Urban boundary layer simulations of sea-breeze over Marseille during the ESCOMPTE experiment

Abstract

Numerical simulations of the urban atmosphere of Marseille during the UBL/ESCOMPTE experiment that took place in June-July 2001 are presented. The atmospheric model is the SUBMESO version with grid-nesting, coupled to the urban soil model SM2U, with new parameterisations for sea surface and lateral boundary forcing. Urban characteristics are reproduced with a high degree of realism through a land-use/morphology analysis of Marseille urban fabric. The simulations of the intense observation period IOP2b, characterised by land/sea-breeze regimes, are confronted against measurements to validate the set of models. The 25 June meteorological situation is analysed in detail and a sensitivity study to the city representation is conducted to highlight the city influence on the flow dynamics, especially the urban heat island process and the wind field alterations. Copyright © 2010 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.