Abstract
In an experiment investigating the planetary boundary layer (PBL) wind and temperature fields, and PBL inversion height recorded by various instruments, the results reveal the presence of organized large eddies (OLE) or rolls. The measurements by lidars, anemometers, soundings and sodar gave an overview of the characteristics of the rolls and sources of energy production that maintain them. The experimental results obtained on two consecutive days are compared to model outputs. The agreement is excellent, showing that thermal stratification and wind shear are important factors in the structure and dynamics of OLE. A heterodyne Doppler lidar (HDL) is shown to be a useful tool in the study of OLE.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Atkinson, B. W. and Zhang, J. W.: 1996, 'Mesoscale Shallow Convection in the Atmosphere', Rev. Geophys. 34, 403-431.
Atlas, D., Walter, B., Chou, S.-H., and Sheu, P. J.: 1986, 'The Structure of the Unstable Marine Boundary Layer Viewed by Lidar and Aircraft Observations', J. Atmos. Sci. 43, 1301-1318.
Brown, R. A.: 1970, 'A Secondary Flow Model for the Planetary Boundary Layer', J. Atmos. Sci. 27, 742-757.
Brown, R. A.: 1972, 'On the Inflection Point Instability of a Stratified Ekman Boundary Layer', J. Atmos. Sci. 29, 850-859.
Brown, R. A.: 1974, Analytic Methods in the Planetary Boundary Layer Modeling, Adam Hilger LTD., London, and Halstead Press, John Wiley and Sons, New York 150 pp.
Brown, R. A.: 1980, 'Longitudinal Instabilities and Secondary Flows in the Planetary Boundary Layer: A Review', Rev. Geophys. Space Phys. 18, 683-697.
Brown, R. A. and Liu, T.: 1982, 'An Operational Large-Scale Marine Planetary Boundary Layer Model', J. Appl. Meteorol. 21, 261-269.
Brümmer, B.: 1985, 'Structure, Dynamics and Energetics of Boundary Layer Rolls from KonTur Aircraft Observations', Beitr. Phys. Atmosph. 58, 237-254.
Deardorff, J. W.: 1972, 'Numerical Investigation of Neutral and Unstable Planetary Boundary Layers', J. Atmos. Sci. 29, 91-115.
Etling, D. and Brown, R. A.: 1993, 'A Review of Large-Eddy Dynamics in the Planetery Boundary Layer', Boundary-Layer Meteorol., 65, 215-248.
Eymard, L. and Weill, A.: 1982, 'Investigation of Clear Air Convective Structures in the PBL Using a Dual Doppler Radar and a Doppler Sodar', J. Appl. Meteorol. 21, 1891-1906.
Ferrare, R. A., Schols, J. L., Eloranta, E. W., and Coulter, R.: 1991, 'Lidar Observations of Banded Convection during BLX83', J. Appl. Meteorol. 30, 312-326.
Flamant, C., Pelon, J., Flamant, P. H., and Durand, P.: 1997, 'Lidar Determination of the Entrainment Zone Thickness at the Top of the Unstable Marine Atmospheric Boundary-Layer', Boundary-Layer Meteorol. 83, 247-284.
Flamant, P. H., Loth, C., Dabas, A., Oh, D., Delume, J., Romand, B., Pelon, J., Bruneau, D., Zarader, J. L., Werner, C., Köpp, F., Herrmann, H., Klier, M., Nagel, W., Rahm, S., Streicher, J., and Wildgruber, G.: 1992, 'WIND: An Airborne Doppler Lidar for Atmospheric Applications Developed in French-German Cooperation', Specialty Meeting on Airborne Radars and Lidars, Toulouse, France, Météo-France, INSU, CNES.
Foster, R. C. and Brown, R. A.: 1994, 'On Large-Scale PBL Modelling: Surface Wind and Latent Heat Flux Comparisons', Global Atmos. Ocean Syst. 2, 199-219.
Foster, R. C.: 1996, An Analytical Model for Planetary Boundary Layer Roll Vortices, Ph.D. Thesis, Dept. Atmos. Sci., University of Washington, Seattle 195 pp.
