Large-eddy simulation of sea breeze at an idealized peninsular site

• Published in: Journal of marine systems 2015-08, Vol.148, p.167-182
• Main Authors: Rizza, Umberto, Miglietta, Mario Marcello, Anabor, Vagner, Degrazia, Gervasio A., Maldaner, Silvana
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Atmospheric density currents; Circulation; Fluxes; Formations; Grounds; Horizontal; Large eddy simulation; Marine; Sea-breeze circulation; Simulation; Turbulent flow
• ISSN: 0924-7963; 1879-1573
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jmarsys.2015.03.001

A high-resolution large-eddy simulation (LES) has been performed to simulate a sea-breeze circulation over an idealized peninsular domain. The simulation is forced with the surface latent/sensible heat fluxes and the large-scale horizontal pressure gradient that are obtained from a mesoscale simulation. This methodology allows the investigation of the physical phenomena that are peculiar for a sea-breeze circulation and that generally require spatial resolution approximately equal to 100m or less. Here, small-scale dynamical effects associated to these phenomena, i.e. the interaction between the sea-breeze front with the convective turbulence generated over-land, the formation of the zero-velocity layer, and the development of the Kelvin–Helmholtz billows, are investigated. Results from the present numerical study have revealed the formation of a zero-velocity layer that is initially near the ground then it rises to define a well-marked sea-breeze depth. Scaling analysis applied to the LES output fields reveals that during the phase of inland penetration the scaling laws for sea-breeze strength and depth have both a proportionality coefficient equal to 0.15. •This LES of a sea-breeze has simulated the formation of the zero-velocity layer, that is an important “marker” of the SB current.•The high-resolution LES has revealed the development Kelvin–Helmholtz billows on the SB head during the phase of inland propagation.•During the phase of inland penetration of the SB current the scaling laws for the SB strength and depth have both a proportionality coefficient equal to 0.15.