Thermally and Dynamically Driven Atmospheric Circulations over Heterogeneous Atmospheric Boundary Layer: Support for Safety Protocols and Environment Management at Nuclear Central Areas

Ilha Grande Bay is located in Angra dos Reis, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. The area is characterized by different land cover, complex topography and proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. These aspects make it susceptible to thermally and dynamically induced atmospheric circulations such as those associated with valley/mountain and land/sea breeze systems, among others. The Almirante Álvaro Alberto Nuclear Complex (CNAAA) is located in this region, with a total of two nuclear power plants (NPPs) in operation in the Brazilian territory, Angra I and Angra II. Therefore, knowledge of local atmospheric circulation has become a matter of national and international security. Considering the importance of the meteorological security tool as a support for licensing, installation, routine operation and nuclear accident mitigation, the main aim of this study is the development of combined strategies of environmental statistical modeling in the analysis of thermally and dynamically driven atmospheric circulations over mountainous and coastal environments. We identified and hierarchized the influence of the thermally and mechanically driven forcing on the wind regime and stability conditions in the coastal atmospheric boundary layer over the complex topography region. A meteorological network of ground-based instruments was used along with physiographic information for the observational characterization of the atmospheric patterns in the spatial and time–frequency domain. The predominant wind directions and intensity are attributed to the combined action of multiscale weather systems, notably, the valley/mountain and continent/ocean breeze circulations, the forced channeling due to valley axis orientation, the influence of the synoptic scale systems and atmospheric thermal tide. The observational investigation of the combined influence of terrain effects and meteorological systems aimed to understand the local atmospheric circulation serves as support for safety protocols of the NPPs, contemplating operation and environmental management. The importance of the study for the adequacy and skill evaluation of computational modeling systems for atmospheric dispersion of pollutants such as radionuclide and conventional contaminants can be also highlighted, in order that such systems are used as tools for environmental planning and managing nuclear operations, particularly those located in regions over mountainous and coastal environments with a heterogeneous atmospheric boundary layer

Thermally and Dynamically Driven Atmospheric Circulations over Heterogeneous Atmospheric Boundary Layer: Support for Safety Protocols and Environment Management at Nuclear Central Areas

Ilha Grande Bay is located in Angra dos Reis, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. The area is characterized by different land cover, complex topography and proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. These aspects make it susceptible to thermally and dynamically induced atmospheric circulations such as those associated with valley/mountain and land/sea breeze systems, among others. The Almirante \uc1lvaro Alberto Nuclear Complex (CNAAA) is located in this region, with a total of two nuclear power plants (NPPs) in operation in the Brazilian territory, Angra I and Angra II. Therefore, knowledge of local atmospheric circulation has become a matter of national and international security. Considering the importance of the meteorological security tool as a support for licensing, installation, routine operation and nuclear accident mitigation, the main aim of this study is the development of combined strategies of environmental statistical modeling in the analysis of thermally and dynamically driven atmospheric circulations over mountainous and coastal environments. We identified and hierarchized the influence of the thermally and mechanically driven forcing on the wind regime and stability conditions in the coastal atmospheric boundary layer over the complex topography region. A meteorological network of ground-based instruments was used along with physiographic information for the observational characterization of the atmospheric patterns in the spatial and time\u2013frequency domain. The predominant wind directions and intensity are attributed to the combined action of multiscale weather systems, notably, the valley/mountain and continent/ocean breeze circulations, the forced channeling due to valley axis orientation, the influence of the synoptic scale systems and atmospheric thermal tide. The observational investigation of the combined influence of terrain effects and meteorological systems aimed to understand the local atmospheric circulation serves as support for safety protocols of the NPPs, contemplating operation and environmental management. The importance of the study for the adequacy and skill evaluation of computational modeling systems for atmospheric dispersion of pollutants such as radionuclide and conventional contaminants can be also highlighted, in order that such systems are used as tools for environmental planning and managing nuclear operations, particularly those located in regions over mountainous and coastal environments with a heterogeneous atmospheric boundary layer

Conhecendo a Baía de Guanabara: O aprendizado de Meteorologia através do estudo da Baía de Guanabara e do seu entorno.

A Baía de Guanabara (BG) é um importante ecossistema costeiro que representa um ícone histórico, cultural, paisagístico e turístico no Rio de Janeiro e apresenta características fisiográficas, bióticas e atmosféricas bastante complexas. O programa “Sistemas de Informação Geográfica como suporte ao Estudo integrado de Problemas Ambientais” tem como proposta promover a troca de conhecimentos entre a universidade e a comunidade através da realização de atividades lúdicas, com objetivo de levantar discussões sobre as principais questões ambientais da BG e com os residentes do entorno estão inseridos e podem solucioná-las. Uma de suas etapas consiste na formulação de uma apostila com enfoque na BG abordando temas como Geografia, Meteorologia, Geologia, História, Biologia e Turismo. Este material em construção, usa fontes, tais como livros, artigos científicos, monografias, sites e acervos fotográficos, sendo transcrito para uma linguagem mais adequada ao público alvo, para melhor didática e compreensão, para que os alunos possam fixar, consultar e estudar os conteúdos de forma mais lúdica. Objetiva-se ainda estruturar um banco de dados socioambientais para a elaboração de Sistemas de Informação Geográfica (SIG) relacionados à BG, à Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas e também à ilha de Paquetá. Os seguintes conteúdos encontram-se consolidados na apostila e apresentados aos alunos participantes do programa: Geologia: foram inseridas imagens e mapas gerados em uma plataforma SIG de uso público onde destacou-se a formação geológica da BG; Meteorologia: apresentou-se conceitos sobre os fenômenos e sistemas meteorológicos comumente observados na BG; História: foram utilizados acervos de imagens e foi destacada a história do desenvolvimento da RMRJ e sua relação com os ciclos econômicos e no capítulo de biologia destacou-se os principais ecossistemas da BG. Esse material didático tem sido utilizado como suporte a atividades de ensino de alunos do Colégio Pedro II e CAP/UFRJ. Além disso, busca-se que o público atendido torne-se agente difusor da cultura e informação sobre a BG em outros espaços. Pode-se concluir que, apesar de incompleto, a elaboração do material servirá como uma base complementar para o ensino de ciências, atendendo a proposta de uso como material para professores que desejem exemplificar casos e estudos científicos mais próximos a realidadeos dos alunos.