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Flow and temperature dynamics in an urban canyon under a comprehensive set of wind directions, wind speeds, and thermal stability conditions

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Abstract

Atmospheric flow and temperature dynamics in the urban roughness sublayer exhibit numerous complexities that cannot all be investigated using models or scaled-down experiments, thus these complexities necessitate careful field observations. Such dynamics were studied under a comprehensive set of wind directions, wind speeds, and thermal stability conditions in a field campaign held in Guelph, Ontario, Canada, from 13th to 25th of August 2017. The urban site was a quasi-two-dimensional canyon with unit canyon aspect ratio. Beside characterizing thermal stability, inertial effects, urban heat island intensity, and mean properties of the atmosphere, the turbulence statistics were studied carefully as functions of roof-level wind angle, diurnal time, the building Reynolds number, or the bulk Richardson number. Turbulence statistics in the vertical direction were observed to be influenced by local conditions, such as flow properties and nearby surface temperatures. These statistics also indicated presence of small integral lengthscales and short integral timescales. On the other hand, turbulence statistics in the horizontal directions were influenced by non-local conditions, such as horizontal heterogeneity in heating or urban morphology. These statistics indicated presence of large integral lengthscales and long integral timescales. In addition, a rigorous scaling analysis was performed to seek significant correlations between turbulence statistics and other known flow variables both locally or as measured at a nearby non-urban rural station. Variances scaled more successfully to mean quantities than covariances (Reynolds stresses and turbulence kinematic heat fluxes). In addition, the statistics in the vertical direction scaled more successfully compared to horizontal directions. Statistics in the horizontal directions, particularly in the along-canyon axis direction, were poorly scaled, suggesting presence of unorganized and irregular turbulence structures influenced by non-local conditions. Temperature difference between the atmosphere and nearby surfaces as well as measured velocity scales showed to scale vertical heat fluxes successfully.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Physical Resources staff members at the University of Guelph, in particular Steve Nyman and Chris Duiker, for assisting with the campaign logistics. The authors also thank Health and Safety staff members at the University of Guelph, in particular Manuela Racki and Jeffrey Dafoe, for assisting with safety inspections required to authorize the campaign. The authors appreciate the assistance of Joanne Ryks, Ryan Smith, and Stephen Stajkowski with the logistics of the field campaign.

Funding

Financial support for this project was provided by the Undergraduate Research Awards (URA) program from the University of Guelph and the Discovery Grant program from Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada (Grant No. 401231).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Atmospheric Innovations Research (AIR) Laboratory, Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, RICH 2515, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada

    A. A. Aliabadi

  2. School of Engineering, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada

    M. Moradi, D. Clement, W. D. Lubitz & B. Gharabaghi

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  1. A. A. Aliabadi
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  2. M. Moradi
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  3. D. Clement
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  4. W. D. Lubitz
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  5. B. Gharabaghi
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Correspondence to A. A. Aliabadi.

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Aliabadi, A.A., Moradi, M., Clement, D. et al. Flow and temperature dynamics in an urban canyon under a comprehensive set of wind directions, wind speeds, and thermal stability conditions. Environ Fluid Mech 19, 81–109 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10652-018-9606-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10652-018-9606-8

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