Pollutant dispersion processes over complex terrain are much more complicated than over flat areas, as they are affected by atmospheric interactions with the orography at different spatial scales. This paper reviews recent findings and progress in this field, focusing on both experimental and modeling perspectives. It highlights open questions and challenges to our capability for better understanding and representing atmospheric processes controlling the fate of pollutants over mountainous areas. In particular, attention is focused on new measurement techniques for the retrieval of spatially distributed turbulence information and air quality parameters, and on challenges for meteorological and dispersion models to reproduce fine-scale processes influenced by the orography. Finally, specific needs in this field are discussed, along with possible directions for future research efforts.

A numerical model is used to investigate the transport of passive tracers in an idealized Alpine valley during stable wintertime conditions after the evening transition. The valley is composed of an upstream-valley section, which opens on a narrower downstream valley section, which opens onto a plain. The ratio between the valley-floor widths of the upstream and downstream sections is either 4 (simulation P1) or $11.5$ (P2). The change in the thermal structure of the atmosphere in the along-valley direction and over the plain leads to the development of an along-valley flow. This flow is up-valley in the upstream section during the first three hours of the P1 simulation, reversing to the down-valley direction afterwards, but remains up-valley during the six hours of the P2 simulation. The effect of wind dynamics on the dispersion of passive scalars is identified by tracking areas prone to stagnation, recirculation, and ventilation using the methodology developed by Allwine and Whiteman (1994). Zones identified as prone to stagnation are consistent with those of high tracer concentration in both simulations. The narrowing of the valley is found to significantly reduce ventilation in the upstream section, an observation quantified by a ventilation efficiency.

The nonlinear reflection of a finite-width plane internal gravity wave incident onto a uniform slope is addressed, relying on the inviscid theory of Thorpe (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 178, 1987, pp. 279–302) for pure plane waves. The aim of this theory is to determine the conditions under which the incident and the reflected waves form a resonant triad with the second-harmonic wave resulting from their interaction. Thorpe’s theory leads to an indeterminacy of the second-harmonic wave amplitude at resonance. In waiving this indeterminacy, we show that the latter amplitude has a finite behaviour at resonance, increasing linearly from the slope. We investigate the influence of background rotation and find similar results with a weaker growth rate. We then adapt the theory to the case of an incident plane wave of finite width. In this case, nonlinear interactions are confined to the area where the incident and reflected finite-width waves superpose, implying that the amplitude of the second-harmonic wave is bounded at resonance. We find good agreement with the results of numerical simulations in a vertical plane as long as the dissipated power of the incident and reflected waves remain smaller than the power transferred to the second-harmonic wave. This is the case for small slope angles. As the slope angle increases, the focusing of the reflected wave enhances viscous effects and dissipation eventually dominates over nonlinear transfer. We finally discuss the relevance of laboratory experiments to assess the validity of the theoretical results.

The interactions between inertial oscillations (IO) and lee waves (LW) close to the bottom of the ocean and the role of IO in energy dissipation are addressed for a range of physical parameters typical of Southern Ocean conditions. Idealized numerical simulations in a vertical plane and resonant interaction theory are combined for this purpose. The lee waves are emitted by a uniform geostrophic flow over a sinusoidal topography for a constant buoyancy frequency at mid-latitude. We show that IO can grow by triadic resonant interactions with the LW. Two triads are dominant, which involve waves with frequency ${\omega }_{LW}$, f and ${\omega }_{LW}-f$, where ${\omega }_{LW}$ is the intrinsic frequency of the LW and f the Coriolis frequency (assumed positive). These triads differ by the sign and value of the IO vertical wavenumber. Results from the numerical simulations show that the triad associated with the upward phase propagation of the IO is selected, consistent with oceanic observations, that a good agreement is obtained with the IO growth rate predicted theoretically and that the IO develop in a bottom layer of height less than 1000 m. A quasi-steady flow regime is eventually reached, with the IO amplitude being of the same order as the geostrophic flow speed. During this regime, depending upon the flow parameters, the IO kinetic energy is equal to 30–70% of the LW energy flux during one inertial period. This large range of values is not reflected in the turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) dissipation rate, which is comprised between 10 and 30% of the LW energy flux, whatever the IO amplitude, even if vanishingly small. Therefore, for the set of parameters we consider, the TKE dissipation rate cannot be inferred from the IO amplitude. Yet, the nonlinear interactions between the lee waves and the IO are critical in setting the energy spectrum, and similarly for the internal tide and the IO at low latitudes according to the literature. This implies that IO should be taken into account in the parameterisation of mixing in the ocean.