Atmospheric Planetary Boundary Layer Research Articles

Inferring the Speed of Sound and Wind in the Nighttime Martian Boundary Layer From Impact‐Generated Infrasound

AbstractThe properties of the first kilometers of the Martian atmospheric Planetary Boundary Layer have until now been measured by only a few instruments and probes. InSight offers an opportunity to investigate this region through seismoacoustics. On six occasions, its seismometers recorded short low‐frequency waveforms, with clear dispersion between 0.4 and 4 Hz. These signals are the air‐to‐ground coupling of impact‐generated infrasound, which propagated in an low‐altitude atmospheric waveguide. Their group velocity depends on the structure of effective sound speed in the boundary layer. Here, we conduct a Bayesian inversion of effective sound speed up to 2,000 m altitude using the group velocity measured for events S0981c, S0986c and S1034a. The inverted effective sound speed profiles are in good agreement with estimates provided by the Mars Climate Database. Differences between inverted and modeled profiles can be attributed to a local wind variation in the impact→station direction, of amplitude smaller than 2 m/s.

Surface Currents and Relative-Wind Stress in Coupled Ocean–Atmosphere Simulations of the Northern California Current System

Abstract The dependence of surface-current damping on the definition of surface current for the relative wind is examined in coupled ocean–atmosphere numerical simulations of the northern California Current System (nCCS) during March–October 2009. The model response is analyzed for wind stress computed from relative wind for six different choices of effective model surface velocity. Simulations without surface-current coupling are also considered. As a function of the geographically varying uppermost grid-level depth, the model uppermost grid-level velocity is found to have a wind-drift component with a log-layer structure. Mean geostrophic wind work is concentrated in the shelf and slope regions during March–May (MAM) and in the deep offshore region in June–September (JJAS). The surface-current damping effect on ocean kinetic energy depends more strongly on the parameterization of atmospheric planetary boundary layer (PBL) turbulence than on the surface-current coupling formulation: weaker PBL mixing gives stronger surface-current damping. The damping effect is stronger in the less energetic offshore region than in the more energetic region closer to the coast. During MAM, the changes in kinetic energy and geostrophic wind work in the shelf and slope regions are spatially correlated, while during JJAS, the changes in geostrophic wind work are strongly modulated by SST–stress coupling. The wind-drift-corrected surface-current formulations result in large changes in the effective wind work based on the product of stress and relative-wind surface current but result in only small changes in the kinetic energy of the circulation. Significance Statement Ocean currents and atmospheric winds are coupled by the exchange of momentum across the air–sea interface, the strength of which depends on the relative wind, the difference between the surface wind and surface current. The purpose of this work was to examine the dependence of a coupled ocean–atmosphere model of the northern California Current System (nCCS) on the representations of the relative-wind surface current and turbulent mixing in the lower atmosphere. The model surface current was found to have a shallow wind-drift response. The model ocean circulation was driven primarily by near-coast winds during the spring and by offshore winds during the summer. The ocean response depended more strongly on the atmospheric turbulent mixing than on the surface current representation.

Design and evaluation of an efficient high-precision ocean surface wave model with a multiscale grid system (MSG_Wav1.0)

Abstract. Ocean surface waves induced by wind forcing and topographic effects are a crucial physical process at the air–sea interface, which significantly affect typhoon development, ocean mixing, etc. Higher-resolution wave modeling can simulate more accurate wave states but requires a huge number of computational resources, making it difficult for Earth system models to include ocean waves as a fast-response physical process. Given that high-resolution Earth system models are in demand, efficient high-precision wave simulation is necessary and urgent. Based on the wave dispersion relation, we design a new wave modeling framework using a multiscale grid system. It has the fewest number of fine grids and reasonable grid spacing in deep-water areas. We compare the performance of wave simulation using different spatial propagation schemes, reveal the different reasons for wave simulation differences in the westerly zone and the active tropical cyclone region, and quantify the matching of spatial resolutions between wave models and wind forcing. A series of numerical experiments show that this new modeling framework can more precisely simulate wave states in shallow-water areas without losing accuracy in the deep ocean while costing a fraction of the price of traditional simulations with uniform fine-gridding space. With affordable computational expenses, the new ocean surface wave modeling can be implemented into high-resolution Earth system models, which may significantly improve the simulation of the atmospheric planetary boundary layer and upper-ocean mixing.

