A Mathematical Model of Sea Breezes Along the Alaskan Beaufort Sea Coast: Part II

Abstract

A nonlinear, time-dependent, two-dimensional sea breeze model allowing imposition of prevailing large-scale wind conditions has been developed. The model is an extension of Estoque's model with modifications in the treatment of the continuity equation, eddy diffusivity (unstable conditions), surface heating function and the numerical scheme. The model is applied to a cross section of the Beaufort Sea Coast using typically measured arctic conditions as input. These include u-w plane velocity vectors, isotachs of the u, v and w wind velocity components, temperature contours, surface wind vectors at varying distances from the coastline, and wind speed and direction profiles for various simulated synoptic wind directions. The mathematical results reproduced measurements of atmospheric boundary layer turning of the wind with height (pilot balloon data), temporal surface wind vector turning and inversion height variations, while also giving evidence that sea breeze circulation could be strengthened by weak offshore (southwesterly and westerly winds) opposing synoptic winds.