An Analysis of the Physical Characteristics of the Summer Low Atmosphere in the Gobi Desert Adjacent to Bosten Lake, Xinjiang, China

A month-long field observation campaign was conducted, which covered approximately 100 km2 of the Gobi Desert area on the southeast bank of Bosten Lake during the summer of 2016. The purpose of the study was to examine the physical characteristics of the low atmosphere over land-lake nonuniform underlying surfaces in the Gobi Desert of northwestern China. The results of the statistical analysis showed that, during the observational period, the average daytime surface horizontal thermal gradient reached up to −0.2°C/km from the lakeshore to southern Gobi Desert area. The near-surface wind field of the 7 km horizontal extent from the lakeshore was dominated by onshore breezes with average peak wind speeds above 5 m/s. In the atmospheric near-surface layer, an isohumidity layer at a height between 10 and 50 m a.g.l. was observed from 11:00 to 18:00 LST. Also, a case study for the atmospheric boundary layer and local circulation analyses was conducted. The onshore breezes were found to play a major role in the vertical structure of the local atmospheric boundary layer. The numerical simulation results indicated that there was an alternating day-night local circulation in the Bosten Lake area.

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Inference of Marine Atmospheric Boundary Layer Moisture and Temperature Structure Using Airborne Lidar and Infrared Radiometer Data

Journal of Applied Meteorology ◽

10.1175/1520-0450-37.3.308 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 37 (3) ◽

pp. 308-324 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Stephen P. Palm ◽

Denise Hagan ◽

Geary Schwemmer ◽

S. H. Melfi

Keyword(s):

Boundary Layer ◽

Atmospheric Boundary Layer ◽

Potential Temperature ◽

Airborne Lidar ◽

Temperature Structure ◽

Marine Atmospheric Boundary Layer ◽

Space Technology ◽

Near Surface ◽

Surface Moisture ◽

Infrared Radiometer

Abstract A new technique for retrieving near-surface moisture and profiles of mixing ratio and potential temperature through the depth of the marine atmospheric boundary layer (MABL) using airborne lidar and multichannel infrared radiometer data is presented. Data gathered during an extended field campaign over the Atlantic Ocean in support of the Lidar In-space Technology Experiment are used to generate 16 moisture and temperature retrievals that are then compared with dropsonde measurements. The technique utilizes lidar-derived statistics on the height of cumulus clouds that frequently cap the MABL to estimate the lifting condensation level. Combining this information with radiometer-derived sea surface temperature measurements, an estimate of the near-surface moisture can be obtained to an accuracy of about 0.8 g kg−1. Lidar-derived statistics on convective plume height and coverage within the MABL are then used to infer the profiles of potential temperature and moisture with a vertical resolution of 20 m. The rms accuracy of derived MABL average moisture and potential temperature is better than 1 g kg−1 and 1°C, respectively. The method relies on the presence of a cumulus-capped MABL, and it was found that the conditions necessary for use of the technique occurred roughly 75% of the time. The synergy of simple aerosol backscatter lidar and infrared radiometer data also shows promise for the retrieval of MABL moisture and temperature from space.

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A New Time-dependent Theory of Tropical Cyclone Intensification

Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences ◽

10.1175/jas-d-21-0169.1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Yuqing Wang ◽

Yuanlong Li ◽

Jing Xu

Keyword(s):

Boundary Layer ◽

Tropical Cyclone ◽

Numerical Simulations ◽

Strong Dependence ◽

Surface Wind ◽

Time Dependent ◽

Quasi Equilibrium ◽

Free Atmosphere ◽

Near Surface ◽

Tangential Wind

AbstractIn this study, the boundary-layer tangential wind budget equation following the radius of maximum wind, together with an assumed thermodynamical quasi-equilibrium boundary layer is used to derive a new equation for tropical cyclone (TC) intensification rate (IR). A TC is assumed to be axisymmetric in thermal wind balance with eyewall convection becoming in moist slantwise neutrality in the free atmosphere above the boundary layer as the storm intensifies as found recently based on idealized numerical simulations. An ad-hoc parameter is introduced to measure the degree of congruence of the absolute angular momentum and the entropy surfaces. The new IR equation is evaluated using results from idealized ensemble full-physics axisymmetric numerical simulations. Results show that the new IR equation can reproduce the time evolution of the simulated TC intensity. The new IR equation indicates a strong dependence of IR on both TC intensity and the corresponding maximum potential intensity (MPI). A new finding is the dependence of TC IR on the square of the MPI in terms of the near-surface wind speed for any given relative intensity. Results from some numerical integrations of the new IR equation also suggest the finite-amplitude nature of TC genesis. In addition, the new IR theory is also supported by some preliminary results based on best-track TC data over the North Atlantic and eastern and western North Pacific. Compared with the available time-dependent theories of TC intensification, the new IR equation can provide a realistic intensity-dependent IR during weak intensity stage as in observations.

