U.S.-France Cooperative Science Program: Simulation of Airflow over Complex Terrain Using PYREX Data

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

This three-year award supports U.S.-France cooperative research in mesoscale meteorology between Dale Durran of the University of Washington and Evelyne Richard and Phillipe Bougeault of the University Paul Sabatier in Toulouse, France. The U.S. and French investigators have developed predictive models for air-flow over mountains. Although it has been recognized that mountains exert a significant influence on atmospheric circulations, existing forecast models and global climate models contain deficiencies in representing the effects of mountain geography on air circulation. The specific objective of their cooperation is to increase understanding of the interaction between mountains and synoptic- scale air circulation, with particular emphasis on gravity-wave drag. In order to achieve this goal, the investigators need to better understand the limitations of the current models and improve their flexibility. Dr. Durran's nonhydrostatic model successfully simulates mountain waves in a variety of regional environments, but has not been used to simulate the interaction between gravity waves and larger scale air flow. The French investigators bring to this collaboration their hydrostatic models for larger scale air flow. Both models will be to simulate real and idealized cross mountain flows. Their investigations will be aided by unique observational data recently collected in the Pyrenees region. These complementary efforts will result in models which are better able to predict the effect of gravity-wave drag and in turn, weather forecasting in mountainous regions.