ◽  
Bart Geerts ◽  
Lulin Xue ◽  
Binod Pokharel
Keyword(s):  
Liquid Water ◽  
Supercooled Liquid ◽  
Cold Season ◽  
Cloud Base ◽  
Target Area ◽  
Blowing Snow ◽  
Large Eddy ◽  
Orographic Clouds ◽  
Glaciogenic Seeding ◽  
The Impact

AbstractThe impact of glaciogenic seeding on precipitation remains uncertain, mainly because of the noisy nature of precipitation. Operational seeding programs often target cold-season orographic clouds because of their abundance of supercooled liquid water. Such clouds are complicated because of common natural seeding from above (seeder–feeder effect) or from below (blowing snow). Here, observations, mainly from a profiling airborne Doppler radar, and numerical simulations are used to examine the impact of glaciogenic seeding on a very shallow (<1 km), largely blocked cloud that is not naturally seeded from aloft or from below. This cloud has limited but persistent supercooled liquid water, a cloud-base (top) temperature of −12°C (−16°C), and produces only very light snowfall naturally. A Weather Research and Forecasting Model large-eddy simulation at 100-m resolution captures the observed upstream stability and wind profiles and reproduces the essential characteristics of the orographic flow, cloud, and precipitation. Both observations and simulations indicate that seeding locally increases radar (or computed) reflectivity in the target area, even after removal of the natural trend between these two periods in a nearby control region. A model sensitivity run suggests that seeding effectively glaciates the mostly liquid cloud and substantially increases snowfall within the seeding plume. This is due to a dramatic increase in the number of ice particles and not to their size. The increased ice particle concentration facilitates snow growth by vapor deposition in a cloud the temperature range of which is conducive to the Bergeron process.

Dual-Polarization Radar Data Analysis of the Impact of Ground-Based Glaciogenic Seeding on Winter Orographic Clouds. Part I: Mostly Stratiform Clouds

2015 ◽  
Vol 54 (9) ◽  
pp. 1944-1969 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaoqin Jing ◽  
Bart Geerts ◽  
Katja Friedrich ◽  
Binod Pokharel
Keyword(s):  
Radar Data ◽  
Control Area ◽  
Target Area ◽  
Dual Polarization ◽  
Stratiform Clouds ◽  
Orographic Clouds ◽  
Close Range ◽  
Glaciogenic Seeding ◽  
Differential Reflectivity ◽  
The Impact

AbstractThe impact of ground-based glaciogenic seeding on wintertime orographic, mostly stratiform clouds is analyzed by means of data from an X-band dual-polarization radar, the Doppler-on-Wheels (DOW) radar, positioned on a mountain pass. This study focuses on six intensive observation periods (IOPs) during the 2012 AgI Seeding Cloud Impact Investigation (ASCII) project in Wyoming. In all six storms, the bulk upstream Froude number below mountaintop exceeded 1 (suggesting unblocked flow), the clouds were relatively shallow (with bases below freezing), some liquid water was present, and orographic flow conditions were mostly steady. To examine the silver iodide (AgI) seeding effect, three study areas are defined (a control area, a target area upwind of the crest, and a lee target area), and comparisons are made between measurements from a treated period and those from an untreated period. Changes in reflectivity and differential reflectivity observed by the DOW at low levels during seeding are consistent with enhanced snow growth, by vapor diffusion and/or aggregation, for a case study and for the composite analysis of all six IOPs, especially at close range upwind of the mountain crest. These low-level changes may have been affected by natural changes aloft, however, as evident from differences in the evolution of the echo-top height in the control and target areas. Even though precipitation in the target region is strongly correlated with that in the control region, the authors cannot definitively attribute the change to seeding because there is a lack of knowledge about natural variability, nor can the outcome be generalized, because the sample size is small.

Geothermal Geotechnics development program as a commonly used solution in D-wall.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grzegorz Kacprzak ◽  
Tomasz Stasiukiewicz ◽  
Rafał Bagiński ◽  
Mateusz Frydrych ◽  
Marcin Piotrowski
Keyword(s):  
Development Program ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Energy Utilization ◽  
Building Structures ◽  
Deep Foundation ◽  
Ansys Fluent ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Building Maintenance ◽  
Diaphragm Walls ◽  
The Impact

