Re: Coyote Alert - Text Version

From: Martin Frankel (mdf@sgi.com-DeleteThis)
Date: Fri Oct 23 1998 - 12:17:30 PDT 

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To: wind_talk@opus.hpl.hp.com-DeleteThis
From: Martin Frankel <mdf@sgi.com-DeleteThis>
Subject: Re: Coyote Alert - Text Version 
In-Reply-To: Your message of "Fri, 23 Oct 98 12:01:31 PDT." <199810231842.LAA10010@scv2.apple.com-DeleteThis> 
Date: Fri, 23 Oct 98 12:17:30 -0700
Sender: mdf@bluedini.engr.sgi.com-DeleteThis

Ed writes:
> I've heard a variety of things - that an obstruction disturbs the wind
> from 3 to 10 times it's height.

I'd guess that the actual physics is way too complicated for a rule of
thumb. For example a tall narrow building might not affect the
average windspeed but by creating vorticies would make the wind
gustier. A very wide building would create a shadow for a certain
distance, then a gusty region as the air mixes down to the surface,
then a very great distance downwind you might have normal undisturbed
air again.

I get the impression that the wind shadow at Coyote is created at
least to some extent by the bluffs downwind, which lift the airflow
and affect the wind for some distance to windward. With a large
barrier both to windward and leeward, the wind shadow in the cove
might be affected even more than would happen with the buildings alone.

This is all speculation, I don't really know the first thing about the
physics involved. If anyone has better knowledge of this or perhaps
references, I think it would be very interesting. Still, the first
priority is to get the issue on the table... send those letters! 

--
Martin Frankel     ||||     mdf@sgi.com-DeleteThis     ||||     (650)933-6191

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