Horizontal Wind Veering and Backing Near the Coastline Within Monterey Bay

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Abstract:

A three-phase field experiment was conducted in and around Monterey Bay, CA, in 2021 and 2022 using a combination of 18 moored air-sea spar buoys to describe horizontal wind veering along the coastal ocean. Hourly-mean wind speeds and directions were collected from anemometers at 4 m heights. Phase 1 (June-July 2021) focused predominantly on cross-shore winds within southern Monterey Bay. Phase 2 (August 2021) focused on winds around the complex headland of Monterey Peninsula. Phase 3 (August 2022) examined alongshore winds off Santa Cruz. Due to the persistent diurnal sea breeze pattern within the bay, canonical days were analyzed at each buoy to understand changes in wind speed and direction. Three cross-shore arrays were used to analyze topographic influences on surface wind behavior. All three arrays found winds veering and backing with decreasing distance to shore due to the presence of land and the differential roughness influencing the wind speed. The Bellamy method was used to compute Differential Kinematic Properties (DKPs) of vorticity, divergence, shear and stretch by using triangles with corners delineated by buoy locations. Twelve triangle centers were chosen for both Phase 2 and Phase 3. The response to wind veering and backing by the coastal topography induce cross- and along-shore gradients in the wind that can be described and quantified with DKPs.

Author(s):
Jenstrom, Ian P.
Author Organization(s):
NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY CA
Funding Organization(s):
NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY CA, MONTEREY, CA
Document Type:
Technical Report/Master's Thesis
Publication Date:
2023 Jun 01
Pagination:
56

Security Markings

DOCUMENT & CONTEXTUAL SUMMARY

Distribution Code:
A - Approved For Public Release
Distribution Statement: Public Release.
Copyright: Not Copyrighted

RECORD

Collection: TRECMS
Subject Terms
Descriptor(s):
measurement, topography, wind velocity, oceans, pressure gradients, meteorology, sea breeze, temperature gradients, wind direction, environment, oceanography, spar buoys, standards, united states, wind, anemometers, boundary layer
Keyword(s):
moored air-sea spar buoys, horizontal wind veering, coastal ocean, DKP(Differential Kinematic Properties), coast, boundaries, divergence, vorticity, shear, stretch, Monterey Bay, Santa Cruz, wind flow, ocean wind, surface winds, wind veering, wind backing, wind turning
Subject Categories:
Atmospheric Sciences; Mechanical, Industrial, Civil and Marine Engineering; Earth Sciences and Oceanography
Modernization Areas:
Space
Communities of Interest:
;
Descriptor(s):
topography, measurement, wind velocity, oceans, pressure gradients, meteorology, sea breeze, temperature gradients, wind direction, regions, spar buoys, terrain, united states, wind, anemometers, california, high resolution
Creation Date:
2023 Oct 24
Update Date:
2023 Nov 13