Characteristics of atmospheric boundary layer structure and its influencing factors under different sea and land positions in Europe

This study identifies quantitatively the dominant contributions of meteorological factors on the development of the boundary layer heights(BLH)in the European region,based on 32 years(1990-2021)of radiosonde observations.The spatial variability of the BLH is further discussed by location,by classifying recording stations as inland,coastal,or bay.We find that the BLH in Europe varies considerably from day to night and with the seasons.Nighttime BLH is higher in winter and lower in summer,with the highest BLH recorded at coastal stations.Daytime BLH at coastal stations shows a bimodal structure with peaks in spring and autumn;at inland and bay stations,daytime BLH is lower in winter and higher in summer.The daily amplitudes of BLH at the inland and bay stations are stronger than those at coastal stations.Based on our multiple linear regression analysis and our decoupling analysis of temperature and specific humidity,we report that the development of the nighttime BLH at all types of stations is strongly dominated by the variations of surface wind speed(and,at coastal stations,wind directions).The main contributors to daytime BLH are the near-surface temperature variability at most coastal and inland stations,and,at most bay stations,the variation of the near-surface specific humidity.

The Influence of Convergence Movement on Turbulent Transportation in the Atmospheric Boundary Layer

Classical turbulent K closure theory of the atmospheric boundary layer assumes that the vertical turbulent transport flux of any macroscopic quantity is equivalent to that quantity's vertical gradient transport flux. But a cross coupling between the thermodynamic processes and the dynamic processes in the atmospheric system is demonstrated based on the Curier-Prigogine principle of cross coupling of linear thermodynamics. The vertical turbulent transportation of energy and substance in the atmospheric boundary layer is related not only to their macroscopic gradient but also to the convergence and the divergence movement. The transportation of the convergence or divergence movement is important for the atmospheric boundary layer of the heterogeneous underlying surface and the convection boundary layer. Based on this, the turbulent transportation in the atmospheric boundary layer, the energy budget of the heterogeneous underlying surface and the convection boundary layer, and the boundary layer parameterization of land surface processes over the heterogeneous underlying surface are studied. This research offers clues not only for establishing the atmospheric boundary layer theory about the heterogeneous underlying surface, but also for overcoming the difficulties encountered recently in the application of the atmospheric boundary layer theory.

Using a Modified Soil-Plant-Atmosphere Scheme(MSPAS)to Simulate the Interaction between Land Surface Processes and Atmospheric Boundary Layer in Semi-Arid Regions

This paper uses a Modified Soil-Plant-Atmosphere Scheme (MSPAS) to study the interaction between land surface and atmospheric boundary layer processes. The scheme is composed of two main parts: atmospheric boundary layer processes and land surface processes. Compared with SiB and BATS, which are famous for their detailed parameterizations of physical variables, this simplified model is more convenient and saves much more computation time. Though simple, the feasibility of the model is well proved in this paper. The numerical simulation results from MSPAS show good agreement with reality. The scheme is used to obtain reasonable simulations for diurnal variations of heat balance, potential temperature of boundary layer, and wind field, and spatial distributions of temperature, specific humidity, vertical velocity, turbulence kinetic energy, and turbulence exchange coefficient over desert and oasis. In addition, MSPAS is used to simulate the interaction between desert and oasis at night, and again it obtains reasonable results. This indicates that MSPAS can be used to study the interaction between land surface processes and the atmospheric boundary layer over various underlying surfaces and can be extended for regional climate and numerical weather prediction study.

