Anatomy of sea breeze circulation in Greater Athens under weak large-scale ambient winds
Melas D., Ziomas I., Klemm O., Zerefos C.
[abstract] The city of Athens is located near an irregular coastline and it is surrounded by moderately high mountains. The complex structure of the sea breeze circulations developing in Greater Athens Area (GAA) during a day with weak large-scale anbient winds is examined using detailed data and results from numerical model simulations. The data used in the analysis are from the MEDditerranean CAmpaign of PHOtochemical Tracers-TRAnsport and Chemical Evolution (MEDCAPHOT-TRACE) which took place in the Greater Athens Area (GAA) during the period 20 August - 20 September 1994. For the numerical simulations were performed using a three-dimensional, higher-order turbulence closure model. All model equations are transformed to a terrain influenced coordinate system, which enables studies of flow over complex terrain. Major characteristics of the sea breeze circulation including surface wind pattern, inland penetration of the sea breeze front and vertical extension and intensity as well as diurnal variation of turbulent quantities are identified and discussed. Model predictions show a good agreement with the observations.
Ελληνική έκδοση
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