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In the realm of boundary layer flows in complex terrain, low-level jets (LLJs) have received considerable attention, although little literature is available for double-nosed LLJs that remain not well understood. To this end, we use the Mountain Terrain Atmospheric Modeling and Observations (MATERHORN) dataset to demonstrate that double-nosed LLJs developing within the planetary boundary layer (PBL) are common during stable nocturnal conditions and present two possible mechanisms responsible for their formation. It is observed that the onset of a double-nosed LLJ is associated with a temporary shape modification of an already-established LLJ. The characteristics of these double-nosed LLJs are described using a refined version of identification criteria proposed in the literature, and their formation is classified in terms of two driving mechanisms. The wind-driven mechanism encompasses cases where the two noses are associated with different air masses flowing one on top of the other. The wave-driven mechanism involves the vertical momentum transport by an inertial–gravity wave to generate the second nose. The wave-driven mechanism is corroborated by the analysis of nocturnal double-nosed LLJs, where inertial–gravity waves are generated close to the ground by a sudden flow perturbation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measurements of small-scale turbulence made in the atmospheric boundary layer over complex terrain during the Mountain Terrain Atmospheric Modeling and Observations (MATERHORN) Program are used to describe the structure of turbulence in katabatic flows. Turbulent and mean meteorological data were continuously measured on four towers deployed along the east lower slope (2-4 $$^{\circ }$$ ) of Granite Mountain near Salt Lake City in Utah, USA. The multi-level (up to seven) observations made during a 30-day long MATERHORN field campaign in September-October 2012 allowed the study of temporal and spatial structure of katabatic flows in detail, and herein we report turbulence statistics (e.g., fluxes, variances, spectra, and cospectra) and their variations in katabatic flow. Observed vertical profiles show steep gradients near the surface, but in the layer above the slope jet the vertical variability is smaller. It is found that the vertical (normal to the slope) momentum flux and horizontal (along-slope) heat flux in a slope-following coordinate system change their sign below and above the wind maximum of a katabatic flow. The momentum flux is directed downward (upward) whereas the along-slope heat flux is downslope (upslope) below (above) the wind maximum. This suggests that the position of the jet-speed maximum can be obtained by linear interpolation between positive and negative values of the momentum flux (or the along-slope heat flux) to derive the height where the flux becomes zero. It is shown that the standard deviations of all wind-speed components (and therefore of the turbulent kinetic energy) and the dissipation rate of turbulent kinetic energy have a local minimum, whereas the standard deviation of air temperature has an absolute maximum at the height of wind-speed maximum. We report several cases when the destructive effect of vertical heat flux is completely cancelled by the generation of turbulence due to the along-slope heat flux. Turbulence above the wind-speed maximum is decoupled from the surface, and follows the classical local $$z$$ -less predictions for the stably stratified boundary layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Sheppard formula (Q J R Meteorol Soc 82:528-529, ) for the dividing streamline height $$H_\mathrm{s}$$ assumes a uniform velocity $$U_\infty $$ and a constant buoyancy frequency N for the approach flow towards a mountain of height h, and takes the form $$H_\mathrm{s}/h=\left( {1-F} \right) $$ , where $$F=U_{\infty }/Nh$$ . We extend this solution to a logarithmic approach-velocity profile with constant N. An analytical solution is obtained for $$H_\mathrm{s}/h$$ in terms of Lambert-W functions, which also suggests alternative scaling for $$H_\mathrm{s}/h$$ . A 'modified' logarithmic velocity profile is proposed for stably stratified atmospheric boundary-layer flows. A field experiment designed to observe $$H_\mathrm{s}$$ is described, which utilized instrumentation from the spring field campaign of the Mountain Terrain Atmospheric Modeling and Observations (MATERHORN) Program. Multiple releases of smoke at $$F\approx 0.3$$ -0.4 support the new formulation, notwithstanding the limited success of experiments due to logistical constraints. No dividing streamline is discerned for $$F\approx 10$$ , since, if present, it is too close to the foothill. Flow separation and vortex shedding is observed in this case. The proposed modified logarithmic profile is in reasonable agreement with experimental observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was aimed at understanding the deficiencies of numerical mesoscale models by comparing predictions with a new high-resolution meteorological dataset collected during the Mountain Terrain Atmospheric Modelling and Observations (MATERHORN) Program. The simulations focussed on the stable boundary layer (SBL), the predictions of which continue to be challenging. High resolution numerical simulations (0.5-km horizontal grid size) were conducted to investigate the efficacy of six planetary boundary-layer (PBL) parametrizations available in the advanced research version of the Weather Research and Forecasting model. One of the commonly used PBL schemes was modified to include eddy diffusivities that account for enhanced momentum transport compared to heat transport in the SBL, representing internal wave dynamics. All of the tested PBL schemes, including the modified scheme, showed a positive surface temperature bias. None of the PBL schemes was found to be superior in predicting the vertical wind and temperature profiles over the lowest 500 m, however two of the schemes appeared superior in capturing the lower PBL structure. The lowest model layers appear to have a significant impact on the predictions aloft. Regions of sporadic flow interactions delineated by the MATERHORN observations were poorly predicted, given such interactions are not represented in typical PBL schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Observations were taken on an east-facing sidewall at the foot of a desert mountain that borders a large valley, as part of the Mountain Terrain Atmospheric Modeling and Observations (MATERHORN) field program at Dugway Proving Ground in Utah. A case study of nocturnal boundary layer development is presented for a night in mid-May when tethered-balloon measurements were taken to supplement other MATERHORN field measurements. The boundary layer development over the slope could be divided into three distinct phases during this night: 1) The evening transition from daytime upslope/up-valley winds to nighttime downslope winds was governed by the propagation of the shadow front. Because of the combination of complex topography at the site and the solar angle at this time of year, the shadow moved down the sidewall from approximately northwest to southeast, with the flow transition closely following the shadow front. 2) The flow transition was followed by a 3-4-h period of almost steady-state boundary layer conditions, with a shallow slope-parallel surface inversion and a pronounced downslope flow with a jet maximum located within the surface-based inversion. The shallow slope boundary layer was very sensitive to ambient flows, resulting in several small disturbances. 3) After approximately 2300 mountain standard time, the inversion that had formed over the adjacent valley repeatedly sloshed up the mountain sidewall, disturbing local downslope flows and causing rapid temperature drops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The urban heat island (UHI) phenomenon may produce several cascade effects on citizens' health, energy consumption and air quality. Numerical modelling is recognised to be a powerful tool for the analysis of the UHI, although the question of which model to use (as implied in the 'fit-for-purpose' approach) much depends on the application and on the result of satisfactory validation against field measurements. In this paper, two different modelling approaches are applied, namely the integral-semi-Gaussian model ADMS-TH and the CFD-based model ENVI-met, to assess the UHI phenomenon in a city of south Italy (Lecce). Modelling results are validated against field measurements collected during summer 2012. The results suggest that the integral model has the ability of capturing the UHI cycle at city scale, while CFD modelling did not provide any substantial improvements in terms of local geometric effects on temperature distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]