Simulation of the Scalar Transport above and within the Amazon Forest Canopy

Abstract

The parallelized large-eddy simulation model (PALM) was used to understand better the turbulent exchanges of a passive scalar above and within a forested region located in the central Amazon. Weak (2 ms−1) and strong (6 ms−1) wind conditions were simulated. A passive scalar source was introduced to the forest floor for both simulations. The simulations reproduced the main characteristics of the turbulent flow and of the passive scalar transport between the forest and the atmosphere. Noteworthily, strong and weak wind conditions presented different turbulence structures that drove different patterns of scalar exchange both within and above the forest. These results show how passive scalar concentration is influenced by the wind speed at the canopy top. Additionally, higher wind speeds are related to stronger sweep and ejection regimes, generating more intense plumes that are able to reduce the passive scalar concentration inside the forest canopy. This work was the first that used PALM to investigate scalar transport between the Amazon rainforest and the atmosphere.