Airflow characteristics in the vicinity of an obstructing mountain ridge in complex terrain

Abstract

Airflow, or circulation patterns in the vicinity of mountains can be examined broadly in terms of two physical phenomena: the conversion of the aviable potential energy due to the  horizontal temperature gradients into the kinetic energies of mountain-valley and anabatic-katabatic slope flows; the initiation or modification of circulation features through acceleration resulting from the vertical flux convergence of horizontal momentium....  The evolution of daytime valley-circulation features during morning hours on two clear early summer days illustrated the roles of thermal development, turbulent fluxes and wind velocity at altitudes above the mountain ridges...