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Integrated System for Atmospheric Boundary Layer Height Estimation (ISABLE) using a ceilometer and microwave radiometer

Atmospheric Measurement Techniques ◽

10.5194/amt-13-6965-2020 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (12) ◽

pp. 6965-6987

Author(s):

Jae-Sik Min ◽

Moon-Soo Park ◽

Jung-Hoon Chae ◽

Minsoo Kang

Keyword(s):

Boundary Layer ◽

Atmospheric Boundary Layer ◽

Layer Structure ◽

Microwave Radiometer ◽

Accurate Determination ◽

Integrated System ◽

Lapse Rate ◽

High Temporal Resolution ◽

Near Surface ◽

Boundary Layer Structure

Abstract. Accurate boundary layer structure and height are critical in the analysis of the features of air pollutants and local circulation. Although surface-based remote sensing instruments provide a high temporal resolution of the boundary layer structure, there are numerous uncertainties in terms of the accurate determination of the atmospheric boundary layer heights (ABLHs). In this study, an algorithm for an integrated system for ABLH estimation (ISABLE) was developed and applied to the vertical profile data obtained using a ceilometer and a microwave radiometer in Seoul city, Korea. A maximum of 19 ABLHs were estimated via the conventional time-variance, gradient, wavelet, and clustering methods using the backscatter coefficient from the ceilometer. Meanwhile, several stable boundary layer heights were extracted through near-surface inversion and environmental lapse rate methods using the potential temperature from the microwave radiometer. The ISABLE algorithm can find an optimal ABLH from post-processing, such as k-means clustering and density-based spatial clustering of applications with noise (DBSCAN) techniques. It was found that the ABLH determined using ISABLE exhibited more significant correlation coefficients and smaller mean bias and root mean square error between the radiosonde-derived ABLHs than those obtained using the most conventional methods. Clear skies exhibited higher daytime ABLH than cloudy skies, and the daily maximum ABLH was recorded in summer because of the more intense radiation. The ABLHs estimated by ISABLE are expected to contribute to the parameterization of vertical diffusion in the atmospheric boundary layer.

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How is the marine atmospheric boundary layer turbulence organized in the trades ?

10.5194/egusphere-egu21-12339 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Pierre-Etienne Brilouet ◽

Marie Lothon ◽

Sandrine Bony

Keyword(s):

Boundary Layer ◽

Atmospheric Boundary Layer ◽

Vertical Velocity ◽

Large Scale ◽

Layer Structure ◽

Potential Temperature ◽

Surface Wind ◽

Cloud Amount ◽

Velocity Spectrum ◽

Marine Atmospheric Boundary Layer

Tradewind clouds can exhibit a wide diversity of mesoscale organizations, and the turbulence of marine atmospheric boundary layer (MABL) can exhibit coherent structures and mesoscale circulations. One of the objectives of the EUREC4A (Elucidating the role of cloud-circulation coupling in climate) field experiment was to better understand the tight interplay between the mesoscale organization of clouds, boundary-layer processes, and the large-scale environment.During the experiment, that took place East of Barbados over the Western Tropical Atlantic Ocean in Jan-Feb 2020, the French ATR-42 research aircraft was devoted to the characterization of the cloud amount and of the subcoud layer structure. During its 17 research flights, it sampled a large diversity of large scale conditions and cloud patterns. Multiple sensors onboard the aircraft measured high-frequency fluctuations of potential temperature, water vapour mixing ratio and wind , allowing for an extensive characterization of the turbulence within the subcloud layer. A quality-controled and calibrated turbulence dataset was produced on the basis of these measurements, which is now available on the EUREC4A AERIS data portal.The MABL turbulent structure is studied using this dataset, through a spectral analysis of the vertical velocity. Vertical profiles of characteristic length scales reveal a non-isotropic structure with a stretching of the eddies along the mean wind. The organization strength of the turbulent field is also explored by defining a diagnostic based on the shape of the vertical velocity spectrum. The structure and the degree of organization of the subcloud layer are characterized for different types of mesoscale convective pattern and as a function of the large-scale environment, including near-surface wind and lower-tropospheric stability conditions.&#160;

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Evaluation of regional NWP results for sea ice covered Bothnia Bay (Baltic Sea) in winter 2020.