Synthetic Observations of the Planetary Boundary Layer from Space: A Retrieval Observing System Simulation Experiment Framework

Abstract To address critical gaps identified by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in the current Earth system observation strategy, the 2017–27 Decadal Survey for Earth Science and Applications from Space recommended incubating concepts for future targeted observables including the atmospheric planetary boundary layer (PBL). A subsequent NASA PBL Incubation Study Team Report identified measurement requirements and activities for advancing the maturity of the technologies applicable to the PBL targeted observables and their associated science and applications priorities. While the PBL is the critical layer where humans live and surface energy, moisture, and mass exchanges drive the Earth system, it is also the farthest and most inaccessible layer for spaceborne instruments. Here we document a PBL retrieval observing system simulation experiment (OSSE) framework suitable for assessing existing and new measurement techniques and determining their accuracy and improvements needed for addressing the elevated Decadal Survey requirements. In particular, the benefits of large-eddy simulation (LES) are emphasized as a key source of high-resolution synthetic observations for key PBL regimes: from the tropics, through subtropics and midlatitudes, to subpolar and polar regions. The potential of LES-based PBL retrieval OSSEs is explored using six instrument simulators: Global Navigation Satellite System–Radio Occultation, differential absorption radar, visible to shortwave infrared spectrometer, infrared sounder, Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer, and microwave sounder. The crucial role of LES in PBL retrieval OSSEs and some perspectives for instrument developments are discussed.

Surf, Turf, and Above the Earth: Unmet Needs for Coastal Air Quality Science in the Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL)

AbstractCoastal areas are some of the most densely populated and economically important regions in the world. As such, protecting the health of the human population and ecosystems at the coastal interface and understanding the impacts of environmental stressors such as air pollutants provides wide‐ranging benefits. Air quality (AQ) processes within coastal regions have been studied using ground and space‐based platforms, with intensive field campaigns focused on addressing key science questions that are typically partitioned into either direct atmospheric effects (e.g., anthropogenic emissions creating air pollution) or indirect processes and feedback loops (e.g., terrestrial/marine biogenic processes modifying atmospheric properties). The atmospheric planetary boundary layer (PBL) and its depth (or height) connect land, air, and the water surface via many pathways, especially with transport and exchange processes tied to the complexities of the coastal interface. We still cannot accurately characterize—through field, aircraft, or space‐based observations—the spatial and temporal PBL variability and processes within the PBL that couple together coastal dynamics and air quality. Several upcoming geostationary and polar‐orbiting satellite missions are likely to make significant progress in characterizing these air/land/water interactions over the next decade. Here, we present a framework of the current understanding of the PBL's role in coastal regions, primarily regarding air quality and atmospheric deposition, to motivate future concerted efforts from ground‐ and space‐based platforms to achieve a holistic understanding of the coastal interface.

Diurnal Variation of the Planetary Boundary Layer Height Observed from GNSS Radio Occultation and Radiosonde Soundings over the Southern Great Plains

