Analysis of the Jack Rabbit II Sonic Anemometer Dataset to Inform
Boundary Layer Adjustments in Atmospheric Dispersion Models
Abstract
Chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear (CBRN) releases pose
significant environmental and human exposure risks, especially in urban
areas with high population densities. The complex nature of a cityscape
brings substantial challenges when determining pollutant dispersal
within the urban canopy because wind profiles become altered and
turbulence is generated in street canyons and in wake of buildings. This
can affect downwind and ground level concentrations after a hazardous
release. To better understand complex flow conditions, the Department of
Homeland Security (DHS) and Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA)
initiated a series of controlled field studies called Jack Rabbit II
(JRII) in 2015 and 2016. Sequences of 10-20-ton releases of chlorine gas
were dispersed within an array of CONEX shipping containers to mimic
buildings or other roughness elements. Boundary layer wind flow
characteristics were also collected using sonic anemometers, but the
data have largely not been analyzed. The goal of this study is to
present a preliminary analysis of the JRII wind flow dataset to inform
urban adjustments in Gaussian dispersion models. Modifications to the
local wind profile and turbulence terms could lead to improved boundary
layer parameterizations in dispersion models, which are important for
efficient and precise emergency preparation and response.