Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Intercomparisons of upper air and surface winds in an urban region

  • Published:
Boundary-Layer Meteorology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

During the Regional Air Pollution Study (RAPS), winds in the St. Louis region were recorded by surface stations (hourly averages) and by multiple upper air releases (on-the-hour). This study analyzes differences (1) between upper air and surface resultant winds, (2) among upper air winds at 4 sites, and (3) among surface winds at 25 sites. The extensive data set provides a statistical basis for indicating the representativeness of individual observations, and the results show considerable variation between simultaneously-measured winds determined by alternate means. Based on Gaussian plume dispersion, the spatial variations in wind direction are translated into expected departures between predictions and observations of pollutant concentrations. Inaccurate specification of winds in air quality simulation models is likely to be a substantial contributor to differences between short-term predictions and observations on an urban scale.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bonner, W. D.: 1968, ‘Climatology of the Low-Level Jet’, Monthly Weather Rev. 96, 833–850.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cormier, R. V.: 1975, ‘The Horizontal Variability of Vertically Averaged Integrated Boundary Layer Winds’, J. Geophys. Res. 80, 3407–3409.

    Google Scholar 

  • Godowitch, J. M.: 1979, ‘Dissipation of the Nocturnal Inversion Layer at an Urban and Rural Site in St. Louis, Mo.’, Proceed. Fourth Symposium on Turbulence, Diffusion, and Air Quality, Am. Meteorol. Soc., Reno, Nev., Jan. 15–18, 1979.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schiermeier, F. A.: 1978, ‘RAPS Field Measurements Are in’, Environ. Sci. Tech. 12, 644–651.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shreffler, J. H.: 1978, ‘Detection of Centripetal Heat-Island Circulations from Tower Data in St. Louis’, Boundary-Layer Meteorol. 15, 229–242.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shreffler, J. H.: 1979, ‘Urban-rural Differences in Tower-Measured Winds, St. Louis’, J. Appl. Meteorol. 18, 829–835.

    Google Scholar 

  • Turner, D. B.: 1970, ‘Workbook of Atmospheric Dispersion Estimates’, Revised, Sixth Printing, Jan. 1973. Office of Air Programs Publication No. AP-26. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402.

    Google Scholar 

  • Venkatram, A.: 1979, ‘A Note on the Measurement, and Modeling of Pollutant Concentrations Associated with Point Sources’, Boundary-Layer Meteorol. 17, 523–536.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wong, K. K. and Dirks, R. A.: 1978, ‘Mesoscale Perturbations on Airflow in the Urban Mixing Layer’, J. Appl. Meteorol. 17, 677–688.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Meteorology and Assessment Division, Environmental Sciences Research Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 27711, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA

    Jack H. Shreffler

Authors
  1. Jack H. Shreffler
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

On assignment from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U. S. Department of Commerce.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Shreffler, J.H. Intercomparisons of upper air and surface winds in an urban region. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 24, 345–356 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00121599

Download citation

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00121599

Keywords

Search

Navigation