The Alaiz Experiment (ALEX17): wind field and turbulent fluxes in a large-scale and complex topography with synoptic forcing

The Alaiz experiment (ALEX17) was performed at Alaiz, located in Navarre region (Spain), a site consisting of a mountain range of 1000m above sea level (a.s.l.). To the North, along the prevailing wind direction, measurement equipment are located at a valley 500m lower in altitude bounded by a 750 m asl. hill located 6 km north of Alaiz.

The experimental layout aims to provide a high-quality database to explore wind flow phenomena and derive validation datasets of high-resolution mesoscale-to-microscale models with strong coupling between terrain and thermal stratification.

This full-scale experiment is a joint effort between research groups of Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Renewable Energy Centre of Spain (CENER) and University of Balearic Islands (UIB).

The dataset collection is divided into the following parts, which can be accessed below and downloaded via OpenDAP:

• Multi-lidar dataset: 5 x Long-range WindScanner (LRWS) systems

• Surface fluxes dataset: 9 x Surface Layer Stations (SLS)

• WLS70 dataset: 1 x Windcube 70 (WLS70) lidar profiler

• Alaiz Test Site dataset: 1 x 118m flux-profile meteorological mast (called MP5)

• SEB and RASS dataset: 1 x Surface Energy Budget Station (SEB) and 1 x WindRASS sodar system

• Navarre meteo stations dataset: 22 x surface climatological stations from Meteo Navarra

• Flux-profile dataset: 4 x 80m met masts equipped with 3D sonic anemometers

• Complementary measurements dataset: 2 x 80m met masts with cup anemometers along with 6x80m temperature and relative humidity profiles.

• Landscape dataset: Digital Elevation Model (DEM) with 2x2m resolution as well as derived roughness length with 10x10m resolution.