Model of the wind field in a downburst

Abstract

The downburst weather phenomenon produces a flow like that of a jet directed vertically downward at the ground. The resulting velocity field near the ground has been modeled as a classical ideal fluid flow generated by a suitable singularity distribution. The resulting model of horizontal, lateral, and vertical winds near the ground is quite realistic, and very useful for investigating landing and takeoff of airplanes under downburst conditions. It can be used both for analysis and on-line real-time simulations.