Diurnal Variations of Air Pollution and Atmospheric Boundary Layer Structure in Beijing During Winter 2000/2001

The diurnal variations of gaseous pollutants and the dynamical and thermodynamic structures of the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) in the Beijing area from January to March 2001 are analyzed in this study using data from the Beijing City Air Pollution Observation Field Experiment (BECAPEX). A heavy pollution day (22 February) and a good air quality day (24 February) are selected and individually analyzed and compared to reveal the relationships between gaseous pollutants and the diurnal variations of the ABL. The results show that gaseous pollutant concentrations exhibit a double-peak-double-valley-type diurnal variation and have similar trends but with different magnitudes at different sites in Beijing. The diurnal variation of the gaseous pollutant concentrations is closely related to (with a 1-2 hour delay of) changes in the atmospheric stability and the mean kinetic energy in the ABL.

The Effect of the East China Sea Kuroshio Front on the Marine Atmospheric Boundary Layer

Various satellite data,JRA-25(Japan reanalysis of 25 years) reanalyzed data and WRF(Weather Research Forecast) model are used to investigate the in situ effect of the ESKF(East China Sea Kuroshio Front) on the MABL(marine atmospheric boundary layer).The intensity of the ESKF is most robust from January to April in its annual cycle.The local strong surface northerly/northeasterly winds are observed right over the ESKF in January and in April and the wind speeds decrease upward in the MABL.The thermal wind effect that is derived from the baroclinic MABL forced by the strong SST gradient contributes to the strong surface winds to a large degree.The convergence zone existing along the warm flank of the ESKF is stronger in April than in January corresponding to the steeper SST(sea surface temperature) gradient.The collocations of the cloud cover maximum and precipitation maximum are basically consistent with the convergence zone of the wind field.The clouds develop higher(lower) in the warm(cold) flank of the ESKF due to the less(more) stable stratification in the MABL.The lowest clouds are observed in April on the cold flank of the ESKF and over the Yellow Sea due to the existence of the pronounced temperature inversion.The numerical experiments with smoothed SST are consistent with the results from the ovservations.

Marine Atmospheric Boundary Layers Associated with Summer Monsoon Onset over the South China Sea in 1998

The variations of the marine atmospheric boundary layer (MABL) associated with the South China Sea Summer Monsoon were examined using the Global Positioning System (GPS) sounding datasets obtained four times daily during May-June 1998 on board Research Vessels Kexue 1 and Shiyan 3. The MABL height is defined as the height at the lowest level where virtual potential temperature increases by 1 K from the surface. The results indicate that the MABL height decreased over the northern South China Sea (SCS) and remained the same over the southern SCS, as sea surface temperature (SST) fell for the northern and rose for the southern SCS after the monsoon onset. Over the northern SCS, a decrease in both the SST and the surface latent-heat flux after the onset resulted in a reduction of the MABL height as well as a decoupling of MABL from clouds. It was found that MABL height reduction corresponded to rainfall occurrence. Over the southern SCS, a probable reason for the constant increase of SST and surface heat flux was the rainfall and internal atmospheric dynamics.

Structures and Characteristics of the Windy Atmospheric Boundary Layer in the South China Sea Region during Cold Surges

An observational analysis of the structures and characteristics of a windy atmospheric boundary layer during a cold air outbreak in the South China Sea region is reported in this paper. It is found that the main structures and characteristics are the same as during strong wind episodes with cold air outbreaks on land. The high frequency turbulent fluctuations （period 〈 1 min） are nearly random and isotropic with weak coherency, but the gusty wind disturbances （1 rain〈period 〈 10 min） are anisotropic with rather strong coherency. However, in the windy atmospheric boundary layer at sea, compared with that over land, there are some pronounced differences： （1） the average horizontal speed is almost independent of height, and the vertical velocity is positive in the lower marine atmospheric boundary layer; （2） the vertical flux of horizontal momentum is nearly independent of height in the low layer indicating the existence of a constant flux layer, unlike during strong wind over the land surface; （3） the kinetic energy and friction velocity of turbulent fluctuations are larger than those of gusty disturbances; （4） due to the independence of horizontal speed to height, the horizontal speed itself （not its vertical gradient used over the land surface） can be used as the key parameter to parameterize the turbulent and gusty characteristics with high accuracy.

