Abstract
A two-dimensional, time-dependent flow model coupled with a radiative transfer module has been applied to examine the characteristics of nocturnal flow in a steep canyon in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. The effect of nighttime surface cooling on drainage flow is examined and compared with observations. In a complementary study, tracer data have been analyzed to estimate the mass flux from a tributary canyon and to examine processes of transport and diffusion. Simulations indicate that the strength and structure of the drainage wind are controlled mainly by terrain features, ambient wind conditions, and effective radiative cooling rates. The transport of tracer from a lower secondary vortex to an upper primary vortex is largely controlled by diffusional processes; removal of tracer from the canyon is controlled by the primary vortex and its interaction with the ambient wind. Differences between mass fluxes from model simulations and those calculated from experiments involve uncertainties in both the structure of the model and the analysis of data.
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Lee, I.Y., Coulter, R.L., Park, H.M. et al. Numerical simulation of nocturnal drainage flow properties in a rugged canyon. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 72, 305–321 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00836338
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00836338