Abstract The planetary boundary layer (PBL) height (PBLH) is a key physical parameter of the PBL affected by numerous physical processes within the boundary layer. Specifically, the PBLH over land exhibits large spatial and temporal variation across different geographical regions. In this study, the Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere and Climate (COSMIC) radio occultation (RO) profiles and high-resolution radiosonde profiles from 2007 to 2013 were analyzed to estimate the diurnal cycle of the PBLH over the Southern Great Plains (SGP) in the United States. Large variations in PBLH derived from radiosonde temperature, moisture, and refractivity are observed on seasonal scales. COSMIC RO is capable of observing diurnal and seasonal variations in the terrestrial PBLH over the SGP region. Annual mean diurnal amplitude of approximately 250 m in the terrestrial PBLH was observed, with maxima occurring at around 1500 local solar time (LST) in both the collocated radiosondes and COSMIC RO profiles. Seasonal changes in the PBLH diurnal cycles ranging from approximately 100 to 400 m were also observed. Such PBL diurnal and seasonal changes can be further incorporated into PBL parameterizations to help improve weather and climate model prediction. Significance Statement The atmospheric planetary boundary layer (PBL) and its height (PBLH) control many atmospheric processes that affect our everyday lives. Observations of the PBL are usually limited to radiosondes at limited time intervals. GNSS radio occultation (RO) provide high-vertical-resolution atmospheric observations that are ideal for PBL study. This study demonstrates that the GNSS RO is capable of capturing the diurnal and seasonal variations of the PBLH over the southern Great Plains (SGP) well as compared to the collocated radiosonde observations.

Understanding the Major Impact of Planetary Boundary Layer Schemes on Simulation of Vertical Wind Structure

The structure and evolution of the atmospheric planetary boundary layer (PBL) plays an important role in the physical and chemical processes of cloud–radiation interaction, vertical mixing and pollutant transport in the atmosphere. The PBL parameterization scheme describes the vertical transport of atmospheric momentum, heat, water vapor and other physical quantities in the boundary layer. The accuracy of wind field simulation and prediction is one of the most significant parameters in the field of atmospheric science and wind energy. Limited by the observation data, there are few studies on wind energy development. A 3D Doppler wind LiDAR (DWL) providing the high-vertical-resolution wind data over the urban complex underlying surface in February 2018 was employed to systematically evaluate the accuracy of vertical wind field simulation for the first time. 11 PBL schemes of the Weather Research and Forecasting Model (WRF) were employed in simulation. The model results were evaluated in groups separated by weather (sunny days, hazy days and windy days), observation height layers of wind field, and various observation wind speeds. Among these factors, the simulation accuracy is most closely related to the observation height layers of wind field. The simulation is fairly accurate at a height of 1000–2000 m, as most of the relative mean biases for wind speed and wind direction are less than 20% and 6% respectively. Below 1000 m, the wind speed and direction biases are about 30–150% m·s−1 and 6–30%, respectively. Moreover, when the observed wind speed was lower than 5 m·s−1, the biases were usually large, and the wind speed relative mean bias reaches up to 50–300%. In addition, the accuracy of the simulated wind profile is better in the range of 10–15 m·s−1 than other speed ranges, and is better above 1000 m than below 1000 m in the boundary layer. We see that the WRF boundary layer schemes have different applicabilities to different weather conditions. The WRF boundary layer schemes have significant differences in wind field simulations, with larger error under the complex topographies. A PBL scheme is not likely to maintain its advantages in the long term under different conditions including altitude and weather conditions.

Relationships of wind speed and precipitable water vapor with regional PM2.5 based on WRF‐Chem model

AbstractAir pollution, especially the particulate matter (PM2.5) remains to be a severe problem for the environmental managers and researchers because it causes many respiratory diseases even casualties and huge economic losses. Therefore, it is significant to study the distribution characteristics of regional PM2.5 and analyze the mutual influence relationship between it and some influencing factors including air humidity, wind speed, and atmospheric boundary conditions. Some scholars have studied the relationship between PM2.5 and the atmospheric planetary boundary layer or relative humidity. However, the relationships between air pollution and meteorological conditions in China has been extensively studied in recent years. Therefore, the association between the pollution and precipitation water vapor and wind speed in the northeast of China (e.g., Jilin and Heilongjiang province) could be strengthened. Considering all components in the atmosphere affecting each other and the ability of Weather Research and Forecast (WRF) and WRF‐Chemistry (WRF‐Chem) simulating all of the atmospheric parameters, we utilized the WRF and WRF‐Chem to simulate the precipitable water vapor, wind speed, and PM2.5. Then first, the PM2.5 concentration values predicted from WRF‐Chem are validated with those at the ground stations to evaluate the accuracy of WRF‐Chem model. Second, the relationship analysis between the PM2.5 and wind speed or PWV was done. And the results demonstrate that the wind is helpful to decrease the severe air pollution in winter while the precipitable water vapor plays a small effect on the elimination of the particulate matter. WRF‐Chem is a potential and effective tool for the study of air pollution.

