2D SIMULATION OF ATMOSPHERIC BOUNDARY LAYER

Abstract

Atmospheric Boundary Layer (ABL) is the part of the atmosphere closest to earth’s surface. This layer of atmosphere contain maximum turbulence due to either convective foces of wind or thermal advection from both incoming and outgoing solar radiation. ABL is also the atmospheric zone which affects the human activities, like weather prediction, air traffic control etc. the most. The mechanical and thermal processes inside ABL can be simulated most efficiently in three dimensional (3D) models as eddies can be fully explained in 3D. Developing 3D models are computationally exhaustive and can be practically approximated into two dimentional (2D) model at places or regions where wind is predominantly unidirectional throughout the year or for some seasons. In this dissertation work, after reviewing literature relevant to 1D, 2D and 3D models, first 1D model is developed using Finite Difference Method (FDM) and vertical temperature and wind profile data. Then 2D models are developed using both explicit and implicit schemes of FDM. The variation of height of ABL estimated using Bulk-Richardson Number (BRN) are carried out at 300 m and 500 m horizontal interval in the direction of predominat wind.