Understanding wind flow over complex terrain is critical for accurately modeling surface-atmosphere exchanges and wind field turbulence. This thesis investigates the dynamics of the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) over mountainous terrain in the area of the Vernagtferner glacier, Austria, using high-resolution large-eddy simulations (LESs) under neutrally stratified conditions. The study focuses on the application of periodic boundary conditions over real mountainous topography and how domain size and mesh resolution influence spatially averaged and local wind structures. Thus, a set of simulations is conducted to evaluate the sensitivity of the wind field to changes in domain extent and spatial discretization. Results show that smaller domain extents produce less friction between the wind flow and the mountainous terrain, whereas a domain length of 60 km yields higher atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) depth and increased turbulence locally over the glacier. Moreover, refined topography enhances the magnitude of resolved-scale turbulence and improves the quality of the wind field by reducing unphysical numerical oscillations (UNOs). Under the simulated conditions, the glacier is exposed to elevated turbulent kinetic energy (TKE), especially near sharp ridges. These findings provide guidance for the setup of numerical domains and resolutions in LES studies over complex terrain, contributing to improved modeling of wind dynamics and turbulence in alpine environments.     «

Understanding wind flow over complex terrain is critical for accurately modeling surface-atmosphere exchanges and wind field turbulence. This thesis investigates the dynamics of the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) over mountainous terrain in the area of the Vernagtferner glacier, Austria, using high-resolution large-eddy simulations (LESs) under neutrally stratified conditions. The study focuses on the application of periodic boundary conditions over real mountainous topography and how domain s...     »