Terminology#
This glossary defines key terms used throughout PyWAsP and wind resource assessment.
Terms can be cross-referenced from other documentation pages using :term:`Term Name`.
Wind climate objects are central to resource assessment in PyWAsP.
See also
Wind Climates for detailed explanations and usage examples.
- Time Series Wind Climate#
A wind climate represented as a time series of wind speed and direction measurements. Typically derived from an anemometer or meteorological mast, providing detailed information about wind conditions over time.
- Binned Wind Climate#
A wind climate represented as a multidimensional histogram of counts or frequencies. Typically consists of 12 sector bins (each 30 degrees) and 30+ wind speed bins (typically 1 m/s wide, starting from 0 m/s).
- Histogram Wind Climate#
Synonymous with Binned Wind Climate.
- Weibull Wind Climate#
A wind climate where wind speed distributions are represented by Weibull distribution parameters: shape (‘k’) and scale (‘A’). Most often consists of 12 sectors, each with its own ‘k’ and ‘A’ values.
- Observed Wind Climate#
A wind climate observed at a specific position, from a meteorological mast or weather model grid point. Can be represented as time-series, histogram, or Weibull wind climate.
- Predicted Wind Climate#
The local wind climate at a specific location, modeled from a Generalized Wind Climate. Usually represented by sector-wise Weibull parameters or as a Binned Wind Climate.
- Generalized Wind Climate#
A wind climate processed by a flow model to remove local terrain effects, making it representative of a larger geographical area. Represented by sector-wise Weibull parameters for multiple roughness classes and heights.
- Geostrophic Wind Climate#
The theoretical wind resulting from a balance between the Coriolis force and pressure gradient force. Used as a reference for large-scale wind patterns.
Terms related to terrain and surface characteristics.
See also
Topography for working with elevation and roughness data.
- Topography#
The detailed description and mapping of an area’s surface features, including land shape, elevation, and natural/man-made features.
- Terrain#
The physical features of a piece of land: hills, valleys, bodies of water.
- Orography#
The study of mountains and mountain ranges, including their formation, structure, and distribution.
- Elevation#
The height of a point above a reference level (typically sea level).
- Displacement height#
The height above the surface to set zero height for wind measurements. Accounts for obstacles like trees or buildings that affect wind flow.
- Surface roughness#
Variations in the Earth’s surface that affect wind flow, including natural features (hills, vegetation) and man-made structures.
- Land use#
The purpose for which land is used: agriculture, housing, industry, etc.
- Land cover#
The physical material covering land: grass, trees, water, pavement, or structures. Affects wind flow and site suitability assessment.
- Vector map#
A map using points, lines, and polygons to represent discrete geographic features. Precise and common in GIS-based wind resource assessment.
- Raster map#
A map using a grid of cells (pixels) to represent geographical information. Ideal for continuously varying data like elevation or satellite imagery.
Terms specific to the WAsP methodology and software.
See also
WAsP Flow Model for details on the WAsP flow model.
- WAsP Method#
The process of generalizing an observed wind climate and downscaling it to new locations using the WAsP flow model.
- WAsP Model#
A flow model using fast, linearized submodels to capture effects of orography, surface roughness, and atmospheric stability on wind.
- WAsP Program#
The Windows GUI program that interfaces with the WAsP core library.
- WAsP Bundle#
Collection of WAsP software: WAsP, WAsP Engineering, Terrain Editor, Wind Analysis Tool, and others.
- WAsP Engineering#
A WAsP program specifically designed for site assessment.
- WAsP CFD#
A RANS-based method combining EllipSys3D with the WAsP method for improved accuracy in complex terrain.
Terms related to the LINCOM flow model.
See also
LINCOM Model for details on using LINCOM in PyWAsP.
- LINCOM Model#
A fast, linearized spectral wind flow model for use over hilly terrain.