10.5194/egusphere-egu21-14612 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Marta Wenta ◽

Agnieszka Herman

Keyword(s):

Boundary Layer ◽

Wind Speed ◽

Sea Ice ◽

Surface Temperature ◽

Atmospheric Boundary Layer ◽

Baltic Sea ◽

Polar Regions ◽

Near Surface ◽

Accurate Representation ◽

Complex Processes

The ongoing development of NWP (Numerical Weather Prediction) models and their increasing horizontal resolution have significantly improved forecasting capabilities. However, in the polar regions models struggle with the representation of near-surface atmospheric properties and the vertical structure of the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) over sea ice. Particularly difficult to resolve are near-surface temperature, wind speed, and humidity, along with diurnal changes of those properties. Many of the complex processes happening at the interface of sea ice and atmosphere, i.e. vertical fluxes, turbulence, atmosphere - surface coupling are poorly parameterized or not represented in the models at all. Limited data coverage and our poor understanding of the complex processes taking place in the polar ABL limit the development of suitable parametrizations. We try to contribute to the ongoing effort to improve the forecast skill in polar regions through the analysis of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and automatic weather station (AWS) atmospheric measurements from the coastal area of Bothnia Bay (Wenta et. al., 2021), and the application of those datasets for the analysis of regional NWP models' forecasts.&#160;Data collected during HAOS (Hailuoto Atmospheric Observations over Sea ice) campaign (Wenta et. al., 2021) is used for the evaluation of regional NWP models results from AROME (Applications of Research to Operations at Mesoscale) - Arctic, HIRLAM (High Resolution Limited Area Model) and WRF (Weather Research and Forecasting). The presented analysis focuses on 27 Feb. 2020 - 2 Mar. 2020, the time of the HAOS campaign, shortly after the formation of new, thin sea ice off the westernmost point of Hailuoto island.&#160; Throughout the studied period weather conditions changed from very cold (-14&#8451;), dry and cloud-free to warmer (~ -5&#8451;), more humid and opaquely cloudy. We evaluate models&#8217; ability to correctly resolve near-surface temperature, humidity, and wind speed, along with vertical changes of temperature and humidity over the sea ice. It is found that generally, models struggle with an accurate representation of surface-based temperature inversions, vertical variations of humidity, and temporal wind speed changes. Furthermore, a WRF Single Columng Model (SCM) is launched to study whether specific WRF planetary boundary layer parameterizations (MYJ, YSU, MYNN, QNSE), vertical resolution, and more accurate representation of surface conditions increase the WRF model&#8217;s ability to resolve the ABL above sea ice in the Bay of Bothnia. Experiments with WRF SCM are also used to determine the possible reasons behind model&#8217;s biases. Preliminary results show that accurate representation of sea ice conditions, including thickness, surface temperature, albedo, and snow coverage is crucial for increasing the quality of NWP models forecasts. We emphasize the importance of further development of parametrizations focusing on the processes at the sea ice-atmosphere interface.&#160;Reference:Wenta, M., Brus, D., Doulgeris, K., Vakkari, V., and Herman, A.: Winter atmospheric boundary layer observations over sea ice in the coastal zone of the Bay of Bothnia (Baltic Sea), Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 13, 33&#8211;42, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-13-33-2021, 2021.&#160;

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Acoustic sounding of the atmospheric boundary layer at Halley, Antarctica

Antarctic Science ◽

10.1017/s0954102089000544 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 1 (4) ◽

pp. 363-372 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Alistair D. Culf

Keyword(s):

Boundary Layer ◽

Atmospheric Boundary Layer ◽

Surface Wind ◽

Gravity Currents ◽

Wind Regime ◽

Acoustic Sounding ◽

Use Of Data

The records obtained from a monostatic acoustic sounder run at Halley, Antarctica, have been analysed with the use of data from instruments on a 32 m mast and from radiosonde ascents. Echoes representing ground-based layers, waves, and shallow gravity currents are discussed. The spiky ground-based echo is related to a westerly surface wind, whilst a layered wavy flow is related to surface easterlies. Such relationships are consistent with the sloped inversion wind regime at Halley.

