High-Altitude Wind Speed Mapped for the First Time by a Dutch Researcher

Peter Bass, a Dutch researcher, was the first to map the development of strong winds on sunny days that rises to a height of almost 200 meters. Through this research Peter Baas introduced a number of improvements in the climate and weather models. This research will help the aviation sector and wind energy generators.

The evenings experience changes in the wind near the ground and wind above the ground. The wind near the ground slows down in the evenings and the wind that is at higher altitude increase simultaneously in the form of strong winds. The wind speed changes based on the mixture of cool and warm air. This mixing process stops during the night creating a stable boundary layer. The wind speed can swiftly increase on the upper side of this boundary layer. Peter Baas in his research studied the mixing process of cold and warm air that is present in the higher altitudes.

Peter Bass examined the maximum speed of wind in the night with the help of the measurements obtained from the 200 meter high KNMI measurement mast in Cabauw. Bass conducted a test on the processes that are involved in the development of the nocturnal wind maximum. Bass also highlighted how the speed of nocturnal winds can be predicted by proper representations of the mixing of air layers in models.
Peter Bass conducted this research funded by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) as part of the project “Land Surface Climate and the Role of the Stable Boundary Layer PART 2” that was administered under the NWO theme “sustainable Earth”.