A Laboratory Simulation of Urban Heat-Island-Induced Circulation in a Stratified Environment

  • Jie Lu
  • S. Pal Arya
Chapter
Part of the NATO ASI Series book series (NSSE, volume 277)

Abstract

A three-dimensional, axisymmetric, heat-island simulation is done in the convection tank of the U.S. EPA Fluid Modeling Facility. The laboratory model is capable of simulating the temperature and velocity fields induced by an urban heat island in a calm and stably stratified environment. The flow in the laboratory experiments is essentially Reynolds-number independent. The scaling parameters for velocity and temperature fields associated with the heat-island plume are determined by the heat-island diameter D, surface heat flux H0, and the Brunt-Vaisalla frequency N of ambient stratification. From these, one can define a convective velocity scale wD and a convective temperature scale TD. The normalized mixing height zi/D is shown to be a function of Froude number wD/ND only, while the normalized heat-island intensity is a function of wDN/gβ, where β is the coefficient of thermal expansion. These and other characteristics of simulated heat island induced circulation are compared with nighttime observations over several real cities. There is good agreement, in spite of several limitations of the laboratory simulation.

Keywords

Froude Number Urban Heat Island Surface Heat Flux Convective Boundary Layer Thermal Plume 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in to check access.

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Bornstein, R.D. (1968) Observation of the urban heat island effects in New York City. J. Appl. Meteor, 7, 575–582.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  2. Bornstein, R.D. (1987) Mean diurnal circulation of thermodynamic evolution urban boundary layers. Modeling the Urban Boundary Layer, American Meteorological Society, 53–94.Google Scholar
  3. Briggs, G.A. (1969) Plume Rise. Critical Review Series, U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, TID-25075, Nat. Tech. Info. Serv., Washington, D.C., 81 pp.Google Scholar
  4. Briggs, G.A. (1975) Plume rise predictions. Lectures on Air Pollution and Environmental Impact Analyses, American Meteorological Society, Boston, MA, 59–104.Google Scholar
  5. Briggs, G.A. (1988) Surface inhomogeneity effects on convective diffusion. Boundary-Layer Meteor, 45, 117–135.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  6. Byun, D.W. and Arya, S.P.S. (1990) A two-dimensional mesoscale numerical model of an urban mixed layer-I. Model formulation, surface energy budget, and mixed layer dynamics. Atmos. Environ, 24A, 829–844.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  7. Clarke, J.F. (1969) Nocturnal urban boundary layer over Cincinnati, Ohio. Month. Weath. Rev, 97, 582–589.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  8. Deardorff, J.W. (1970) Convective velocity and temperature scales for the unstable planetary boundary layer and for Rayleigh convection. J. Atmos. Sci, 27, 1211–1213.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  9. Deardorff, J.W. and Willis, G.E. (1985) Further results from a laboratory model of the convective boundary layer. Boundary-Layer Meteor, 32, 205–236.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  10. Faust, K.M. (1981) Modelldarstellung von Warmeinselstromungen durch Konvekionsstrahlen. SFB 80/ET/201, Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Karlsruhe, Germany.Google Scholar
  11. Giovannoni, J.M. (1987) A laboratory analysis of free convection enhanced by a heat island in a calm and stratified environment. Boundary-Layer Meteor, 41, 9–26.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  12. Heikes, K.E., Ransohoff, L.M., and Small, R.D. (1990) Numerical simulation of small area fires. Atmos. Environ, 24A, 297–307.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  13. Landsberg, H.E. (1981) The Urban Climate. Academic Press, New York, 275 pp.Google Scholar
  14. Lu, J. (1993) A laboratory simulation of urban heat-island-induced circulation in a stratified environment. Ph.D. Dissertation, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, 172 pp.Google Scholar
  15. Morton, B.R., Taylor, G.I., and Turner, J.S. (1956) Turbulent gravitational convection from maintained and instantaneous sources. Proc. Roy. Soc. London, Series A, 234, 1–23.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  16. Oke, T.R. (1987) Boundary-Layer Climates. Methuen *. Co., New York, 435 pp.Google Scholar
  17. Seaman, N.L., Ludwig„ F.L., Donall, E.G., Warner, T.T., and Bhumralkar, C.M. (1989) Numerical studies of urban planetary boundary-layer structure under realistic synoptic conditions. J. Appl. Meteor, 28, 760–781.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  18. SethuRaman, S. and Cermak, J.E. (1974) Physical modeling of flow and diffusion over an urban heat island. Advanc. Geophys, 18B, 223–240.Google Scholar
  19. SethuRaman, S. and Cermak, J.E. (1975) Mean temperature and mean concentration distributions over a physical modeled three-dimensional heat island for different stability conditions. Boundary-Layer Meteor, 9, 427–440.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  20. Snyder, W.H. (1981) Guideline for fluid modeling of atmospheric diffusion. Report No. EPA–600/8–81–009, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 200 pp.Google Scholar
  21. Torrance, K.E. (1979) Natural convection in thermally stratified enclosures with localized heating from below. J. Fluid Mech, 95, 477–495.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  22. Uno, I., Wakamatsu, S., Ueda, H., and Nakamura, A. (1988) An observational study of the structure of the nocturnal boundary layer. Boundary-Layer Meteor, 45, 59–82.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  23. Uno, I., Wakamatsu, S., Ueda, H., and Nakamura, A. (1992) Observed structure of nocturnal urban boundary layer and its evolution into a convective mixed layer. Atmos. Environ, 26B, 45–57.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  24. Vukovich, F.M. and Dunn, J.W. (1978) A theoretical study of the St. Louis heat island: Some parameter variations. J. Appl. Meteor, 17, 1585–1594.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  25. Vukovich, F.M., Dunn, J.W., and Crissman, B.W. (1976) A theoretical study of the St. Louis heat island: The wind and temperature distribution. J. Appl. Meteor, 15, 417–440.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  26. Willis, G.E. and Deardorff, J.W. (1974) A laboratory model of the unstable planetary boundary layer. J. Atmos. Sci, 31, 1297–1307.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 1995

Authors and Affiliations

  • Jie Lu
    • 1
  • S. Pal Arya
    • 1
  1. 1.Department of Marine, Earth and Atmospheric SciencesNorth Carolina State UniversityRaleighUSA

Personalised recommendations