Use of the Doppler spectral with to improve the estimation of the convective boundary layer height from UHF wind Profiler observations

Bok-Haeng Heo (1) , Sandra Jacoby-Koaly (2) , Kyung-Eak Kim (1) , Bernard Campistron (2) , Bruno Bénech (2) , Eun-Sil Jung (1)

1 KNU - Kyungpook National University [Daegu]
2 LAERO - Laboratoire d'aérologie

Enhancement of the air refractive index structure parameter C2n often occurs at the top of the convective boundary layer (CBL), where the absolute values of the vertical gradients of virtual potential temperature and mixing ratio have a peak. This well-known behavior of the C2n profiles is often used to locate the height of the mixed layer Zi from UHF wind profiler observations. In the present study, Zi determination with the C2n-based technique was investigated for a case of clear-air CBL and a case of cloud-topped CBL. In certain circumstances, such as multifold C2n peaks or poorly defined peaks, these techniques fail to correctly retrieve CBL height. In order to improve Zi determination, a new method based on the conjoint use of C2n and Doppler spectral width profiles is proposed and discussed.

Domaines: Physique Atmosphérique et Océanique [physics.ao-ph]

Bok-Haeng Heo, Sandra Jacoby-Koaly, Kyung-Eak Kim, Bernard Campistron, Bruno Bénech, et al.. Use of the Doppler spectral with to improve the estimation of the convective boundary layer height from UHF wind Profiler observations. Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology, 2003, 20, pp.408-424. ⟨10.1175/1520-0426(2003)020<0408:UOTDSW>2.0.CO;2⟩. ⟨hal-00136466⟩