Using measurements in urban areas to estimate turbulent velocities for modeling dispersion

Abstract

This study extends a study [Princevac, M., Venkatram, A., 2007. Estimating micrometeorological inputs for modeling dispersion in urban areas during stable conditions. Atmospheric Environment, doi:10.1016/j.atmosenv.2007.02.029.] in which mean winds and temperatures measured at one or two levels on towers located in urban areas were fitted to Monin–Obukhov similarity equations to obtain estimates of micrometeorological variables required in modeling dispersion in the stable boundary layer. This study shows that such methods are also useful in unstable conditions: measurements of the mean wind speed and the standard deviation of temperature fluctuations, σT, at one level on a tower yield estimates of surface heat flux, surface friction velocity, and standard deviations of turbulent velocities that are within a factor of two of values observed at two urban sites over 80% of the time.