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Quantitative low-level acoustic sounding and comparison with direct measurements

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Abstract

In this paper, measurements of the first 150 m of the atmospheric boundary layer obtained by a high-frequency acoustic mini-sounder are compared with measurements obtained by a full complement of instruments including sonic anemometers mounted on the Boulder Atmospheric Observatory tower. The acoustic mini-sounder, starting as low as 6 m from the ground, measures in the monostatic mode the profiles of the vertical wind speed, w, and of the temperature structure parameter, C T 2 with enhanced height resolution of the order of 1 m and time resolution of the order of 30 s. The results of the comparison show that the high-frequency mini-sounder is an effective atmospheric boundary-layer profiler that is also portable and relatively inexpensive.

Measurements of the spectrum of C T 2 are presented that provide information on the local isotropy of the temperature field. Statistics of the variability of C T 2 in both stable and unstable conditions are also given.

The sounder's capabilities are further demonstrated by some detailed observations of the structure and time evolution of a thermal plume root at noon and of a nocturnal, stably stratified layer in which a dynamic instability develops. The plume starts at a height of less than 5 m, possesses substantial internal structure, and includes vertical velocities in excess of 2 m s-1.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Meteorology, University of Athens, Athens, Greece

    D. N. Asimakopoulos

  2. Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Portsmouth Polytechnic, England

    T. J. Moulsley

  3. Department of Meteorology, University of Athens, Athens, Greece

    C. G. Helmis

  4. Department of Meteorology, University of Athens, Athens, Greece

    D. P. Lalas

  5. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A.

    D. P. Lalas

  6. Wave Propagation Laboratory, NOAA, Boulder, Colorado, U.S.A.

    John Gaynor

Authors
  1. D. N. Asimakopoulos
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  2. T. J. Moulsley
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  3. C. G. Helmis
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  4. D. P. Lalas
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  5. John Gaynor
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Asimakopoulos, D.N., Moulsley, T.J., Helmis, C.G. et al. Quantitative low-level acoustic sounding and comparison with direct measurements. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 27, 1–26 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00119969

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00119969

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