Spatial modeling of wind speed around windbreaks

• Published in: Catena (Giessen) Vol. 52; no. 3; pp. 273 - 288
• Main Authors: Vigiak, Olga, Sterk, Geert, Warren, Andrew, Hagen, Lawrence J.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Cremlingen-Destedt Elsevier B.V 01-07-2003; Catena
• Subjects: Bgi / Prodig; erosion; flow; Geomorphology; GIS; Methods and techniques; Physical geography; porosity; shelter; simulation; Wind erosion; Wind Erosion Prediction System; Wind speed reduction; Windbreak; windspeed reduction; England; United Kingdom; British Isles, England; British Isles, England, East Anglia; GIS; Wind speed reduction; Wind erosion; Wind Erosion Prediction System; Windbreak; Aeolian features; Wind speed; Forecast; Spatial analysis; Model; Geographical information system
• ISSN: 0341-8162; 1872-6887
• DOI: 10.1016/S0341-8162(03)00018-3

This paper presents a model to integrate windbreak shelter effects into a Geographic Information System (GIS). The GIS procedure incorporates the 1999 version windbreak sub-model of the Wind Erosion Prediction System (WEPS). Windbreak shelter is modeled in terms of friction velocity reduction, which is a function of wind speed and direction, distance from the barrier, windbreak height, porosity, width, and orientation. A first application of the model was conducted at a study area with an extensive windbreak network in England (Thetford, East Anglia). Windbreak characteristics (windbreak type, height, width, porosity, and location) were recorded. Porosity was estimated from digitized B/W silhouettes. To evaluate the network effectiveness, a windbreak network shelter index (SI) was proposed in terms of average reduction of friction velocity over the area due to network shelter. The network was found to give good protection, but the windbreak distribution was not optimal in relation to the wind vector distribution.