scholarly journals Ultra-Light Airborne Measurement System for Investigation of Urban Boundary Layer Dynamics

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (9) ◽  
pp. 2920
Author(s):  
Piotr Sekula ◽  
Miroslaw Zimnoch ◽  
Jakub Bartyzel ◽  
Anita Bokwa ◽  
Michal Kud ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Measurement System ◽  
Urban Boundary Layer ◽  
Horizontal Wind ◽  
University Campus ◽  
Transmission Tower ◽  
Severe Problem ◽  
Pollutant Concentrations ◽  
Airborne Measurement ◽  
Boundary Layer Dynamics

Winter smog episodes are a severe problem in many cities around the world. The following two mechanisms are responsible for influencing the level of pollutant concentrations: emission of pollutants from different sources and associated processes leading to formation of secondary aerosols in the atmosphere and meteorology, including advection, which is stimulated by horizontal wind, and convection, which depends on vertical air mass movements associated with boundary layer stability that are determined by vertical temperature and humidity gradients. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the performance of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-based measurement system developed for investigation of urban boundary layer dynamics. The evaluation was done by comparing the results of temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and particulate matter fraction with aerodynamic diameter below 10 μm (PM10) concentration vertical profiles obtained using this system with two reference meteorological stations: Jagiellonian University Campus (JUC) and radio transmission tower (RTCN), located in the urban area of Krakow city, Southern Poland. The secondary aim of the study was to optimize data processing algorithms improving the response time of UAV sensor measurements during the ascent and descent parts of the flight mission.

scholarly journals Evaluating the impact of built environment characteristics on urban boundary layer dynamics using an advanced stochastic approach

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (10) ◽  
pp. 6285-6301 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiyun Song ◽  
Zhi-Hua Wang
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Surface Energy ◽  
Stochastic Approach ◽  
Urban Land ◽  
Urban Boundary Layer ◽  
Urban Land Use ◽  
Energy Partitioning ◽  
Modeling Framework ◽  
Boundary Layer Dynamics ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. Urban land–atmosphere interactions can be captured by numerical modeling framework with coupled land surface and atmospheric processes, while the model performance depends largely on accurate input parameters. In this study, we use an advanced stochastic approach to quantify parameter uncertainty and model sensitivity of a coupled numerical framework for urban land–atmosphere interactions. It is found that the development of urban boundary layer is highly sensitive to surface characteristics of built terrains. Changes of both urban land use and geometry impose significant impact on the overlying urban boundary layer dynamics through modification on bottom boundary conditions, i.e., by altering surface energy partitioning and surface aerodynamic resistance, respectively. Hydrothermal properties of conventional and green roofs have different impacts on atmospheric dynamics due to different surface energy partitioning mechanisms. Urban geometry (represented by the canyon aspect ratio), however, has a significant nonlinear impact on boundary layer structure and temperature. Besides, managing rooftop roughness provides an alternative option to change the boundary layer thermal state through modification of the vertical turbulent transport. The sensitivity analysis deepens our insight into the fundamental physics of urban land–atmosphere interactions and provides useful guidance for urban planning under challenges of changing climate and continuous global urbanization.

scholarly journals Application of Lidar and other profiling techniques to study the impact that Severe weather hazards have on the New York City built environment

2018 ◽  
Vol 176 ◽  
pp. 06003
Author(s):  
Mark Arend ◽  
Mark Campmier ◽  
Aris Fernandez ◽  
Fred Moshary
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
New York ◽  
New York City ◽  
York City ◽  
Urban Boundary Layer ◽  
Metropolitan Region ◽  
Weather Patterns ◽  
Sensing Platforms ◽  
Boundary Layer Dynamics ◽  
The Impact

The complexity of urban boundary layer dynamics poses challenges to those responsible for the design and regulation of buildings and structures in the urban environment. Lidar systems in the New York City Metropolitan region have been used extensively to study urban boundary layer dynamics. These systems, in conjunction with other sensing platforms can provide an observatory to perform research and analysis of turbulent and inclement weather patterns of interest to developers and agencies.