A Study of Daytime Convective Vortices and Turbulence in the Martian Planetary Boundary Layer Based on Half‐a‐Year of InSight Atmospheric Measurements and Large‐Eddy Simulations

AbstractStudying the atmospheric planetary boundary layer (PBL) is crucial to understand the climate of a planet. The meteorological measurements by the instruments onboard InSight at a latitude of 4.5°N make a unique rich data set to study the active turbulent dynamics of the daytime PBL on Mars. Here we use the high‐sensitivity continuous pressure, wind, and temperature measurements in the first 400 sols of InSight operations (from northern late winter to midsummer) to analyze wind gusts, convective cells, and vortices in Mars’ daytime PBL. We compare InSight measurements to turbulence‐resolving large‐eddy simulations (LES). The daytime PBL turbulence at the InSight landing site is very active, with clearly identified signatures of convective cells and a vast population of 6,000 recorded vortex encounters, adequately represented by a power law with a 3.4 exponent. While the daily variability of vortex encounters at InSight can be explained by the statistical nature of turbulence, the seasonal variability is positively correlated with ambient wind speed, which is supported by LES. However, wind gustiness is positively correlated to surface temperature rather than ambient wind speed and sensible heat flux, confirming the radiative control of the daytime Martian PBL; and fewer convective vortices are forming in LES when the background wind is doubled. Thus, the long‐term seasonal variability of vortex encounters at the InSight landing site is mainly controlled by the advection of convective vortices by ambient wind speed. Typical tracks followed by vortices forming in the LES show a similar distribution in direction and length as orbital imagery.

Supercooled liquid water cloud observed, analysed, and modelled at the top of the planetary boundary layer above Dome C, Antarctica