&lt;p&gt;The project relates to an idea consisting in the use of diaphragm walls constituting a substructure system most often used during the foundation of a large volume building structure in tight urban fabric. Additionally, it offers the possibility of using this substructure as near-surface geothermal geotechnics and in conjunction with adjacent soil as an interseason heat storage in the form of enclosed box. The effect of the following development program is expected to provide a product in the form of concrete elements, that are already required for structural reasons, as diaphragm walls and barrettes with an integrated geothermal installation that allows obtaining part of the heat energy necessary for the operation of a renewable energy building. The accumulated energy, in the form of a lower energy source will be used to heat the building in winter. In summer,&amp;#160; the reduced temperature of diaphragm walls in relation to weather conditions will allow the building to cool down, and thus will power air conditioning systems. This will feature not only concerns about environment aspects but also provides a long-term cost-saving solution that will limit building maintenance.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Presented, currently running, two years program is an effect of cooperation between experienced deep foundation contractor and The Institute of Heat Engineering, scientific unit. The development program, presented below, is based on the industrial research phase in which the lower heat source systems are modelled in Ansys Fluent and then the calculation results are reproduced under laboratory conditions on small physical 3x2x0.7m models. The results from measurements with temperature sensors and IR cameras are used to calibrate the FEM models and to determine the most optimal distribution of the pipes with the fluid carrier.&amp;#160; Stage 2 will allow the analysis of the impact of thermal stress generated by the geothermal installation on the construction of the diaphragm walls and the entire building using deformation sensors.&amp;#160; Development works in stage 3 will allow verification of the above assumptions using real commercial construction in the interseasonal cycle.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The most significant effect of the development programme, stage 4, &amp;#160;will be the creation of a simple tool, on the basis of empirical data collected during model works and prototype tests, to commonly determine the thermal balance for building structures under given ground conditions for commercial buildings. The aim of the tool, being acquired by a deep foundation contractor, is a popularization of the thermo-active ground structures &lt;span&gt;solutions &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;and promotion of geothermal energy utilization.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

scholarly journals Vertical Distribution of Particulates within the Near-Surface Layer of Dry Bulk Port and Influence Mechanism: A Case Study in China

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (24) ◽  
pp. 7135 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jinxing Shen ◽  
Xuejun Feng ◽  
Kai Zhuang ◽  
Tong Lin ◽  
Yan Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vertical Distribution ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Dust Suppression ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Cargo Handling ◽  
Port Operation ◽  
Pm10 And Pm2.5 ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Vertical Distribution ◽  
Porous Fence

Knowing the vertical distribution of ambient particulate matter (PM) will help port authorities choose the optimal dust-suppression measures to reduce PM concentrations. In this study, we used an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to assess the vertical distribution (0–120 m altitude) of PM in a dry bulk port along the Yangtze River, China. Total suspended particulates (TSP), PM10, and PM2.5 concentrations at different altitudes were measured at seven sites representing different cargo-handling sites and a background site. Variations in results across sites make it not suitable to characterize the vertical distribution of PM concentration at this port using simple representative distributions. Bulk cargo particle size, fog cannon use, and porous fence all affected the vertical distribution of TSP concentrations but had only minor impacts on PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations. Optimizing porous fence layout according to weather conditions and cargo demand at port have the most potential for mitigating PM pollution related to port operation. As ground-based stations cannot fully measure vertical PM distributions, our methods and results represent an advance in assessing the impact of port activities on air quality and can be used to determine optimal dust-suppression measures for dry bulk ports.

Energy Efficiency and Insulation Thickness According to the Compactness Index Case of a Studio Apartment Under Saharan Weather Conditions

2019 ◽  
Vol 141 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Bendara ◽  
S. M. A. Bekkouche ◽  
T. Benouaz ◽  
S. Belaid ◽  
M. Hamdani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Return Time ◽  
Structure Type ◽  
Cold Season ◽  
Energy Needs ◽  
Insulation Thickness ◽  
Type C ◽  
The Comparative Study ◽  
The Impact

Financial energetic problems oblige citizens to reduce the energy consumption. Accordingly, the recent research showed that major financial economies can be optimally achieved, by introducing some passive measures. The main objective of the current contribution is to investigate the impact of thermal insulation and compactness on energy efficiency. Following the assessment of the methodology, several input parameters were identified and economic insulation thicknesses were obtained. Finding revealed that the best effectiveness of solar gain has been observed for a better insulation and a good compactness, whereas a reduction of about 12.51% of energy needs can be achieved. Similar to the previous case, compactness has an attractive effect, provided that the building was well insulated. Furthermore, any variance cannot be occurred in economic insulation thickness by varying the building compactness. Unlike this remark, for a better compactness, a slight increase in the investment-return time has been noticed, following the energy bill reduction, which becomes more interesting. Hence, the comparative study averred that the previous passive concepts provide reduction in energy needs nearest 73.64%. Thus, reduction was nexus 82.17%, during cold season, and around 59.87%, in overheating period. As consequence, the studied structure type can be integrated in the buildings that have an energy label of “type C.”

