Simulations of Meteor Crater Dynamics


 
3D flow over the Meteor Crater in AZ

(Publications listed at bottom)

A. Approach to Steady Flow

1. impulsive startup at 8 m/s


a. spanwise vorticity, (x,z) cross section (crater subdomain)


b. stability, N2, (x,z) cross section (crater subdomain)


c. streamwise velocity, (x,z) cross section (crater subdomain)



d. solenoidal tendency, (x,z) cross section (crater subdomain)



2. impulsive startup at 4 m/s

a. spanwise vorticity, (x,z) cross section (crater subdomain)


b. stability, N2, (x,z) cross section (crater subdomain)



c. solenoidal tendency, (x,z) cross section (crater subdomain)




3. Approach to steady mean flow - ramp up to 4 m/s

a. spanwise vorticity, (x,z) cross section (crater subdomain)


b. stability, N2, (x,z) cross section (crater subdomain)



c. horizontal wind, (x,z) cross section (crater subdomain)



d. horizontal wind, (x,z) cross section (crater subdomain)


B. Oscillatory Flows

1. Oscillatory forcing at T = 300 s and Umax = 2 m/s


a. potential temperature, (x,z) cross section (crater subdomain)



b. solenoidal tendency, (x,z) cross section (crater subdomain)




2. Oscillatory forcing at T = 600 s and Umax = 2 m/s

a. potential temperature, (x,z) cross section (crater subdomain)




b. solenoidal tendency, (x,z) cross section (crater subdomain)




3. Oscillatory forcing at T = 1200 s and Umax = 2 m/s

a. potential temperature, (x,z) cross section (crater subdomain)



b. spanwise vorticity, (x,z) cross section (crater subdomain)



c. horizontal wind, (x,z) cross section (crater subdomain)



d. solenoidal tendency, (x,z) cross section (crater subdomain)




4. Oscillatory forcing spindown: T = 300 s and Umax = 2 m/s

displacements of potential temperature isosurface,
(x,y) cross section (crater subdomain)



Publications describing these results:

Fritts, D. C., D. Goldstein, and T. Lund, 2010: High-resolution numerical studies of stable boundary layer flows
        in a closed basin: Evolution of steady and oscillatory flows in an axisymmetric Arizona Meteor Crater,
        J. Geophys. Res., in press. 

*********
  Paper.pdf   ********

Fritts, D. C., D. Goldstein, and T. Lund, 2010: Seiche modes and mode coupling in an idealized circular basin under stable boundary layer conditions, J. Geophys. Res., to be submitted.


Simulations designed and performed by Dan Goldstein,
Tom Lund, and Dave Fritts

Acknowledgments: Spectral element code developments and research results displayed on this page were performed with support from NSF grants ATM-0314060, ATM-0435789, ATM-0444441, ATM-0935342, and MDA contract HQ0006-06-C-7328.