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At least 163 records · Page 9

Planetary Boundary Layer Simulation Using TASS

Boundary conditions to an existing large-eddy simulation model have been changed in order to simulate turbulence in the atmospheric boundary layer. Several options are now available, including the use of a surface energy balance. In addition, we compare convective boundary layer simulations with the Wangara and Minnesota field experiments as well as with other model results. We find excellent agreement of modelled mean profiles of wind and temperature with observations and good agreement for velocity variances. Neutral boundary simulation results are compared with theory and with previously used models. Agreement with theory is reasonable, while agreement with previous models is excellent.

Schowalter, David G.↗

A finite-difference outer layer and integral inner layer method for the solution of the turbulent boundary layer equations

A new turbulent boundary-layer method is developed which models the inner region with the law of the wall while the outer region uses Clauser's eddy viscosity in Matsuno's finite-difference method. The match point between the inner and outer regions as well as the wall shear stress are determined at each marching step during the computation. Results obtained for incompressible, two-dimensional flow over flat plates and ellipses are compared with solutions from a baseline method which uses a finite-difference method for the entire boundary layer. Since the present method used the finite-difference method in the outer region only, the number of grid points required was about half that needed for the baseline method. Accurate displacement and momentum thicknesses were predicted for all cases. Skin friction was predicted well for the flat plate, but the accuracy decreased significantly for the ellipses. Adding a wake functions to the law of the wall allows some of the pressure gradient effect to be taken into account thereby increasing the accuracy of the method.

Barnwell, R. W.↗

Effects of velocity profile on boundary-layer shielding

A simple uniform flow boundary-layer model is used to study the effects on the acoustic field at the aircraft fuselage of placing Large Eddy Break Up devices in the boundary layer. The introduction of velocity defects into the boundary layer is shown to enhance boundary-layer shielding. Furthermore, shielding improvements are found to occur by moving the velocity defect further from the wall, by increasing its extent within the boundary layer, and by decreasing the minimum velocity in the defect.

Mcaninch, Gerry L.↗

The Effects of Rotation on Boundary Layers in Turbomachine Rotors

The boundary layers in turbomachine rotors are subject to Coriolis forces which can (1) contribute directly to the development of secondary flows and (2) indirectly influence the behavior of boundary layers by augmentation and/or suppression of turbulence production in the boundary layers on blades. Both these rotation-induced phenomena are particularly important in the development of understanding of flow and loss mechanisms in centrifugal and mixed flow machines. The primary objective of this paper is to review the information available on these effects.

Johnston, J. P.↗

Investigation of the effects of upstream sidewall boundary-layer removal on a supercritical airfoil

Sidewall boundary-layer effects have been investigated by applying partial upstream sidewall boundary-layer removal in the Langley 0.3-m Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel. Over the range of sidewall boundary-layer displacement thickness of these tests the influence on pressure distributions was found to be small for subcritical conditions; however, for supercritical conditions the shock position was affected by the sidewall boundary layer. For these tests, with and without boundary-layer removal, comparisons with predictions of the GRUMFOIL computer code indicated that Mach number corrections due to the sidewall boundary layer improves the agreement for both subcritical and supercritical conditions. The results show the necessity for accounting for sidewall effects even when the top and bottom wall effects are small.

Murthy, A. V.↗

Methods and results of boundary layer measurements on a glider

Boundary layer measurements were carried out on a glider under natural conditions. Two effects are investigated: the effect of inconstancy of the development of static pressure within the boundary layer and the effect of the negative pressure difference in a sublaminar boundary layer. The results obtained by means of an ion probe in parallel connection confirm those results obtained by means of a pressure probe. Additional effects which have occurred during these measurements are briefly dealt with.

