Urban Atmospheric Boundary-Layer Structure in Complex Topography: An Empirical 3D Case Study for Stuttgart, Germany
Investigation of the atmospheric boundary-layer structure in urban areas can be challenged by landscape complexity and the heterogenous conditions this instills. Stuttgart, Germany, is a city situated in a bowl-shaped basin and troubled by the accumulation of pollutants during weak-wind conditions....
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-03-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Earth Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2022.840112/full |
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| author | Matthias Zeeman Christopher Claus Holst Meinolf Kossmann Daniel Leukauf Christoph Münkel Andreas Philipp Rayk Rinke Stefan Emeis |
| author_facet | Matthias Zeeman Christopher Claus Holst Meinolf Kossmann Daniel Leukauf Christoph Münkel Andreas Philipp Rayk Rinke Stefan Emeis |
| author_sort | Matthias Zeeman |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Investigation of the atmospheric boundary-layer structure in urban areas can be challenged by landscape complexity and the heterogenous conditions this instills. Stuttgart, Germany, is a city situated in a bowl-shaped basin and troubled by the accumulation of pollutants during weak-wind conditions. The center of Stuttgart is surrounded by steep slopes up to 250 m above the basin floor, except for an opening to the northeast that allows runoff towards the Neckar river. Urban planning and regulation of air quality require advanced monitoring and forecasting skills, which in turn require knowledge about the structure of the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL), down to the surface. Three-dimensional observations of the ABL were collected in the City Centre of Stuttgart in 2017. A laser ceilometer and a concerted network of Doppler lidar systems were deployed on roof-tops, providing continuous observations of the cloud base, the mixing-layer height and the three-dimensional wind field. The impact of weak-wind conditions, the presence of shear layers, properties of convective cells and the impact of nocturnal low-levels jets were studied for representative days in winter and summer. The observations revealed the development of distinctive layers with high directional deviation from the flow aloft, reoccurring as a dominant diurnal pattern. Our findings highlight the influence of topography and surface heterogeneity on the structure of the ABL and development of flow regimes near the surface that are relevant for the transport of heat and pollutants. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-17T13:38:20Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-95c84b4ebf7540c6ac39239873060f1b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-6463 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-17T13:38:20Z |
| publishDate | 2022-03-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Earth Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-95c84b4ebf7540c6ac39239873060f1b2022-12-21T21:46:22ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Earth Science2296-64632022-03-011010.3389/feart.2022.840112840112Urban Atmospheric Boundary-Layer Structure in Complex Topography: An Empirical 3D Case Study for Stuttgart, GermanyMatthias Zeeman0Christopher Claus Holst1Meinolf Kossmann2Daniel Leukauf3Christoph Münkel4Andreas Philipp5Rayk Rinke6Stefan Emeis7Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research, Atmospheric Environmental Research, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, GermanyInstitute of Meteorology and Climate Research, Atmospheric Environmental Research, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, GermanyDeutscher Wetterdienst, Offenbach am Main, GermanyInstitute of Meteorology and Climate Research, Atmospheric Environmental Research, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, GermanyVaisala GmbH (retired), Weather Instruments, Hamburg, GermanyInstitute of Geography, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, GermanyAmt für Umweltschutz, Landeshauptstadt Stuttgart, Stuttgart, GermanyInstitute of Meteorology and Climate Research, Atmospheric Environmental Research, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, GermanyInvestigation of the atmospheric boundary-layer structure in urban areas can be challenged by landscape complexity and the heterogenous conditions this instills. Stuttgart, Germany, is a city situated in a bowl-shaped basin and troubled by the accumulation of pollutants during weak-wind conditions. The center of Stuttgart is surrounded by steep slopes up to 250 m above the basin floor, except for an opening to the northeast that allows runoff towards the Neckar river. Urban planning and regulation of air quality require advanced monitoring and forecasting skills, which in turn require knowledge about the structure of the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL), down to the surface. Three-dimensional observations of the ABL were collected in the City Centre of Stuttgart in 2017. A laser ceilometer and a concerted network of Doppler lidar systems were deployed on roof-tops, providing continuous observations of the cloud base, the mixing-layer height and the three-dimensional wind field. The impact of weak-wind conditions, the presence of shear layers, properties of convective cells and the impact of nocturnal low-levels jets were studied for representative days in winter and summer. The observations revealed the development of distinctive layers with high directional deviation from the flow aloft, reoccurring as a dominant diurnal pattern. Our findings highlight the influence of topography and surface heterogeneity on the structure of the ABL and development of flow regimes near the surface that are relevant for the transport of heat and pollutants.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2022.840112/fullatmospheric boundary layermountainous terrainstable conditionsconvective cellsDoppler lidarurban climate under change |
| spellingShingle | Matthias Zeeman Christopher Claus Holst Meinolf Kossmann Daniel Leukauf Christoph Münkel Andreas Philipp Rayk Rinke Stefan Emeis Urban Atmospheric Boundary-Layer Structure in Complex Topography: An Empirical 3D Case Study for Stuttgart, Germany Frontiers in Earth Science atmospheric boundary layer mountainous terrain stable conditions convective cells Doppler lidar urban climate under change |
| title | Urban Atmospheric Boundary-Layer Structure in Complex Topography: An Empirical 3D Case Study for Stuttgart, Germany |
| title_full | Urban Atmospheric Boundary-Layer Structure in Complex Topography: An Empirical 3D Case Study for Stuttgart, Germany |
| title_fullStr | Urban Atmospheric Boundary-Layer Structure in Complex Topography: An Empirical 3D Case Study for Stuttgart, Germany |
| title_full_unstemmed | Urban Atmospheric Boundary-Layer Structure in Complex Topography: An Empirical 3D Case Study for Stuttgart, Germany |
| title_short | Urban Atmospheric Boundary-Layer Structure in Complex Topography: An Empirical 3D Case Study for Stuttgart, Germany |
| title_sort | urban atmospheric boundary layer structure in complex topography an empirical 3d case study for stuttgart germany |
| topic | atmospheric boundary layer mountainous terrain stable conditions convective cells Doppler lidar urban climate under change |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2022.840112/full |
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