Book Description

Effort has been expended in modeling air flow within and above simple roughness elements for neutral steady-state conditions. Application of the ideal canopy flow concept suggested by Cionco, Ohmstede and Appleby is now extended to various natural and artificial canopies of simple or complex structure. Properties and characteristics considered were: Shape of the unit canopy wind profile, intensity of turbulence magnitudes, an index of canopy flow, and the effects of density and flexibility variations upon the flow. The profile shape is characteristic and best described by an exponential relationship within simple-structured elements. In complex structures, the profiles exhibited low-level maximums and no-gradient layers. Above the vegetation, the logarithmic wind relation was valid for each canopy type. Intensity of turbulence was relatively uniform with height for simple canopies and significantly non-uniform with height in complex structures, with large leaf area maximums and very low wind speeds. The ideal canopy flow concept can potentially serve many disciplines and efforts besides micrometeorology and diffusion research. If to serve no other purpose, it can be used to establish the initial formulation of a boundary condition or minor portion of a larger problem. The mathematical simplicity of the concept may be its most important quality when it is to be used as part of a larger system of equations.