Nes, W. V.↗

Modelling the low-latitude boundary layer with reconnection entry

We develop a one-dimensional Low Latitude Boundary Layer (LLBL) model for northward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). The boundary layer in this model is uniform in the direction normal to the magnetopause, a 'plateau-type' boundary layer. The boundary layer motion is decoupled from the magnetosheath motion and driven by the plasma pressure associated with the incoming solar wind plasma near local noon, which has become entrained on closed field lines as a result of reconnection in the cusp region. Dissipation in the ionosphere at the feet of the boundary layer field lines opposes this motion. There are two physical solutions for the model. In one, the boundary layer reaches a terminal velocity in the tail as the boundary layer plasma effectively joins the solar wind flow. In the other solution, the flow is nearly stopped in the far tail. In combination with other mechanisms, this latter solution may correspond to the case in which the boundary layer plasma participates in magnetospheric convection and returns sunward. The density, velocity, and thickness as functions of distance from local noon are studied, assuming that the magnetopause hasa elliptical shape and the magnetospheric field is dipolar.

Song, P.↗

Transport of contaminants in the planetary boundary layer

A planetary boundary layer model is described and used to simulate PBL phenomena including cloud formation and pollution transport in the San Francisco Bay Area. The effect of events in the PBL on air pollution is considered, and governing equations for the average momentum, potential temperature, water vapor mixing ratio, and air contaminants are presented. These equations are derived by integrating the basic equations vertically through the mixed layer. Characteristics of the day selected for simulation are reported, and the results suggest that the diurnally cyclic features of the mesoscale motion, including clouds and air pollution, can be simulated in a readily interpretable way with the model.

Lee, I. Y.↗

Direct simulation of a turbulent oscillating boundary layer

The turbulent boundary layer driven by a freestream velocity that varies sinusoidally in time around a zero mean is considered. The flow has a rich behavior including strong pressure gradients, inflection points, and reversal. A theory for the velocity and stress profiles at high Reynolds number is formulated. Well-resolved direct Navier-Stokes simulations are conducted over a narrow range of Reynolds numbers, and the results are compared with the theoretical predictions. The flow is also computed over a wide range of Reynolds numbers using a new algebraic turbulence model; the results are compared with the direct simulations and the theory.

Spalart, Philippe R.↗

Direct simulation of a turbulent oscillating boundary layer

The turbulent boundary layer driven by a freestream velocity that varies sinusoidally in time around a zero mean is considered. The flow has a rich behavior including strong pressure gradients, inflection points, and reversal. A theory for the velocity and stress profiles at high Reynolds number is formulated. Well-resolved direct Navier-Stokes simulations are conducted over a narrow range of Reynolds numbers, and the results are compared with the theoretical predictions. The flow is also computed over a wide range of Reynolds numbers using a new algebraic turbulence model; the results are compared with the direct simulations and the theory.

Spalart, Philippe R.↗

Radiation-viscous boundary layer

A viscous boundary layer (BL) is studied which is most likely to occur in astrophysical systems dominated by radiation pressure, in particular compact objects surrounded by a very optically thick envelope and radiating at close to the Eddington limit. Calculations are reported which show that a BL due to radiation viscosity behaves very differently from a 'classical' incompressible BL for flows with Mach number M much greater than unity far from the BL. In these flows the width of the BL is much larger than its incompressible value and scales as M-squared times the width of the imcompressible BL. The density inside the BL is much lower than that in the undisturbed fluid and scales as 1/M-squared with respect to the value far away from the BL. It is concluded that under certain circumstances a cocoon of low-density material will develop between a jet and its surrounding medium.

Arav, Nahum↗

Enhancement of Directional Ambiguity Removal Skill in Scatterometer Data Processing Using Planetary Boundary Layer Models

Planetary boundary layer (PBL) models are utilized to enhance directional ambiguity removal skill in scatterometer data processing. The ambiguity in wind direction retrieved from scatterometer measurements is removed with the aid of physical directional information obtained from PBL models. This technique is based on the observation that sea level pressure is scalar and its field is more coherent than the corresponding wind. An initial wind field obtained from the scatterometer measurements is used to derive a pressure field with a PBL model. After filtering small-scale noise in the derived pressure field, a wind field is generated with an inverted PBL model. This derived wind information is then used to remove wind vector ambiguities in the scatterometer data. It is found that the ambiguity removal skill can be improved when the new technique is used properly in conjunction with the median filter being used for scatterometer wind dealiasing at JPL. The new technique is applied to regions of cyclone systems which are important for accurate weather prediction but where the errors of ambiguity removal are often large.

Kim, Young-Joon↗