The Numerical analysis of the capping inversion effect in a convective boundary layer flow on the contaminant gas dispersion

Nakayama, Hiromasa; Takemi, Tetsuya*; Nagai, Haruyasu

Procedia Earth and Planetary Science, 15, p.560 - 565, 2015/09

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proeps.2015.08.101

The local-scale high-resolution atmospheric dispersion model can simulate turbulent flows considering the effects of not only local terrain variability and buildings but also atmospheric stability conditions, and has been validated for representative meteorological condition cases. In this study, first, we conducted numerical simulations of plume dispersion under various thermally-stratified boundary layer flows by changing the stability conditions and compared with the wind tunnel experimental data. Then, we categorized the patterns of vertical profiles of mean concentrations based on the ratio of the convective velocity scale to the friction velocity scale. It is found that a plume quickly begins to touch the ground for a strongly unstable case with the ratio value less than 0.34 while the plume touchdown is observed at the downstream positions located away from the point source for a weak condition case with the ratio value greater than 0.34.