A comparison exercise between a wind LIDAR and anemometers mounted on a 30 m mast

Report no. 13/19: This report describes the results of a side-by-side comparison of a ZephIR wind LIDAR with anemometers mounted on a 30 m meteorological mast at an open-field site. The work was done as part of a refinery wind study and is novel in the use of wind LIDAR to obtain measurements of speed and direction at heights below 40 m.

Good agreement was found for heights between 11 m and 30 m. This is important for dispersion of released gases on refineries and such data are difficult to obtain with traditional methods because of the need to anchor a tall mast. Profiles obtained from the LIDAR were consistent with stable atmospheric conditions.