Event Details

Unfortunately this seminar has had to be postponed due to unforeseen circumstances. We hope to reschedule in the near future.

The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model is one of the most widely-used weather forecasting models in the world. Dr Ralph Burton of the National Centre for Atmospheric Science will describe the WRF model and how it is used, and will give some examples of its use at various horizontal scales.

Developed in the US, WRF can be used to predict atmospheric phenomena at a range of scales, from hundreds of metres to tens of kilometres, and is used operationally across the globe. WRF includes state-of-the-art representations of many physical processes including turbulence, radiation and microphysics. Several parametrisations are also available in WRF, including a wind farm model. WRF is free to download and, importantly, the meteorological data needed to drive the model is also free. It can be learned in a week and run on relatively modest computing facilities.

This talk will describe the WRF model and how it is used, and will give some examples of its use at various horizontal scales. These will include modelling the dispersion of gas from a point source, simulating the spread of dense gas in the Lake Nyos disaster of 1986, simulating explosive volcanic plumes and, at larger scales, climate-type studies.

Dr Ralph Burton is a Senior Research Scientist at the National Centre for Atmospheric Science (NCAS), and is based in Leeds, UK. NCAS is a world leading research centre dedicated to the advancement of atmospheric science, funded by the Natural Environment Research Council. Ralph has worked on many topics, including modelling deep convection, modelling volcanic plumes, the effect of wind farms upon local climate, dispersion from oil and gas platforms, and nowcasting African storms. He has been using the WRF model for fifteen years and has published numerous papers on its use.

This joint session between Lancaster University's Engineering department and Lancaster Environment Centre will be chaired by Dr Sergio Campobasso, Senior Lecturer in Renewable Energy Engineering.

Joining the seminar

This seminar will be held live online through Microsoft Teams. All are very welcome to join us!

When a new date has been found for this seminar, a link to join the online meeting will be shared here.

Guidance on joining a Teams event available here.

Format

• 14:00 (UK time) Welcome and introduction
• 40 minute presentation from our speaker
• Speaker takes questions from our live virtual audience submitted through the text "Chat" function
• Session video will be uploaded onto Lancaster Environment Centre's YouTube channel in due course

You can also join the conversation on Twitter: #LECSeminar.

Full LEC Seminar series

Follow the full programme at https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/lec/about-us/events/