Abstract. A comprehensive analysis of the water budget over the Dome C (Concordia, Antarctica) station has been performed during the austral summer 2018–2019 as part of the Year of Polar Prediction (YOPP) international campaign. Thin (∼100 m deep) supercooled liquid water (SLW) clouds have been detected and analysed using remotely sensed observations at the station (tropospheric depolarization lidar, the H2O Antarctica Microwave Stratospheric and Tropospheric Radiometer (HAMSTRAD), net surface radiation from the Baseline Surface Radiation Network (BSRN)), radiosondes, and satellite observations (CALIOP, Cloud-Aerosol LIdar with Orthogonal Polarization/CALIPSO, Cloud Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations) combined with a specific configuration of the numerical weather prediction model: ARPEGE-SH (Action de Recherche Petite Echelle Grande Echelle – Southern Hemisphere). The analysis shows that SLW clouds were present from November to March, with the greatest frequency occurring in December and January when ∼50 % of the days in summer time exhibited SLW clouds for at least 1 h. Two case studies are used to illustrate this phenomenon. On 24 December 2018, the atmospheric planetary boundary layer (PBL) evolved following a typical diurnal variation, which is to say with a warm and dry mixing layer at local noon thicker than the cold and dry stable layer at local midnight. Our study showed that the SLW clouds were observed at Dome C within the entrainment and the capping inversion zones at the top of the PBL. ARPEGE-SH was not able to correctly estimate the ratio between liquid and solid water inside the clouds with the liquid water path (LWP) strongly underestimated by a factor of 1000 compared to observations. The lack of simulated SLW in the model impacted the net surface radiation that was 20–30 W m−2 higher in the BSRN observations than in the ARPEGE-SH calculations, mainly attributable to the BSRN longwave downward surface radiation being 50 W m−2 greater than that of ARPEGE-SH. The second case study took place on 20 December 2018, when a warm and wet episode impacted the PBL with no clear diurnal cycle of the PBL top. SLW cloud appearance within the entrainment and capping inversion zones coincided with the warm and wet event. The amount of liquid water measured by HAMSTRAD was ∼20 times greater in this perturbed PBL than in the typical PBL. Since ARPEGE-SH was not able to accurately reproduce these SLW clouds, the discrepancy between the observed and calculated net surface radiation was even greater than in the typical PBL case, reaching +50 W m−2, mainly attributable to the downwelling longwave surface radiation from BSRN being 100 W m−2 greater than that of ARPEGE-SH. The model was then run with a new partition function favouring liquid water for temperatures below −20 down to −40 ∘C. In this test mode, ARPEGE-SH has been able to generate SLW clouds with modelled LWP and net surface radiation consistent with observations during the typical case, whereas, during the perturbed case, the modelled LWP was 10 times less than the observations and the modelled net surface radiation remained lower than the observations by ∼50 W m−2. Accurately modelling the presence of SLW clouds appears crucial to correctly simulate the surface energy budget over the Antarctic Plateau.

Sensitivity Experiments of the Local Wildland Fire with WRF-Fire Module

In this paper, it is discussed the performance of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model coupled with a wildland fire-behavior module (WRF-Fire model) by the observational data collected in an experiment with a low-intensity prescribed fire (LIPF) conducted in the New Jersey Pine Barrens (NJPB) on March 6, 2012. The sensitivity experiments of the WRF-Fire model are carried out to investigate the interactions between the wildland fire and the atmospheric planetary boundary layer. The two-way WRF-Fire model conofigured with fire and large eddy simulation (LES) mode is used to explore the fire characteristics of perimeter shape, intensity, spread direction and external factors of wind speed, and to discuss how these external parameters affect the fire, and the interactions between the atmosphere and fire. Results show that the sensitive experiments can provide the meteorological elements close to observations, such as the temperatures, winds and turbulent kinetic energy near the surface in the vicinity of the fire. The simulations also can reproduce the fire spread shape and speed, fire intensity, and heat flux released from fire. From the view of energy, the heat flux feed back to the atmospheric model and heat the air near the surface, which will induce strong thermal and dynamic instability causing strong horizontal convergence and updraft, and form the fire-induced convective boundary layer. The updraft will be tilted downstream of the fire area based on the height of the ambient winds. Due to the effect of the this updrafts, the particles and heat from the fuel combustion can be transported to the downwind and lateral regions of the fire area. Meanwhile, there is a downdraft flow with higher momentum nearby the fire line transporting fresh oxygen to the near surface, which will increase winds behind the fire line, accelerate the rate of spread (ROS) and make the fire spread to a larger area. Ultimately, a fire-induced climate is established.

Lidar algorithms in 3D scanning for atmospheric layering and planetary boundary layer height retrieval: comparison with other techniques: publisher's note.

This publisher's note amends the Funding section of Appl. Opt.57, 8199 (2018)APOPAI0003-693510.1364/AO.57.008199.

