A Simple Numerical Prediction Model of Nocturnal Cooling in a Basin with Various Topographic Parameters
- 1 July 1990
- journal article
- Published by American Meteorological Society in Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology
- Vol. 29 (7) , 604-619
- https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0450(1990)029<0604:asnpmo>2.0.co;2
Abstract
Nocturnal cooling in a basin during a calm, clear night is investigated with a simple model of the cooling. The parcel model of Kondo and Sate is used for describing the slope flow in the basin. Mean fields of potential temperature, the slope wind velocity, and the sensible heat flux are evaluated. The simulated vertical temperature profiles were found to agree with observed profiles. For typical model basins, the dependence of the nocturnal cooling on topographic parameters are obtained as follows: (i) The governing parameters are the depth of the basin and a shape parameter. The conical basin with a small shape parameter has more air cooling and a weaker slope wind than a flat bottom basin with a large shape parameter; (ii) Mean sensible heat flux during the night is almost proportional to a cube root of the depth of the basin, but little affected by the shape parameter. Sensitivity to radiational condition, the thermal constant of the ground, and surface roughness are also examined.Keywords
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