TY - GEN
T1 - A comparative wind investigation using mesoscale numerical predictions and experimental data at Aubrey Cliffs, Arizona
AU - Barton, Michael S.
AU - Acker, Thomas L.
AU - Duque, Earl P.N.
PY - 2010
Y1 - 2010
N2 - The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the validity of mesoscale numerical weather prediction modeling near the complex terrain at Aubrey Cliffs, Arizona, and to investigate the influence of the outer domain size employed on the computational results. Mesoscale Modeling v5 (MM5) was implemented to produce numerical wind data that was compared with experimental wind data. The results obtained from the analysis show that MM5 predicts the wind flow near the Aubrey Cliffs accurately. In addition to predicting the wind speed and direction, the wind power density at the site was also computed. A three month MM5 simulation was completed for the proposed site, with a grid resolution of 1-km in the proximity of the cliffs. Two different gridding scenarios were used to investigate the accuracy of the numerical results and the effect outermost modeling domain. It was found that the model predicts the average wind speed at the site within 4% of the actual observed values. It was also determined that the MM5 model does not require an extended radius of influence to correctly determine the wind speed.
AB - The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the validity of mesoscale numerical weather prediction modeling near the complex terrain at Aubrey Cliffs, Arizona, and to investigate the influence of the outer domain size employed on the computational results. Mesoscale Modeling v5 (MM5) was implemented to produce numerical wind data that was compared with experimental wind data. The results obtained from the analysis show that MM5 predicts the wind flow near the Aubrey Cliffs accurately. In addition to predicting the wind speed and direction, the wind power density at the site was also computed. A three month MM5 simulation was completed for the proposed site, with a grid resolution of 1-km in the proximity of the cliffs. Two different gridding scenarios were used to investigate the accuracy of the numerical results and the effect outermost modeling domain. It was found that the model predicts the average wind speed at the site within 4% of the actual observed values. It was also determined that the MM5 model does not require an extended radius of influence to correctly determine the wind speed.
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U2 - 10.1115/ES2010-90378
DO - 10.1115/ES2010-90378
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:84860287194
SN - 9780791843949
T3 - ASME 2010 4th International Conference on Energy Sustainability, ES 2010
SP - 855
EP - 865
BT - ASME 2010 4th International Conference on Energy Sustainability, ES 2010
T2 - ASME 2010 4th International Conference on Energy Sustainability, ES 2010
Y2 - 17 May 2010 through 22 May 2010
ER -