The modification and application of RAMS computer code. Final report

Abstract

The Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS) has been utilized in its most updated form, version 3a, to simulate a case night from the Atmospheric Studies in COmplex Terrain (ASCOT) experimental program. ASCOT held a wintertime observational campaign during February, 1991 to observe the often strong drainage flows which form on the Great Plains and in the canyons embedded within the slope from the Continental Divide to the Great Plains. A high resolution (500 m grid spacing) simulation of the 4-5 February 1991 case night using the more advanced turbulence closure now available in RAMS 3a allowed greater analysis of the physical processes governing the drainage flows. It is found that shear interaction above and within the drainage flow are important, and are overpredicted with the new scheme at small grid spacing (< {approximately}1000 m). The implication is that contaminants trapped in nighttime stable flows such as these, will be mixed too strongly in the vertical reducing predicted ground concentrations. The HYPACT code has been added to the capability at LANL, although due to the reduced scope of work, no simulations with HYPACT were performed.