ARL News
Physical models of downtown Washington and New York under construction
February 11, 2004
As a part of the multi-agency effort addressing the dispersion regimes in Washington DC and New York City, small-scale physical models of the downtown areas are presently being constructed. These will form the basis for extensive wind tunnel tests, due to start early this coming summer. The Washington effort is associated with the ARL DCNet program. The New York work is in collaboration with the similar program anticipated to start soon in New York, under the auspices of the Department of Homeland Security. There is extensive ARL involvement in this newer program.
This important work is critical to the development of new understanding of the processes that control the statistics of exposure and dose in urban areas. Detailed numerical models will be tested against the data that result. In addition, the wind tunnel studies are intended to help refine plans for future studies employing atmospheric tracers, presently being designed.
The wind tunnel work will be conducted at Research Triangle Park, as a contribution by the Air Respources Laboratory group operating closely with the EPA there. Support for the work is from the EPA. This is a timely and important example of the way in which critical research can be accelerated when the agencies involved share resources as well as capabilities and visions of the goals to be reached.