Experimental investigation into effects of thermal buoyancy on flow and dispersion within an urban canopy layer

This project, based in one of the world's only stratified atmospheric boundary layer simulating wind-tunnels, will study the complex relationships between temperature, turbulence and transport within the built environment using some of the world's most sophisticated instrumentation. To date, there has been very little work done to comprehensively include the effects of temperature in the study of turbulence and air quality within the urban canopy layer.

In particular, this project is aimed at improving dispersion and air quality models, in order to better understand the mechanisms by which contaminants (like vehicle exhaust) distributes along street canyons when driven by both the incident wind and the effects of thermal buoyancy.