Relating Laboratory-Scale Dispersion Experiments to Full-Scale Data from Jack Rabbit II
Citation:
Pirhalla, M., D. Heist, S. Perry, L. Brouwer, S. Hanna, S. Arya, AND V. Aneja. Relating Laboratory-Scale Dispersion Experiments to Full-Scale Data from Jack Rabbit II. Presented at 11th EPA International Decontamination Research and Development Conference, Norfolk, VA, November 19 - 21, 2019.
Impact/Purpose:
Urban areas create complex turbulence, dispersion, and flow patterns that affect downwind and ground level pollutant concentrations. The urban canopy also alters atmospheric boundary layer wind profiles due to wake turbulence generated from wind flow around buildings and within street canyons. This can result in challenging situations for local officials or emergency responders who must plan for or remediate infrastructure after major chemical, biological, or radiological (CBR) incidents. This project leverages data from the Special Sonic Anemometer Study that occurred as part of the 2016 Jack Rabbit II (JRII) field study. JRII was conducted at Dugway Proving Ground (DPG), UT, where large releases of chlorine gas were dispersed within an array of 83 CONEX shipping containers of various sizes.
Description:
This presentation will discuss current and ongoing wind flow data analyses from the sonic anemometers in relationship with flow patterns seen within the scaled wind tunnel study, with an emphasis on microscale processes occurring between and in lee of buildings. The ultimate goal of the project is to use the wind tunnel and field datasets to improve urban parameterizations in Gaussian dispersion models, which are important tools for efficient and precise emergency preparation and response applications.