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Study of near-surface models for large-eddy simulations of a neutrally stratified atmospheric boundary layer

Boundary-Layer Meteorology ◽

10.1007/s10546-007-9181-x ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 124 (3) ◽

pp. 405-424 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Inanc Senocak ◽

Andrew S. Ackerman ◽

Michael P. Kirkpatrick ◽

David E. Stevens ◽

Nagi N. Mansour

Keyword(s):

Boundary Layer ◽

Atmospheric Boundary Layer ◽

Large Eddy Simulations ◽

Near Surface ◽

Large Eddy ◽

Surface Models ◽

Neutrally Stratified

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Dust Event in the Gobi Desert on 22-23 May 2013: Transport of Dust from the Atmospheric Boundary Layer to the Free Troposphere by a Cold Front

SOLA ◽

10.2151/sola.2015-035 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 11 (0) ◽

pp. 156-159 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Kei Kawai ◽

Kenji Kai ◽

Yoshitaka Jin ◽

Nobuo Sugimoto ◽

Dashdondog Batdorj

Keyword(s):

Boundary Layer ◽

Atmospheric Boundary Layer ◽

Cold Front ◽

Gobi Desert ◽

Free Troposphere ◽

Dust Event

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Parameterization of convective transport in the boundary layer and its impact on the representation of the diurnal cycle of wind and dust emissions

Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics ◽

10.5194/acp-15-6775-2015 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 15 (12) ◽

pp. 6775-6788 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

F. Hourdin ◽

M. Gueye ◽

B. Diallo ◽

J.-L. Dufresne ◽

J. Escribano ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Boundary Layer ◽

Diurnal Cycle ◽

General Circulation ◽

Surface Wind ◽

Circulation Model ◽

Convective Transport ◽

Strong Nonlinearity ◽

Thermal Plumes ◽

Near Surface ◽

Dust Emissions

Abstract. We investigate how the representation of the boundary layer in a climate model impacts the representation of the near-surface wind and dust emission, with a focus on the Sahel/Sahara region. We show that the combination of vertical turbulent diffusion with a representation of the thermal cells of the convective boundary layer by a mass flux scheme leads to realistic representation of the diurnal cycle of wind in spring, with a maximum near-surface wind in the morning. This maximum occurs when the thermal plumes reach the low-level jet that forms during the night at a few hundred meters above surface. The horizontal momentum in the jet is transported downward to the surface by compensating subsidence around thermal plumes in typically less than 1 h. This leads to a rapid increase of wind speed at surface and therefore of dust emissions owing to the strong nonlinearity of emission laws. The numerical experiments are performed with a zoomed and nudged configuration of the LMDZ general circulation model coupled to the emission module of the CHIMERE chemistry transport model, in which winds are relaxed toward that of the ERA-Interim reanalyses. The new set of parameterizations leads to a strong improvement of the representation of the diurnal cycle of wind when compared to a previous version of LMDZ as well as to the reanalyses used for nudging themselves. It also generates dust emissions in better agreement with current estimates, but the aerosol optical thickness is still significantly underestimated.

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Impact of the current feedback on kinetic energy over the North-East Atlantic from a coupled ocean/atmospheric boundary layer model

10.5194/os-2020-78 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Théo Brivoal ◽

Guillaume Samson ◽

Hervé Giordani ◽

Romain Bourdallé-Badie ◽

Florian Lemarié ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Boundary Layer ◽

Kinetic Energy ◽

Atmospheric Boundary Layer ◽

Large Scale ◽

Surface Wind ◽

Ocean Model ◽

Ekman Pumping ◽

Coupling Coefficients ◽

Current Feedback ◽

North East

Abstract. A one-dimensional Atmospheric Boundary Layer (ABL1D) is coupled with the NEMO ocean model and implemented over the Iberian–Biscay–Ireland (IBI) area at 1/36° resolution to investigate the retroactions between the surface currents and the atmosphere, namely the Current FeedBack (CFB) in this region of low mesoscale activity. The ABL1D-NEMO coupled model is forced by a large-scale atmospheric reanalysis (ERA-Interim) and integrated over the period 2016–2017. The mechanisms of eddy kinetic energy damping and ocean upper-layers re-energization are realistically simulated, meaning that the CFB is properly represented by the model. In particular, the dynamical coupling coefficients between the curls of surface stress/wind and current are in agreement with the literature. The effects of CFB on the kinetic energy (KE) are then investigated through a KE budget. We show that the KE decrease induced by the CFB is significant down to 1500 m. Near the surface (0–300 m), most of the KE decrease can be explained by a reduction of the surface wind work by 4 %. At depth (300–2000 m), the CFB induce a reduction of the pressure work (i.e: the PE to KE conversion) associated with a reduction of KE which is significant down to 1500 m. We show that this reduction of KE at depth can be explained by CFB-induced Ekman pumping above eddies that weakens the mesoscale activity and this over the whole water column.

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