Katabatic winds in the lower Tamar valley, Tasmania

As an integral part of an air quality study undertaken in the lower Tamar valley, Tasmania, where Bell Bay industrial area is located, 10-m surface winds were monitored by six Lambrecht Woelfle type anemographs along the valley between Low Head and Dilston (27 km SE of Bell Bay industrial area) in 1982-1983. A thetered ballon was also used to investigate the temperature and wind profiles within the lowest 1 km of the atmosphere in the industrial area. The paper presents some of the results obtained. It mainly focuses on the katabatic winds which affect the dispersion of atmospheric emissions from various sources in the lower Tamar valley, particularly those from the aluminium smelter, the ferro-alloys smelter and the 2x120 Mw oil-fired thermal power station, which are located in or near the industrial area. The characteristics of the katabatic winds are identified, and their implications for air pollution problems in the study area are discussed