Climatology of wintertime long-distance transport of surface-layer air masses arriving urban Beijing in 2001–2012

In this study, the FLEXPART-WRF coupled modeling system is used to conduct 12-year Lagrangian modeling over Beijing, China, for the winters of 2001–2012. Based on large trajectory tracking ensembles, the long-range air transport properties, in terms of geographic source regions within the atmospheric planetary boundary layer (PBL) and large-scale ventilation, and its association with air quality levels were quantified from a climatological perspective. The results show the following: (1) The air masses residing in the near-surface layer over Beijing potentially originate from broader atmospheric boundary-layer regions, which cover vast areas with the backward tracking time elapsed. However, atmospheric transport from northeastern China and, to a lesser extent, from the surrounding regions of Beijing is important. (2) The evolution of air quality over Beijing is negatively correlated with large-scale ventilation conditions, particularly at a synoptic timescale. Thus, the simple but robust backward-trajectory ventilation (BV) index defined in this study could facilitate operational forecasting of severe air pollution events. (3) By comparison, the relatively short-range transport occurring over transport timescales of less than 3 days from southern and southeastern Beijing and its surrounding areas plays a vital role in the formation of severe air pollution events during the wintertime. (4) Additionally, an interannual trend analysis suggests that the geographic sources and ventilation conditions also changed, at least over the last decade, corresponding to the strength variability of the winter East Asian monsoon.

Evapotranspiration and Land Surface Process Responses to Afforestation in Western Taiwan: A Comparison between Dry and Wet Weather Conditions

Abstract. An afforestation project was initiated in the western plain of Taiwan to convert abandoned farming lands into forests to improve the ecological and environmental conditions. This study was conducted to understand the potential impacts of this land cover change on evapotranspiration (ET) and other land surface processes and the differences in the impacts under clear and rainy weather conditions. Numerical simulations with the land surface covered with crops and forests were conducted using an atmosphere-land coupled model during a summer monsoon season. Sensitivity experiments were conducted to understand the possible impacts of the convection and atmospheric planetary boundary layer parameterization schemes used in this study on the simulation results. The results of the entire simulation period indicate that, although the maximum solar radiation is increased by 30 W m -2 from about 800 W m -2 due to smaller albedo after afforestation, the maximum ET near noon time is decreased by about 3 mm h -1 from about 17 mm h -1 on clear days, mainly due to increased stem area index and reduced wind speed within the forest canopies. Meanwhile, the maximum sensible heat flux is increased by about 100 W m -2 from 200 W m -2 due to larger total vegetation area (the sum of leaf and stem area index) in forests. Similar responses in ET and other land surface processes to the afforestation are obtained for clear weather conditions. In contrast, ET is increased and sensible heat flux is decreased under rainy conditions. The changes in ET are more important on clear days than on rainy days in determining the responses over the entire simulation period. The sensitivity experiments confirmed the simulated responses of ET and other land surface processes. The results suggest that afforestation would modulate hydrological cycles by reducing ET on clear days and elevating ET on rainy days, thereby reducing the risks of hydrological extremes.

Distant Influence of Kuroshio Eddies on North Pacific Weather Patterns?

High-resolution satellite measurements of surface winds and sea-surface temperature (SST) reveal strong coupling between meso-scale ocean eddies and near-surface atmospheric flow over eddy-rich oceanic regions, such as the Kuroshio and Gulf Stream, highlighting the importance of meso-scale oceanic features in forcing the atmospheric planetary boundary layer (PBL). Here, we present high-resolution regional climate modeling results, supported by observational analyses, demonstrating that meso-scale SST variability, largely confined in the Kuroshio-Oyashio confluence region (KOCR), can further exert a significant distant influence on winter rainfall variability along the U.S. Northern Pacific coast. The presence of meso-scale SST anomalies enhances the diabatic conversion of latent heat energy to transient eddy energy, intensifying winter cyclogenesis via moist baroclinic instability, which in turn leads to an equivalent barotropic downstream anticyclone anomaly with reduced rainfall. The finding points to the potential of improving forecasts of extratropical winter cyclones and storm systems and projections of their response to future climate change, which are known to have major social and economic impacts, by improving the representation of ocean eddy–atmosphere interaction in forecast and climate models.

