Voogt, James

English

Scholarship@Western

Western UniversityScholarship@WesternGeography Presentations Geography Department10-25-2011Environmental Prediction in Canadian CitiesJames VoogtThe University of Western Ontario, javoogt@uwo.caFollow this and additional works at: https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/geographypresPart of the Climate Commons, Geography Commons, and the Meteorology CommonsCitation of this paper:Voogt, James, "Environmental Prediction in Canadian Cities" (2011). Geography Presentations. 3.https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/geographypres/3What is EPiCC?  EPiCC is a research network: includes observations, remote sensing and numerical modeling components  Two cities: Montreal & Vancouver, 6 main observation sites, a focus on residential vegetated areas  Mandate: to complete research objectives (not necessarily HQP or outreach centred )       Vancouver Montréal What is the overall objective of EPiCC?  To provide Canadian urban residents with better weather and air quality forecasts through development of an urban-atmosphere modeling system evaluated for Canadian urban climates.   0204060801001,000 5,000 10,000 25,000 50,000 100,000 500,000Settlement Population >=Percent of Canadian Total Statistics Canada 2006 Census Data Funding Agency Requirements  Network must include a minimum number of partners  International & Government partners are permitted  Collaboration and outreach supported by budget  Annual workshops  All data must become public after a certain time period.      EPiCC Observations  Time series of atmospheric conditions.   Temperatures, heat, water vapour and carbon fluxes, solar and atmospheric radiation, winds, humidity  Sampling rates of up to 20Hz  Averages 5 – 30 min EPiCC Observations: Profiles Images courtesy  D. van der Kamp  How do cities impact the boundary layer above them?    Assess UBL height, structure and circulations through observations and modelling. Boundary layer height from ceilometer observations; Vancouver Sunset residential area   ceilometer 00:00 July 6                   12:00       0:00 July7 1000 Altitude (m) A. Christen Backscatter (10-5 srad-1  km-1) 180 EPiCC Observations: Other data types Christensen et al. (2009) Urban Site Feb. 13, 2008; 0545-0600 EST Clear skies, Tair = -11°C EPiCC Observations: Surface Characteristics  Airborne LiDAR transect  Point density  1 per 0.7 m2  Surface structure: built and vegetated  Images courtesy  N. Goodwin MSC Forecasting: Global Model (33km) Global Environmental Multiscale Model (GEM; 33 km)  Environment Canada Urban Scale Forecasting Regional operational grid core: 432x565 points Grid projection : Polar stereographic MSC Forecasting: Regional Model Regional 15-km model grid setup  Image courtesy J. Mailhot / Environment Canada Atlantic  Arctic – Baffin Island - IPY West –  BC and AB East –  ON and QC MSC Forecasting: Local Area Model GEM LAM (Local Area Model) 2.5 km windows 4 surface types  •soil with vegetation and snow •open water •sea ice •glaciers  (no urban) Surface Representation: mosaic-type approach  Image courtesy J. Mailhot / Environment Canada Adding the Urban Component Belair & Mailhot (2007) EPiCC: Developing and Testing the Urban Model Vegetated part: ISBA Noilhan & Planton  [1989] ~RSL Each urban zone ISBA TEB A. Lemonsu, S. Leroyer;   Urbanized model cell fBARE fBUILT-UP fTREES fGRASS Built part: TEB Masson [2000] Tile scheme EPiCC:  Integrate the vegetated and built components of the city. Snow cover Radiative surface Temperature simulated on 5 July 2008, 10:00 LST Screen Level Temperature simulated on 6 July 2008, 01:00 LST  Application to Montreal Urban Heat Island studies for health and air quality   Urban Modeling Example S. Leroyer Intended Outcomes  Primary aim: to develop a version of urban surface model optimized and verified for conditions in Canadian cities and implemented in Environment Canada’s modeling suite for operational forecasting   An urban forecast tool for use in:   air quality/emergency response   weather warning systems (ice, snow, wind, flood, heat, wind chill, fog)   scheduling water and energy resources   urban design  assessment of climate impact and adaptation  heat stress and wind chill, and dispersion of air pollutants in urban environments  EPiCC’s use of technologies for communication  Project website  Public  Research Community  Participants EPiCC On-line Database  Registered Users  Select by Station  Select by Parameter Benefits of Free Information Exchange  In urban climate research there are:  Many modelling groups  Few observation groups (and good field campaigns are increasingly multi-institutional due to logistics and costs involved)  Good observations are therefore in demand e.g. for evaluation of model developments – multiplies use of original data – sometimes by many times.   Good observations may have a legacy lasting decades Participation in Research Community International Association for Urban Climate: Urban Climate News  Reaches over 1500 on-line readers (digital only)  IAUC a free association Participation in Research Community International Association for Urban Climate: Urban Flux Network  Site Index Information for research community users Impact of Technologies on Research  Web-interface to data plots for quick view and assessment  Potential users can quickly assess availability of data for their needs. Impact of Technologies on Research Practice  Technology allows for (near) real time data to be displayed and saved. Time to availability (sec) but no QC/QA  Requires additional infrastructure  Potential new users/applications  Normal practice: off-line collection and processing  Time to availability – months.  Impacts of Technologies on Research Practice  Use of remote facilities – e.g. Env Canada modeling system. Firewalls, data storage etc.    Access to the model for users?  Future forecasts – links to customized cell phone delivery   UWO Green Roof Test Site Urban Scale Modeling of Green Roof Deployments Special thanks to  A. Christen (UBC Geography)  T.R. Oke (UBC Geography)  O. Bergeron (McGill)  S. Leroyer (Env Canada / McGill)  R. Tooke (UBC Forest Resource Management)  D. van der Kamp (UBC Geography)  J. Mailhot (CMC Env. Canada)  S. Bélair (CMC Env. Canada)    I. McKendry (UBC Geography)  B. Nanni (UWO)  I. Strachan (McGill)  F. Chagnon (Env. Canada, Quebec Region) and  the entire EPiCC team   Visit us online at www.epicc.ca 

Environmental Prediction in Canadian Cities

https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1012&amp;context=geographypres

Environmental Prediction in Canadian Cities

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

Scholarship@Western