Determining Atmospheric Boundary Layer Height with the Numerical Differentiation Method Using Bending Angle Data from COSMIC

This paper presents a new method to estimate the height of the atmospheric boundary layer(ABL) by using COSMIC radio occultation bending angle(BA) data. Using the numerical differentiation method combined with the regularization technique, the first derivative of BA profiles is retrieved, and the height at which the first derivative of BA has the global minimum is defined to be the ABL height. To reflect the reliability of estimated ABL heights, the sharpness parameter is introduced, according to the relative minimum of the BA derivative. Then, it is applied to four months of COSMIC BA data(January, April, July, and October in 2008), and the ABL heights estimated are compared with two kinds of ABL heights from COSMIC products and with the heights determined by the finite difference method upon the refractivity data. For sharp ABL tops(large sharpness parameters), there is little difference between the ABL heights determined by different methods, i.e.,the uncertainties are small; whereas, for non-sharp ABL tops(small sharpness parameters), big differences exist in the ABL heights obtained by different methods, which means large uncertainties for different methods. In addition, the new method can detect thin ABLs and provide a reference ABL height in the cases eliminated by other methods. Thus, the application of the numerical differentiation method combined with the regularization technique to COSMIC BA data is an appropriate choice and has further application value.

Gustiness and coherent structure under weak wind period in atmospheric boundary layer

Statistical analysis of turbulent and gusty characteristics in the atmospheric boundary layer under weak wind period has been carried out.The data used in the analysis were from the multilevel ultrasonic anemometer-thermometers at 47 m,120 m,and 280 m levels on Beijing 325 m meteorological tower.The time series of 3D atmospheric velocity were analyzed by using conventional Fourier spectral analysis and decompose into three parts:basic mean flow(period > 10 min),gusty disturbances(1 min < period < 10 min)and turbulence fluctuations(period < 1 min).The results show that under weak mean wind condition:1)the gusty disturbances are the most strong fluctuations,contribute about 60% kinetic energy of eddy kinetic energy and 80% downward flux of momentum,although both the eddy kinetic energy and momentum transport are small in comparison with those in strong mean wind condition;2)the gusty wind disturbances are anisotropic;3)the gusty wind disturbances have obviously coherent structure,and their horizontal and vertical component are negatively correlated and make downward transport of momentum more effectively;4)the friction velocities related to turbulence and gusty wind are approximately constant with height in the surface layer.

Large eddy simulation of high-Reynolds-number atmospheric boundary layer flow with improved near-wall correction

It is highly attractive to develop an efficient and flexible large eddy simulation(LES)technique for high-Reynolds-number atmospheric boundary layer(ABL)simulation using the low-order numerical scheme on a relatively coarse grid,that could reproduce the logarithmic profile of the mean velocity and some key features of large-scale coherent structures in the outer layer.In this study,an improved near-wall correction scheme for the vertical gradient of the resolved streamwise velocity in the strain-rate tensor is proposed to calculate the eddy viscosity coefficient in the subgrid-scale(SGS)model.The LES code is realized with a second-order finite-difference scheme,the scale-dependent dynamic SGS stress model,the equilibrium wall stress model,and the proposed correction scheme.Very-high-Reynolds-number ABL flow simulation under the neutral stratification condition is conducted to assess the performance of the method in predicting the mean and fluctuating characteristics of the rough-wall turbulence.It is found that the logarithmic profile of the mean streamwise velocity and some key features of large-scale coherent structures can be reasonably predicted by adopting the proposed correction method and the low-order numerical scheme.