Projected Changes in Surface Air Temperature and Surface Wind in the Gulf of St. Lawrence

The impacts of climate change on surface air temperature (SAT) and winds in the Gulf of St. Lawrence (GSL) are investigated by performing simulations from 1970 to 2099 with the Canadian Regional Climate Model (CRCM), driven by a five-member ensemble. Three members are from Canadian Global Climate Model (CGCM3) simulations following scenario A1B from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC); one member is from the Community Climate System Model, version 3 (CCSM3) simulation, also following the A1B scenario; and one member is from the CCSM4 (version 4) simulation following the Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP8.5) scenario. Compared with North America Regional Reanalysis (NARR) data, it is shown that CRCM can reproduce the observed SAT spatial patterns; for example, both CRCM simulations and NARR data show a warm SAT tongue along the eastern Gulf; CRCM simulations also capture the dominant northwesterly winds in January and the southwesterly winds in July. In terms of future climate scenarios, the spatial patterns of SAT show plausible seasonal variations. In January, the warming is 3°–3.5°C in the northern Gulf and 2.5°–3°C near Cabot Strait during 2040–2069, whereas the warming is more uniform during 2070–2099, with SAT increases of 4°–5°C. In summer, the warming gradually decreases from the western side of the GSL to the eastern side because of the different heat capacities between land and water. Moreover, the January winds increase by 0.2–0.4 m s−1 during 2040–2069, related to weakening stability in the atmospheric planetary boundary layer. However, during 2070–2099, the winds decrease by 0.2–0.4 m s−1 over the western Gulf, reflecting the northeastward shift in northwest Atlantic storm tracks. In July, enhanced baroclinicity along the east coast of North America dominates the wind changes, with increases of 0.2–0.4 m s−1. On average, the variance for the SAT changes is about 10% of the SAT increase, and the variance for projected wind changes is the same magnitude as the projected changes, suggesting uncertainty in the latter.

The BLLAST field experiment: Boundary-Layer Late Afternoon and Sunset Turbulence

Abstract. Due to the major role of the sun in heating the earth's surface, the atmospheric planetary boundary layer over land is inherently marked by a diurnal cycle. The afternoon transition, the period of the day that connects the daytime dry convective boundary layer to the night-time stable boundary layer, still has a number of unanswered scientific questions. This phase of the diurnal cycle is challenging from both modelling and observational perspectives: it is transitory, most of the forcings are small or null and the turbulence regime changes from fully convective, close to homogeneous and isotropic, toward a more heterogeneous and intermittent state. These issues motivated the BLLAST (Boundary-Layer Late Afternoon and Sunset Turbulence) field campaign that was conducted from 14 June to 8 July 2011 in southern France, in an area of complex and heterogeneous terrain. A wide range of instrumented platforms including full-size aircraft, remotely piloted aircraft systems, remote-sensing instruments, radiosoundings, tethered balloons, surface flux stations and various meteorological towers were deployed over different surface types. The boundary layer, from the earth's surface to the free troposphere, was probed during the entire day, with a focus and intense observation periods that were conducted from midday until sunset. The BLLAST field campaign also provided an opportunity to test innovative measurement systems, such as new miniaturized sensors, and a new technique for frequent radiosoundings of the low troposphere. Twelve fair weather days displaying various meteorological conditions were extensively documented during the field experiment. The boundary-layer growth varied from one day to another depending on many contributions including stability, advection, subsidence, the state of the previous day's residual layer, as well as local, meso- or synoptic scale conditions. Ground-based measurements combined with tethered-balloon and airborne observations captured the turbulence decay from the surface throughout the whole boundary layer and documented the evolution of the turbulence characteristic length scales during the transition period. Closely integrated with the field experiment, numerical studies are now underway with a complete hierarchy of models to support the data interpretation and improve the model representations.

