Research
The research focuses on understanding the atmospheric boundary layer, particularly in relation to wind energy production and urban meteorology. The interdisciplinary work integrates observational data and computational models to study how atmospheric stability, turbulence, and other meteorological factors affect wind turbine efficiency and energy production. The projects also explore the impact of wind farms on local climates and the complex flow dynamics in urban areas, with applications to renewable energy and environmental sustainability
Fundamental boundary-layer meterology and turbulance dissipation rates
A fundamental challenge in boundary-layer meteorology is how turbulence is dissipated; inaccuracies in the balance of turbulence production and dissipation undermine our ability to simulate atmospheric flows where turbulence is important.
Mesoscale Modeling of Wind Farms
To assess the local and regional impacts of wind energy development, we have implemented a wind farm parameterization into the Weather Research and Forecasting model.
flows in complex terrain
The atmospheric boundary layer behaves very differently in complex terrain, with impacts on wind energy and phenomena like mountain venting. We have recently participated in three experiments in complex terrain.
observations of wind Turbine Wakes
We utilize profiling lidar, scanning lidar, radiometers, meteorological towers and tethered lifting systems to study the development and propagation of wind turbine wakes in different atmospheric conditions, with special interest in wind farms co-located with agriculture.
atmospheric impacts on wind energy production
Atmospheric stability impacts wind turbine power production sometimes in contradictory ways depending on local meteorology.
large-eddy simulations of the atmospheric boundary layer
Improved turbulence models and/or immersed boundary methods may be required to simulate complex flow in stable atmospheric boundary layers or in regions of complex terrain.
Wildfire modeling
Smoke lofting from a fire changes with varying local winds, relative humidity, and atmospheric boundary-layer stability, and the presence of moisture can raise the altitude of lofting, while faster wind speeds dampen lofting
large-Eddy Simulation on the hurricane BOUNDARY layer
To better understand the environment for offshore wind turbines, detailed large-eddy simulations can provide information about turbulence structures that observations simply cannot.
mesoscale-microscale coupling
Simulations provide an important tool for understanding and predicting the atmospheric boundary layer, but we need to incorporate both realistic large-scale weather effects (mesoscale) as well as refined localized turbulent variability (microscale) with large-eddy simulations, transcending previous idealized approaches.
Assessments of Boundary-layer instrumentation
The US Dept of Energy supported an experiment, XPIA, to assess the ability of current instrumentation to measure wind farm flows.
climate change impacts on energy production
As the climate changes, our understanding of how to assess long-term renewable resources and future predictions of those resources will change.
Urban meteorology
Cities can create their own microclimates with interesting implications for detailed simulations of flow in urban areas, mixing-length heights, and air pollution events, especially when urban meteorology interacts with nocturnal low-level jets (LLJ).