Dr. John W. (Jack) Glendening Meteorologist
25953 Deer Run Lane, Salinas, CA 93908
Those looking for the "on-line Big Sur Ventana/SilverPeak Trail Map" will find it at http://bigsurtrailmap.net/
"Dr Jack" is the creator of the following forecasts for soaring pilots:
USA only:
BLIP (Boundary Layer Information Prediction) SOARING FORECASTS
Basic information
RAP & NAM BLIPMAPs
BLIPSPOTs
Global:
RASP (Regional Atmospheric Soaring Prediction)
SOARING FORECASTS
RASP BLIPMAPs
California-Nevada (primarily):
WINDIP upper-level wind and mt. wave
forecasts
Forums:
BLIPMAP Forum (Thermal Soaring Forecasts & Meteorology)
RASP Forum: for RASP prediction operators/users
Presentation Slides:
2003 Soaring Society of America Convention: BLIPMAPs
Soaring Meteorology for Power Pilots
BLIPMAP Future [USHPA ExComm dinner - 2006]
A BLIPMAP Chronicle - DrJack soaring forecast history [Soaring Hall of Fame presentation - 2015]
Formerly flew a DG-400
Formerly flew a ASH-26E
Now I help condors fly ...
Education:
B.S., Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1967
M.S., Atmospheric Sciences, Colorado State University, 1977
Ph.D., Atmospheric Sciences, University of Washington, 1985
Research Interests:
Atmospheric Boundary-Layer processes
Large-Eddy Simulation (LES) modelling
Mesoscale Boundary-Layer variations
"A useful working definition identifies the atmospheric boundary layer
as the layer of air directly above the Earth's surface in which the
effects of the surface (friction, heating and cooling) are felt
directly." [The Atmospheric Boundary Layer, J.R.Garrett]
I would define the atmospheric boundary layer to be the region
influenced by turbulence generated either mechanically or thermally
at the Earth's surface.
A Large-Eddy Simulation (LES) is a model which uses the differential
equations of motion to simulate turbulent eddies with grid point
spacings small enough to explicitly resolve internal eddy
dynamics. While a global atmospheric model uses grid spacings of
50-500 km and a limited-area (mesoscale) weather model uses grid spacings of 5-50
km, a LES uses grid spacings of 5-50 meters.
Mesoscale features have horizontal diameters of around 50-500 km
and are thus smaller in size than global-scale (synoptic) weather systems
but larger than boundary-layer eddies.
Representative research:
Large-Eddy Simulation example of three-dimensional thermal plumes
Thermals are created and grow downwind over the relatively warm water surface -
but they grow much more rapidly at the downwind edge of the water surface,
where mean motion creates an enviroment more favorable to vertical growth.
(here color indicates height, with red/purple indicating high/low altitude)
Large-Eddy Simulation example of boundary-layer roll vortices
What glider pilots call cloud streets, minus the clouds, as viewed from above
(here color indicates vertical velocity, with red/blue indicating upward/downward motion)
Large-Eddy Simulation example of a three-dimensional density current
A sea-breeze front being one example, two are shown moving towards each other as viewed from the side. The vertical extrusion of the one on the right is created by upward motion.
(here color indicates temperature, with red/blue indicating warm/cold)
Representative publications:
J.W. Rivers, J.M. Johnson, S.M. Haig, C.J. Schwarz, J.W. Glendening, L.J. Burnett, D. George, J. Grantham, 2014: Resource Selection by the California Condor (Gymnogyps californianus) Relative to Terrestrial-Based Habitats and Meteorological Conditions.PLOS ONE 9(2): e88430
Glendening, J.W., 2000: Budgets of lineal and nonlineal turbulent kinetic
energy under strong shear conditions. J. Atmos. Sci., 57, 2297-2318.
Glendening, J.W., 1996: Lineal eddy features under strong shear
conditions. J. Atmos. Sci., 53, 3430-3449.