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Airflow modelling studies over the Isle of Arran, Scotland

  • Thielen, J. (Physics Department, UMIST) ;
  • Gadian, A. (Physics Department, UMIST) ;
  • Vosper, S. (School of Environment, University of Leeds) ;
  • Mobbs, S. (School of Environment, University of Leeds)
  • Published : 2002.04.25

Abstract

A mesoscale meteorological model is applied to simulate turbulent airflow and eddy shedding over the Isle of Arran, SW Scotland, UK. Under conditions of NW flow, the mountain ridge of Kintyre, located upwind of Arran, induces gravity waves that also affect the airflow over the island. The possibility to nest domains allows description of the airflow over Arran with a very high resolution grid, while also including the effects of the surrounding mainland of Scotland, in particular of the mountain ridge of Kintyre. Initialised with a stably stratified NW flow, the mesoscale model simulates quasi-stationary gravity waves over the island induced by Kintyre. Embedded in the larger scale wave trains there is continuous development of small-scale transient eddies, created at the Arran hill tops, that move downstream through the stationary wave field. Although the transient eddies are more frequently simulated on the northern island where the terrain is more pronounced, they are also produced over Tighvein, a hill of 458 m on the southern island where measurements of surface pressure and 2 m meteorological variables have been recorded at intermittent intervals between 1996 and 2000. Comparison between early observations and simulations so far show qualitatively good agreement. Overall the computations demonstrate that turbulent flow can be modelled with a horizontal resolution of 70 m, and describe turbulent eddy structure on wavelength of only a few hundred metres.

Keywords

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