Atmospheric boundary layer sources for upper tropospheric air over the Asian summer monsoon region

Previous satellite measurements and model simulations have shown that the Asian summer monsoon（ASM） anticyclone is co-located with higher concentrations of pollutants, which are emitted in the continental atmospheric boundary layer（ABL）. Backward trajectory calculations show that the air at the 150-hPa level has the maximum frequency of ABL sources within 30 days over the most intensive convection regions and their downwind areas, which are not located within the ASM anticyclone,but rather at the southern flank or periphery of the ASM anticyclone. The upper tropospheric airs originated from the ABL sources include two parts： one from the ocean, which has the dominant impact to the south of 20°N, particularly over the South China Sea（SCS） and the west tropical Pacific Ocean; and another from the continent, which is dominant between 10°N and 30°N, particularly over the Bay of Bengal（BoB）, continental India, the Arabian Sea, and the Arabian Peninsula. It is the latter part that forms the higher pollutant concentration within the ASM anticyclone as shown by satellite measurements. Air in the ABL sources（both polluted and unpolluted） converges to the intensive convection region in the lower troposphere, and then traverses the middle troposphere through a wide group of upward pipes, and finally to the upper troposphere. These pipes in the middle troposphere are defined by the ASM intensive convections and cover the south of continental India,the BoB, the Tibetan Plateau, the Indochina Peninsula, the SCS, and the Philippine Sea.

Study on Clouds and Marine Atmospheric Boundary Layer

A set of remote sensing instruments of Peking University, which includes mainly a dual-channel(22.235GHz and 35.5GHz) microwave radiometer, a 8mm microwave and a 5mm microwave radiometer, has been developed for the Western North-Pacific Cloud-Radiation Experiment (WENPEX). The instruments were used to observe the cloud and marine atmospheric boundary-layer in the southwest sea area of Japan in winter time from 1989 to 1991.In the weather change process, the characteristics of the marine atmospheric boundary-layer and liquid water content in cloud of this area in winter time are studied from observation data. A one-dimensional mixed layer model is presented for the growth and evolution of a cloud-topped marine boundary-layer. The model is used to study in the WENPEX. The simulation results are in agreement with observation data, especially the integral water in cloud.

Impact of Different Aerosols on the Evolution of the Atmospheric Boundary Layer

The present work analyzes the effect of aerosols on the evolution of the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) over Shangdianzi in Beijing.A one-dimensional ABL model and a radiative transfer scheme are incorporated to develop the structure of the ABL.The diurnal variation of the atmospheric radiative budget,atmospheric heating rate,sensible and latent heat fluxes,surface and the 2 m air temperatures as well as the ABL height,and its perturbations due to the aerosols with different single-scattering albedo (SSA) are studied by comparing the aerosol-laden atmosphere to the clean atmosphere.The results show that the absorbing aerosols cause less reduction in surface evaporation relative to that by scatting aerosols,and both surface temperature and 2 m temperature decrease from the clean atmosphere to the aerosol-laden atmosphere.The greater the aerosol absorption,the more stable the surface layer.After 12:00 am,the 2 m temperature increases for strong absorption aerosols.In the meantime,there is a slight decrease in the 2 m temperature for purely scattering aerosols due to radiative cooling.The purely scattering aerosols decrease the ABL temperature and enhance the capping inversion,further reducing the ABL height.

New expressions for the surface roughness length and displacement height in the atmospheric boundary layer

An alternative model for the prediction of surface roughness length is developed. In the model a new factor is introduced to compensate for the effects of wake diffusion and interactions between the wake and roughness obstacles. The experiments are carried out by the use of the hot wire anemometry in the simulated atmospheric boundary layer in a wind tunnel. Based on the experimental data, a new expression for the zero-plane displacement height is proposed for the square arrays of roughness elements, which highlights the influence of free-stream speed on the roughness length. It appears that the displacement height increases with the wind speed while the surface roughness length decreases with Reynolds number increasing. It is shown that the calculation results based on the new expressions are in reasonable agreement with the experimental data.

