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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Corvallis, Oregon » Horticultural Crops Production and Genetic Improvement Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #407197
Research Project: Improved Fruit, Grape and Wine Products through Precision Agriculture and Quality Component Evaluation

Location: Horticultural Crops Production and Genetic Improvement Research Unit

Title: Adding stability classes and new interpolation schemes to improve modeling wind over complex topography

Author
item BOZORGMEHR, BEHNAM - Washington State University
item MARGAIRAZ, FABIEN - University Of Utah
item STOLL, ROB - University Of Utah
item Mahaffee, Walter - Walt
item Lee, Jungmin
item LIU, HEPING - Washington State University

Submitted to: American Geophysical Union
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/7/2023
Publication Date: 12/15/2023
Citation: Bozorgmehr, B., Margairaz, F., Stoll, R., Mahaffee, W.F., Lee, J., Liu, H. 2023. Adding stability classes and new interpolation schemes to improve modeling wind over complex topography [abstract]. American Geophysical Union.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: High-resolution wind field modeling faster than real-time is essential for applications related to airborne pathogen transport in agronomic and urban environments and predicting wildfire smoke exposure on fruits. Quick Environmental Simulation (QES) is a microclimate simulation platform for computing 3D environmental scalars over complex terrain. It includes QES-Winds, a fast-response 3D diagnostic wind model, solves a mass-conservation equation for the wind field rather than slower yet more physics-based solvers that include conservation of momentum. In QES-Winds, the initial wind field is specified utilizing interpolated wind field from measurements or simulations, and empirical parameterizations utilizing the Barnes interpolation scheme. However, its current version lacks a tool to estimate the Monin-Obukhov length which limits its utility in predicting particle dispersion. Estimating the Monin-Obukhov length based on the input data will improve QES-Wind's ability to incorporate stability conditions into wind field calculations to better estimate mixing conditions and thus transport processes in the atmospheric boundary layer. The Passquill-Gifford model is used to calculate the stability condition based on wind speeds, solar irradiation during the day, and cloud cover overnight of the input data. The new model and input data enabled QES-Winds to create unstable, neutral, and stable logarithmic initial wind profiles for the simulations. Additionally, this work optimized the computational efficiency of QES-Winds by implementing a bilinear interpolation procedure, reducing runtime while maintaining the local effects of data points. This enhancement makes QES-Winds more practical for large domains and scenarios with numerous input data points than the inversed distance weighting interpolation scheme. The simulation results are compared to the field data measured in the Yakima Valley in Washington State in September 2020 during the wildfire season. Comparisons demonstrated significant improvement over previous methods without considering stability condition and the Barnes interpolation scheme.