A Three-Dimensional Backward Lagrangian Footprint Model For A Wide Range Of Boundary-Layer Stratifications

We present a three-dimensional Lagrangian footprint model with the ability to predict the area of influence (footprint) of a measurement within a wide range of boundary-layer stratifications and receptor heights. The model approach uses stochastic backward trajectories of particles and satisfies the well-mixed condition in inhomogeneous turbulence for continuous transitions from stable to convective stratification. We introduce a spin-up procedure of the model and a statistical treatment of particle touchdowns which leads to a significant reduction of CPU time compared to conventional footprint modelling approaches. A comparison with other footprint models (of the analytical and Lagrangian type) suggests that the present backward Lagrangian model provides valid footprint predictions under any stratification and, moreover, for applications that reach across different similarity scaling domains (e.g., surface layer to mixed layer, for use in connection with aircraft measurements or with observations on high towers

THE NATURE OF TURBULENT KINETIC ENERGY IN A DEEP AND NARROW VALLEY UNDER CONVECTIVE (?) CONDITIONS

This contribution investigates the nature of turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) in a steep and narrow Alpine valley under fair-weather summertime conditions. The Riviera Valley in southern Switzerland has been chosen for a detailed case study, in which the evaluation of aircraft data (obtained from the MAP-Riviera field campaign) is combined with the application of high-resolution (350 m) large-eddy simulations using the model ARPS. The simulations verify what has already been observed on the basis of measurement data: TKE profiles scale surprisingly well if the convective velocity scale w٭ is obtained from the sun-exposed eastern slope rather than from the surface directly underneath the profiles considered. ARPS is then used to evaluate the TKE-budget equation, showing that, despite sunny conditions, wind shear is the dominant production mechanism. Therefore, the surface heat fluxes (and thus w٭) on the eastern slope do not determine the TKE evolution directly but rather, as we believe, indirectly via the interaction of thermally-driven crossvalley and along-valley flow. Excellent correlations between w2٭ and the up-valley wind speed solidify this hypothesis

THE NATURE OF TURBULENT KINETIC ENERGY IN A DEEP AND NARROW VALLEY UNDER CONVECTIVE (?) CONDITIONS

This contribution investigates the nature of turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) in a steep and narrow Alpine valley under fair-weather summertime conditions. The Riviera Valley in southern Switzerland has been chosen for a detailed case study, in which the evaluation of aircraft data (obtained from the MAP-Riviera field campaign) is combined with the application of high-resolution (350 m) large-eddy simulations using the model ARPS. The simulations verify what has already been observed on the basis of measurement data: TKE profiles scale surprisingly well if the convective velocity scale w٭ is obtained from the sun-exposed eastern slope rather than from the surface directly underneath the profiles considered. ARPS is then used to evaluate the TKE-budget equation, showing that, despite sunny conditions, wind shear is the dominant production mechanism. Therefore, the surface heat fluxes (and thus w٭) on the eastern slope do not determine the TKE evolution directly but rather, as we believe, indirectly via the interaction of thermally-driven crossvalley and along-valley flow. Excellent correlations between w2٭ and the up-valley wind speed solidify this hypothesis

Numerical ragweed pollen forecasts using different source maps: a comparison for France.

One of the key input parameters for numerical pollen forecasts is the distribution of pollen sources. Generally, three different methodologies exist to assemble such distribution maps: (1) plant inventories, (2) land use data in combination with annual pollen counts, and (3) ecological modeling. We have used six exemplary maps for all of these methodologies to study their applicability and usefulness in numerical pollen forecasts. The ragweed pollen season of 2012 in France has been simulated with the numerical weather prediction model COSMO-ART using each of the distribution maps in turn. The simulated pollen concentrations were statistically compared to measured values to derive a ranking of the maps with respect to their performance. Overall, approach (2) resulted in the best correspondence between observed and simulated pollen concentrations for the year 2012. It is shown that maps resulting from ecological modeling that does not include a sophisticated estimation of the plant density have a very low predictive skill. For inventory maps and the maps based on land use data and pollen counts, the results depend very much on the observational site. The use of pollen counts to calibrate the map enhances the performance of the model considerably

A three-dimensional backward Lagrangian footprint model for a wide range of boundary-layer stratifications

ISSN:0006-8314ISSN:1573-147

A method to derive vegetation distribution maps for pollen dispersion models using birch as an example34036

Detailed knowledge of the spatial distribution of sources is a crucial prerequisite for the application of pollen dispersion models such as, for example, COSMO-ART (COnsortium for Small-scale MOdeling-Aerosols and Reactive Trace gases). However, this input is not available for the allergy-relevant species such as hazel, alder, birch, grass or ragweed. Hence, plant distribution datasets need to be derived from suitable sources. We present an approach to produce such a dataset from existing sources using birch as an example. The basic idea is to construct a birch dataset using a region with good data coverage for calibration and then to extrapolate this relationship to a larger area by using land use classes. We use the Swiss forest inventory (1 km resolution) in combination with a 74-category land use dataset that covers the non-forested areas of Switzerland as well (resolution 100 m). Then we assign birch density categories of 0%, 0.1%, 0.5% and 2.5% to each of the 74 land use categories. The combination of this derived dataset with the birch distribution from the forest inventory yields a fairly accurate birch distribution encompassing entire Switzerland. The land use categories of the Global Land Cover 2000 (GLC2000; Global Land Cover 2000 database, 2003, European Commission, Joint Research Centre; resolution 1 km) are then calibrated with the Swiss dataset in order to derive a Europe-wide birch distribution dataset and aggregated onto the 7 km COSMO-ART grid. This procedure thus assumes that a certain GLC2000 land use category has the same birch density wherever it may occur in Europe. In order to reduce the strict application of this crucial assumption, the birch density distribution as obtained from the previous steps is weighted using the mean Seasonal Pollen Index (SPI; yearly sums of daily pollen concentrations). For future improvement, region-specific birch densities for the GLC2000 categories could be integrated into the mapping procedure</p

Evaluation of the COSMO-SC turbulence scheme in a shear-driven stable boundary layer

The performance of the COSMOsingle column turbulence scheme (a TKE scheme with a 1.5 order turbulence closure at the hierarchy level 2.5 following Mellor and Yamada) is investigated in the framework of the first GABLS intercomparison case. This is an idealized shear-driven stable boundary layer case with no advection. Overall the COSMO model performs reasonably well compared to the other participating models and the reference Large Eddy Simulations. However, the modification of some model parameters, together with the prescribed high vertical resolution, reveals a problem of numerical stability in the turbulence scheme: for the investigated shear-driven stable boundary layer the vertical diffusivities show unrealistic oscillations. This model deficiency, which has previously been described in literature, is explored in quite substantial detail and possible solutions are evaluated. It is found that under the given conditions the numerical description of the vertical wind gradients is crucial for the stability of the turbulence scheme. It is shown that for the determination of vertical gradients information from grid points beyond the immediately neighboring model levels must be incorporated – as it is common practice in the treatment of horizontal gradients – in order to obtain a numerically stable turbulence scheme. As a first approach vertical wind gradients are filtered using a 5-point filter prior to the evaluation of the stability functions. This approach yields to the overall best performance among all those tested and found in literature. The simulations additionally show that the use of a too high minimum diffusion coefficient (which is introduced in the model in order to avoid too low mixing) leads to losing important structures of the planetary boundary layer, such as the low level jet or a near-surface temperature inversio