A Case Study on the Impact of Ground-based Glaciogenic Seeding on Winter Orographic Clouds at Daegwallyeong

2015 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 301-314 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ha-Young Yang ◽  
◽  
Sanghee Chae ◽  
Jin-Yim Jeong ◽  
Seong-Kyu Seo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Orographic Clouds ◽  
Glaciogenic Seeding ◽  
The Impact

scholarly journals Blowing Snow as a Natural Glaciogenic Cloud Seeding Mechanism

2015 ◽  
Vol 143 (12) ◽  
pp. 5017-5033 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bart Geerts ◽  
Binod Pokharel ◽  
David A. R. Kristovich
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Boundary Layer Separation ◽  
Ice Crystals ◽  
Size Distributions ◽  
Blowing Snow ◽  
Free Atmosphere ◽  
Layer Separation ◽  
Orographic Clouds ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Winter storms are often accompanied by strong winds, especially over complex terrain. Under such conditions freshly fallen snow can be readily suspended. Most of that snow will be redistributed across the landscape (e.g., behind obstacles), but some may be lofted into the turbulent boundary layer, and even into the free atmosphere in areas of boundary layer separation near terrain crests, or in hydraulic jumps. Blowing snow ice crystals, mostly small fractured particles, thus may enhance snow growth in clouds. This may explain why shallow orographic clouds, with cloud-top temperatures too high for significant ice initiation, may produce (usually light) snowfall with remarkable persistence. While drifting snow has been studied extensively, the impact of blowing snow on precipitation on snowfall itself has not. Airborne radar and lidar data are presented to demonstrate the presence of blowing snow, boundary layer separation, and the glaciation of shallow supercooled orographic clouds. Further evidence for the presence of blowing snow comes from a comparison between snow size distributions measured at Storm Peak Laboratory (SPL) on Mount Werner (Colorado) versus those measured aboard an aircraft while passing overhead, and from an examination of snow size distributions at SPL under diverse weather conditions. Ice splintering following the collision of supercooled droplets on rimed surfaces such as trees does not appear to explain the large concentrations of small ice crystals sometimes observed at SPL.

scholarly journals Impact of surface and near-surface processes on ice crystal concentrations measured at mountain-top research stations

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Beck ◽  
Jan Henneberger ◽  
Jacob P. Fugal ◽  
Robert O. David ◽  
Larissa Lacher ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ice Crystals ◽  
Surface Processes ◽  
Strong Impact ◽  
Blowing Snow ◽  
Ice Crystal ◽  
Turbulent Layer ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Orographic Clouds ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. In-situ cloud observations at mountain-top research stations regularly measure ice crystal number concentrations (ICNCs) orders of magnitudes higher than expected from measurements of ice nucleating particle (INP) concentrations. Thus, several studies suggest that mountain-top in-situ measurements are influenced by surface processes, e.g. blowing snow, hoar frost or riming on snow covered trees, rocks and the snow surface. A strong impact on the observed ICNCs on mountain-top stations by surface processes may limit the relevance of such measurements and possibly affects the development of orographic clouds. This study assesses the impact of surface processes on in-situ cloud observations at the Sonnblick Observatory in the Hohen Tauern Region, Austria. Vertical profiles of ICNCs above a snow covered surface were observed up to a height of 10 m. The ICNC decreases at least by a factor of two at 10 m, if the ICNC at the surface is larger than 100 L−1. This decrease can be up to one order of magnitude during in-cloud conditions and reached its maximum of more than two orders of magnitudes when the station was not in cloud. For one case study, the ICNC for regular and irregular ice crystals showed a similar relative decrease with height, which cannot be explained by the above mentioned surface processes. Therefore, two near-surface processes are proposed to enrich ICNCs and explain these finding. Either sedimenting ice crystals are captured in a turbulent layer above the surface or the ICNC is enhanced in a convergence zone, because the cloud is forced over a mountain. These two processes would also have an impact on ICNCs measured at mountain-top stations if the surrounding surface is not snow covered. Conclusively, this study strongly suggests that ICNCs measured at mountain-top stations are not representative for the properties of a cloud further away from the surface.

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