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- Author or Editor: Marshall Shepherd x
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Abstract
Because Atlanta, Georgia, is a model of rapid transition from forest/agriculture land use to urbanization, NASA and other agencies have initiated programs to identify and understand how urban heat islands (UHIs) impact the environment in terms of land use, air quality, health, climate, and other factors. Atlanta's UHI may also impact the regional water cycle by inadvertent forcing of precipitating cloud systems. Yet, a focused assessment of the role of urban-induced rainfall in Atlanta has not been a primary focus of past efforts. Several observational and climatological studies have theorized that UHIs can have a significant influence on mesoscale circulations and resulting convection. Using spaceborne rain radar and a limited network of irregularly spaced, ground-based rain gauges, evidence that the Atlanta and Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio, Texas, urban areas may modify cloud and precipitation development was recently found.
To validate these recent satellite-based findings, it was determined that a higher density of rainfall gauges would be required for future work. The NASA-sponsored Study of Precipitation Anomalies from Widespread Urban Landuse (SPRAWL) seeks to further address the impact of urban Atlanta on precipitation variability by implementing a dense rain gauge network to validate spaceborne rainfall estimates. To optimize gauge location to a given set of criteria, a geographical information system (GIS) aided by a spatial decision support system (DSS) has been developed. A multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) technique was developed to locate optimal sites in accordance to the guidelines defined by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). A multicriteria analysis model for the optimization of prospective sites was applied to identify prime locations for the tipping-bucket rain gauges. The MCDA design required development of a spatial model by applying a series of linear programming methods, with the aid of spatial analytical techniques, in order to identify land sites that meet a particular set of criteria.
Abstract
Because Atlanta, Georgia, is a model of rapid transition from forest/agriculture land use to urbanization, NASA and other agencies have initiated programs to identify and understand how urban heat islands (UHIs) impact the environment in terms of land use, air quality, health, climate, and other factors. Atlanta's UHI may also impact the regional water cycle by inadvertent forcing of precipitating cloud systems. Yet, a focused assessment of the role of urban-induced rainfall in Atlanta has not been a primary focus of past efforts. Several observational and climatological studies have theorized that UHIs can have a significant influence on mesoscale circulations and resulting convection. Using spaceborne rain radar and a limited network of irregularly spaced, ground-based rain gauges, evidence that the Atlanta and Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio, Texas, urban areas may modify cloud and precipitation development was recently found.
To validate these recent satellite-based findings, it was determined that a higher density of rainfall gauges would be required for future work. The NASA-sponsored Study of Precipitation Anomalies from Widespread Urban Landuse (SPRAWL) seeks to further address the impact of urban Atlanta on precipitation variability by implementing a dense rain gauge network to validate spaceborne rainfall estimates. To optimize gauge location to a given set of criteria, a geographical information system (GIS) aided by a spatial decision support system (DSS) has been developed. A multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) technique was developed to locate optimal sites in accordance to the guidelines defined by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). A multicriteria analysis model for the optimization of prospective sites was applied to identify prime locations for the tipping-bucket rain gauges. The MCDA design required development of a spatial model by applying a series of linear programming methods, with the aid of spatial analytical techniques, in order to identify land sites that meet a particular set of criteria.
Abstract
Urban–coastal circulations affect urban weather, dispersion and transport of pollutants and contaminants, and climate. Proper characterization and prediction of thermodynamic and dynamic processes in such environments are warranted. A new generation of observation and modeling systems is enabling unprecedented characterization of the three-dimensionality of the urban environment, including morphological parameters. Urban areas of Houston, Texas, are classified according to lidar-measured building heights and assigned typical urban land surface parameters appropriate to each classification. The lidar data were degraded from 1 m to the model resolution (1 km) with the goal of evaluating the impact of degraded resolution urban canopy parameters (UCPs) and three-dimensionality on the coastal–urban mesoscale circulations in comparison to typical two-dimensional urban slab approaches. The study revealed complex interactions between the sea breeze and urban heat island and offers a novel diagnostic tool, the bulk Richardson shear number, for identifying shallow mesoscale circulation.
Using the Advanced Research Weather Research and Forecasting model (ARW-WRF) coupled to an atmosphere–land surface–urban canopy model, the authors simulated a theoretical sea-breeze day and confirmed that while coastal morphology can itself lead to complex sea-breeze front structures, including preferred areas of vertical motion, the urban environment can have an impact on the evolution of the sea-breeze mesoscale boundary. The inclusion of lidar-derived UCPs, even at degraded resolution, in the model’s land surface representation can lead to significant differences in patterns of skin surface temperature, convergence, and vertical motion, which have implications for many aspects of urban weather.
Abstract
Urban–coastal circulations affect urban weather, dispersion and transport of pollutants and contaminants, and climate. Proper characterization and prediction of thermodynamic and dynamic processes in such environments are warranted. A new generation of observation and modeling systems is enabling unprecedented characterization of the three-dimensionality of the urban environment, including morphological parameters. Urban areas of Houston, Texas, are classified according to lidar-measured building heights and assigned typical urban land surface parameters appropriate to each classification. The lidar data were degraded from 1 m to the model resolution (1 km) with the goal of evaluating the impact of degraded resolution urban canopy parameters (UCPs) and three-dimensionality on the coastal–urban mesoscale circulations in comparison to typical two-dimensional urban slab approaches. The study revealed complex interactions between the sea breeze and urban heat island and offers a novel diagnostic tool, the bulk Richardson shear number, for identifying shallow mesoscale circulation.
Using the Advanced Research Weather Research and Forecasting model (ARW-WRF) coupled to an atmosphere–land surface–urban canopy model, the authors simulated a theoretical sea-breeze day and confirmed that while coastal morphology can itself lead to complex sea-breeze front structures, including preferred areas of vertical motion, the urban environment can have an impact on the evolution of the sea-breeze mesoscale boundary. The inclusion of lidar-derived UCPs, even at degraded resolution, in the model’s land surface representation can lead to significant differences in patterns of skin surface temperature, convergence, and vertical motion, which have implications for many aspects of urban weather.
