EFM@ucb - Research projects

CURRENT RESEARCH PROJECTS
Transport Processes and Algae Bloom Dynamics in Rodeo Lagoon [M. Cousins, M. Stacey]
Rodeo Lagoon, a small, eutrophic coastal lagoon that is seasonally connected to the Pacific Ocean, is located at the terminus of a small watershed in the Marin headlands within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA). The purpose of this project, which is being completed for and with the National Park Service/GGNRA, is to identify the physical transport processes in the lagoon that may act as triggers for large summer algae blooms. For example, internal recycling of nutrients may be triggered by wind-driven mixing and sediment resuspension. The blooms are of concern because they lead to anoxia throughout the lagoon. The project involves cooperation with Prof. Kara Nelson and her students, who are simultaneously investigating nutrient loading to the lagoon from its watershed.
Urban Atmospheric Turbulence [K. Lundquist, F.K. Chow]
	Accurate simulations of atmospheric boundary layer flow are vital to predict dispersion of contaminant releases, particularly in densely populated urban regions where the consequences of forecast errors are potentially disastrous. Current mesoscale models do not account for urban effects, and conversely urban scale models do not account for mesoscale weather features. This project includes the development and implementation of an immersed boundary method (IBM) along with a surface roughness parameterization in the mesoscale Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. IBM will be used to represent the complex boundary conditions imposed by urban landscapes. This work is part of the larger Urban WRF collaboration with LLNL which focuses on improving the ability of the WRF model to correctly forecast prognostic quantities in complex urban terrain.
Large-Eddy Simulations of Flow Over Mountainous Terrain [M. Daniels, F.K. Chow]
Numerical simulations of atmospheric boundary layer flow over complex terrain are constrained by the resolution of surface and lateral boundary conditions. These boundary conditions often come from other coarse grid numerical models and must be interpolated down to finer grid resolutions capable of accurately representing the terrain and corresponding scales of motion. This project focuses on studying the effects of surface boundary conditions such as soil moisture and snow cover on the simulation of atmospheric boundary layer flow over Owens Valley, CA. Owens Valley lies between the Sierra Nevada and Inyo mountain ranges and was the site of the Terrain-Induced Rotor Experiment (T-REX) in March and April, 2006. The Advanced Regional Prediction System (ARPS) is used in Large Eddy Simulation (LES) mode to simulate flow over Owens Valley. Simulation results are then compared to experimental data gathered during T-REX. The effects of interpolated lateral boundary conditions on the representation and development of turbulent motions in the atmosphere will also be investigated.
Interaction of Large-scale Marsh Restoration with an Estuarine Ecosystem [L. MacVean, M. Stacey]
	This project uses field observations and numerical modeling to discern the effects of large-scale marsh restoration on Coyote Creek, a tidal slough at the edge of the South San Francisco Bay. The project focuses on changes in salinity and sediment transport dynamics, both in the creek and the evolving marsh.
Marine Odorant Detection: Lobster Sniffing [R. Schuech, M. Stacey]
Marine crustaceans such as lobsters "sniff" by flicking sensory appendages back and forth through the water. This project investigates the fluid dynamics of odorant transport though these biological structures.
Turbulence Modeling for Atmospheric Boundary Layer Flow [F.K. Chow]
	Turbulence modeling in the atmospheric boundary layer is made difficult by the presence of a rough bottom boundary, complex topography, varying atmospheric stability conditions, and limited grid resolution. This project uses a large-eddy simulation framework and seeks to improve current turbulence models by using explicit filtering and reconstruction to improve the representation of small-scale turbulent motions under a variety of flow conditions.
Layer Organization in the Coastal Ocean (LOCO), sponsored by the Office of Naval Research [M. Stacey]
Over the past two decades, technology advancements have led to the detection of thin layers of high biological activity in the coastal oceans. These layers are decimeters to meters thick in the vertical, but extend over broad horizontal scales and persist in time. This project is using high-resolution profiles of both physical and biological parameters in Monterey Bay to analyze the mechanisms that dominate the formation, maintenance and eventual dissipation of the layers.
Dense Gas Dispersion over Complex Terrain [P. Granvold, F.K. Chow]
Coupled Land-Atmosphere Interactions [J. Rihani, F.K. Chow]
Inverse Modeling of Flows and Transport in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta [M. Stacey]