A Regression Model for Smoke Plume Rise of Prescribed Fires Using Meteorological Conditions

AbstractSmoke plume rise is an important factor for smoke transport and air quality impact modeling. This study provides a practical tool for estimating plume rise of prescribed fires. A regression model was developed on the basis of observed smoke plume rise for 20 prescribed fires in the southeastern United States. The independent variables include surface wind, air temperature, fuel moisture, and atmospheric planetary boundary layer (PBL) height. The first three variables were obtained from the Remote Automatic Weather Stations, most of which are installed in locations where they can monitor local fire danger and are easily accessed by fire managers. The PBL height was simulated with the Weather Research and Forecasting Model. The confidence and validation analyses indicate that the regression model is significant at the 95% confidence level and able to predict hourly values and the average smoke plume rise during a burn, respectively. The prediction of the average smoke plume rise shows larger skills. The model also shows improved skills over two extensively used empirical models for the prescribed burn cases examined in this study, suggesting that it may have the potential to improve smoke plume rise and air quality modeling for prescribed burns. The regression model, however, tends to underestimate large plume rise values and overestimate small ones. A suite of alternative regression models was also provided, one of which can be used when no PBL information is available.

Characteristics of structure and dynamics of the planetary boundary layer in the transitional “ocean-continent” zone. Part 1. Winter period

The results of investigations of the structure and dynamics of the atmospheric planetary boundary layer in the transitional “ocean-continent” zone in the winter period, restored from the remote lidar soundings, are given. The characteristic parameters of PBL are ascertained, as well as ways of formation of its structure and dynamics. The distinctive features of PBL for a given region are shown by the examples of December 13 and 14, 2011. The mean PBL height, upper boundary of the convective layer, and the mean height of the stable layer in January and February are presented. The fact is grounded that the well-developed convection observed at nighttime is caused by existence of a low-level jet stream and high cooling altitudes of the planetary boundary layer.

Influence of Karst Landscape on Planetary Boundary Layer Atmosphere: A Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model–Based Investigation

AbstractKarst hydrology provides a unique set of surface and subsurface hydrological components that affect soil moisture variability. Over karst topography, surface moisture moves rapidly below ground via sink holes, vertical shafts, and sinking streams, reducing surface runoff and moisture infiltration into the soil. In addition, subsurface cave blockage or rapid snowmelt over karst can lead to surface flooding. Moreover, regions dominated by karst may exhibit either drier or wetter soils when compared to nonkarst landscape. However, because of the lack of both observational soil moisture datasets to initialize simulations and regional land surface models (LSMs) that include explicit karst hydrological processes, the impact of karst on atmospheric processes is not fully understood. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the importance of karst hydrology on planetary boundary layer (PBL) atmosphere using the Weather Research and Forecasting Model (WRF). This research is a first attempt to identify the impacts of karst on PBL. To model the influence of karst hydrology on atmospheric processes, soil moisture was modified systematically over the Western Kentucky Pennyroyal Karst (WKYPK) region to produce an ensemble of dry and wet anomaly experiments. Simulations were conducted for both frontal- and nonfrontal-based convection. For the dry ensemble, cloud cover was both diminished downwind of karst because of reduced atmospheric moisture and enhanced slightly upwind as moist air moved into a region of increased convection compared to control simulations (CTRL). Moreover, sensible (latent) heat flux and PBL heights were increased (decreased) compared to CTRL. In addition, the wet ensemble experiments reduced PBL heights and sensible heat flux and increased cloud cover over karst compared to CTRL. Other changes were noted in equivalent potential temperature (θe) and vertical motions and development of new mesoscale circulation cells with alterations in soil moisture over WKYPK. Finally, the location of simulated rainfall patterns were altered by both dry and wet ensembles with the greatest sensitivity to simulated rainfall occurring during weakly forced or nonfrontal cases. Simulated rainfall for the dry ensemble was more similar to the North American Regional Reanalysis (NARR) than CTRL for the nonfrontal case. Furthermore, the initial state of the atmosphere and convective triggers were found to either enhance or diminish simulated atmospheric responses.