Grossman, R. L.: 1982, 'An Analysis of the Vertical Velocity Spectra Obtained in the BOMEX Fair-Weather Trade-Wind Boundary-Layer', Boundary-Layer Meteorol. 23, 323-357.
Hartmann, J., Kottmeier, C., and Raasch, S.: 1997, 'Roll Vortices and Boundary-Layer Development during a Cold Air Outbreak', Boundary-Layer Meteorol. 84, 45-65.
Hein, P. and Brown, R. A.: 1988, 'Observations of Longitudinal Rolls Vortices During Artic Cold Air Outbreaks over Open Water', Boundary-Layer Meteorol. 45, 177-199.
Kaimal, J. C., Wyngaard, J. C., Izumi, Y., and Coté, O. R.: 1972, 'Spectral Characteristics of Surface Layer Turbulence', Quart. J. Roy. Meteorol. Soc. 98, 563-589.
Kropfli, R. A. and Kohn, N. M.: 1978, 'Persistent Horizontal Rolls in the Urban Mixing Layer as Revealed by Dual-Doppler Radar', J. Appl. Meteorol. 17, 669-676.
Kuettner, J. P.: 1971, 'Cloud Bands in the Earth's Atmosphere', Tellus 23, 404-425.
LeMone, M. A.: 1973, 'The Structure and Dynamics of Horizontal Roll Vortices in the Planetary Boundary Layer', J. Atmos. Sci. 30, 1077–1091.
LeMone, M. A.: 1976, 'Modulation of Turbulence Energy by Longitudinal Rolls in an Unstable Planetary Boundary Layer', J. Atmos. Sci., 33, 1308-1320.
Liou, Y.-C. and Lilly, D. K.: 1997, 'Numerical Study of the Structure and Evolution of a Heated Planetary Boundary Layer with a Jet', J. Geophys. Res. 102, 4447-4462.
Melfi, S. H., Spinhirne, J. D., Chou, S.-H., and Palm, S. P.: 1985, 'Lidar Observations of Vertically Organized Convection in the Planetary Boundary Layer over the Ocean', J. Appl. Meteorol. 24, 806-821.
Menut, L., Flamant, C., Pelon, J., Valentin, R., Flamant, P. H., Dupont, E., and Carissimo, B.: 1996, 'Study of the Boundary Layer Structure over the Paris Agglomeration as Observerd During the ECLAP Experiment', in Ansmann, A., Neuber, R., Rairoux, P., and Wandinger, U. (eds.), Advances in Atmospheric Remote Sensing with Lidar, Springer, Berlin, pp. 15–18.
Miura, Y.: 1986,' Aspect Ratios of Longitudinal Rolls and Convection Cells Observed during Cold Air Outbreaks', J. Atmos. Sci. 43, 26-39.
Rabin, R. M., Doviak, R. J., and Sundara-Rajan, A.: 1982, 'Doppler Radar Observations of Momentum Flux in a Cloudless Convective Layer with Rolls', J. Atmos. Sci., 39, 851-863.
Rothermel, J., Hardesty, R. M., and Menzies, R. T.: 1995, 'Airborne Scanning Pulsed Coherent Doppler Laser Radar for Atmospheric Measurement and Satellite Doppler Lidar Simulation', Proceedings 8th Conf. on Coherent Laser Radar, July 1995 Technical Digest Series, Keystone, Colorado, O.S.A., 19, 134-137.
Weckwerth, T. M., Wilson, J. W., Wakimoto, R. M., and Crook, N. A.: 1997; 'Horizontal Convective Rolls: Determining the Environmental Conditions Supporting their Existence and Characteristics', Mon. Wea. Rev. 125, 505-526.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Drobinski, P., Brown, R.a., Flamant, P.H. et al. Evidence of Organized Large Eddies by Ground-Based Doppler Lidar, Sonic Anemometer and Sodar. Boundary-Layer Meteorology 88, 343–361 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1001167212584
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1001167212584