scholarly journals The impact of a foehn wind on PM10 concentrations and the urban boundary layer in complex terrain: a case study from Kraków, Poland

Tellus B ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 73 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-26
Author(s):  
Piotr Sekuła ◽  
Anita Bokwa ◽  
Zbigniew Ustrnul ◽  
Mirosław Zimnoch ◽  
Bogdan Bochenek
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Complex Terrain ◽  
Urban Boundary Layer ◽  
The Impact

Observations of Small-Scale Turbulence and Energy Dissipation Rates in the Cloudy Boundary Layer

2006 ◽  
Vol 63 (5) ◽  
pp. 1451-1466 ◽  
Author(s):  
Holger Siebert ◽  
Katrin Lehmann ◽  
Manfred Wendisch
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Energy Dissipation ◽  
Wind Velocity ◽  
Turbulence Theory ◽  
Horizontal Wind ◽  
Inertial Subrange ◽  
Intermittent Flow ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Dissipation Rates ◽  
Wide Range

Abstract Tethered balloon–borne measurements with a resolution in the order of 10 cm in a cloudy boundary layer are presented. Two examples sampled under different conditions concerning the clouds' stage of life are discussed. The hypothesis tested here is that basic ideas of classical turbulence theory in boundary layer clouds are valid even to the decimeter scale. Power spectral densities S( f ) of air temperature, liquid water content, and wind velocity components show an inertial subrange behavior down to ≈20 cm. The mean energy dissipation rates are ∼10−3 m2 s−3 for both datasets. Estimated Taylor Reynolds numbers (Reλ) are ∼104, which indicates the turbulence is fully developed. The ratios between longitudinal and transversal S( f ) converge to a value close to 4/3, which is predicted by classical turbulence theory for local isotropic conditions. Probability density functions (PDFs) of wind velocity increments Δu are derived. The PDFs show significant deviations from a Gaussian distribution with longer tails typical for an intermittent flow. Local energy dissipation rates ɛτ are derived from subsequences with a duration of τ = 1 s. With a mean horizontal wind velocity of 8 m s−1, τ corresponds to a spatial scale of 8 m. The PDFs of ɛτ can be well approximated with a lognormal distribution that agrees with classical theory. Maximum values of ɛτ ≈ 10−1 m2 s−3 are found in the analyzed clouds. The consequences of this wide range of ɛτ values for particle–turbulence interaction are discussed.

scholarly journals High-Resolution Atmospheric Sensing of Multiple Atmospheric Variables Using the DataHawk Small Airborne Measurement System

2013 ◽  
Vol 30 (10) ◽  
pp. 2352-2366 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dale A. Lawrence ◽  
Ben B. Balsley
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Measurement System ◽  
Current System ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Structure Constant ◽  
Turbulence Structure ◽  
Quality Of Data ◽  
Airborne Measurement ◽  
Atmospheric Measurement ◽  
Atmospheric Variables

Abstract The DataHawk small airborne measurement system provides in situ atmospheric measurement capabilities for documenting scales as small as 1 m and can access reasonably large volumes in and above the atmospheric boundary layer at low cost. The design of the DataHawk system is described, beginning with the atmospheric measurement requirements, and articulating five key challenges that any practical measurement system must overcome. The resulting characteristics of the airborne and ground support components of the DataHawk system are outlined, along with its deployment, operating, and recovery modes. Typical results are presented to illustrate the types and quality of data provided by the current system, as well as the need for more of these finescale measurements. Particular focus is given to the DataHawk's ability to make very-high-resolution measurements of a variety of atmospheric variables simultaneously, with emphasis given to the measurement of two important finescale turbulence parameters, (the temperature turbulence structure constant) and ɛ (the turbulent energy dissipation rate). Future sensing possibilities and limitations using this approach are also discussed.

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