Modeling the dynamical coupling between wildland fires and atmospheric hydrodynamics

Abstract

Experiments and observations have demonstrated that the two-way feedbacks between fires and atmosphere play critical roles in determining how fires spread or if they spread. Advancements in computing and numerical modeling have generated new opportunities for the use of models that couple process-based wildfire models to atmospheric hydrodynamics models on high performance computing (HPC) platforms. These process-based coupled fire/atmosphere models, which simulate critical processes such as heat transfer, buoyancy-induced flows and vegetation aerodynamic drag, are not practical for operational faster-than-real-time fire prediction due to their computational and data requirements. However, they do serve critical role as they help increase our understanding of wildfire phenomenology, complement experiments, add perspective to observations, and generate new hypothesis that can be tested experimentally. These HPC- based models can also provide critical insights for the development of faster running coupled fire/atmosphere model that can be used for training, ensemble calculations and eventually operations. One requirement that has been identified for any such future model that is intended for broad wildland fire applications (wildfire and prescribed fire) is that it represents the coupling between the fire and the atmosphere.

RODMAN LINN

Senior Scientist, Los Alamos National Laboratory