Numerical simulation of slope and mountain flows.

Abstract

Early descriptive models of mountain-valley circulations indicated that the mountain flow (i.e., the along-valley axis component out of the valley) is a true three-dimensional phenomenon. According to these descriptions, at night shallow-down slope flows on the valley sidewalls directly driven by temperature deficits near the surface produce a pooling of cool air in the valley. This deep pool of cool air in the valley compared with a much shallower surface inversion over the plains produces a secondary flow (the mountain flow)) out of the valley driven by a deep hydrostatic pressure gradient. It is the purpose of this investigation to numerically simulate the above-mentioned secondary circulation using a three-dimensional numerical model. -from Authors