HEIGHT OF ATMOSPHERIC BOUNDARY LAYER AS DETECTED BY COSMIC GPS RADIO OCCULTATION DATA

The characteristics of the atmospheric boundary layer height over the global ocean were studied based on the Constellation Observation System of Meteorology,Ionosphere and Climate(COSMIC) refractivity data from 2007 to2012.Results show that the height is much characteristic of seasonal,inter-annual and regional variation.Globally,the spatial distribution of the annual mean top height shows a symmetrical zonal structure,which is more zonal in the Southern Hemisphere than in the Northern Hemisphere.The boundary layer top is highest in the tropics and gradually decreases towards higher latitudes.The height is in a range of 3 to 3.5 km in the tropics,2 to 2.5 km in the subtropical regions,and 1 to 1.5 km or even lower in middle and high latitudes.The diurnal variation of the top height is not obvious,with the height varying from tens to hundreds of meters.Furthermore,it is different from region to region,some regions have the maximum height during 9:00 to 12:00,others at 15:00 to18:00.

Structure and seasonal changes in atmospheric boundary layer on coast of the east Antarctic continent

The temperature, humidity, and vertical distribution of ozone in the Antarctic atmospheric boundary layer（ABL） and their seasonal changes are analyzed, by using the high-resolution profile data obtained during the International Polar Year 2008 to 2009 at Zhongshan Station, to further the understanding of the structure and processes of the ABL. The results show that the fre- quency of the convective boundary layer in the warm season accounts for 84% of its annual occurrence frequency. The frequency of the stable boundary layer in the cold season accounts for 71% of its annual occurrence frequency. A neutral boundary layer ap- pears rarely. The average altitude of the convective boundary layer determined by the parcel method is 600 m; this is 200 to 300 m higher than that over inland Antarctica. The average altitude of the top of the boundary layer determined by the potential tempera- ture gradient and humidity gradient is 1 200 m in the warm season and 1 500 m in the cold season. The vertical structures of ozone and specific humidity in the ABL exhibit obvious seasonal changes. The specific humidity is very high with greater vertical gradi- ent in the warm season and very low with a lesser gradient in the cold season under 2 000 m. The atmospheric ozone in the ABL is consumed by photochemical processes in the warm season, which results in a slight difference in altitude. The sub-highest ozone center is located in the boundary layer, indicating that the ozone transferred from the stratosphere to the troposphere reaches the low boundary layer during October and November in Antarctica.

Relationship of atmospheric boundary layer depth with thermodynamic processes at the land surface in arid regions of China

The atmospheric boundary layer （ABL） is an important physical characteristic of the Earth＇s atmosphere. Compared with the typical ABL, the ABL in arid regions has distinct features and is formed by particular mechanisms. In this paper, the depth of the diurnal and nocturnal ABLs and their related thermodynamic features of land surface processes, including net radiation, the ground-air temperature difference and sensible heat flux, under typical summer and winter conditions are discussed on the basis of comprehensive observations of the ABL and thermodynamic processes at the land surface carried out in the extreme arid zone of Dunhuang. The relationships of the ABL depth in the development and maintenance stages with these thermodynamic features are also investigated. The results show that the depth of the ABL is closely correlated with the thermodynamic features in both development and maintenance stages and more energy is consumed in the development stage. Further analysis indicates that wind velocity also affects ABL development, especially the development of a stable boundary layer in winter. Taken together, the analysis results indicate that extremely strong thermodynamic processes at the land surface are the main driving factor for the formation of a deep ABL in an arid region.

STUDIES ON RETRIEVAL OF THE TURBULIVITY OF ATMOSPHERIC BOUNDARY LAYER

The variational adjoint method was applied to retrieving the turbulivity of the atmospheric Ekman boundary layer along with the regularization principle, The validity of the method was verified by using the idealized data, and then the turbulivity profile and the geostrophic wind profile were retrieved through it for real observational wind filed data.

Research Progress on Estimation of the Atmospheric Boundary Layer Height

Atmospheric boundary layer height(ABLH)is an important parameter used to depict characteristics of the planetary boundary layer(PBL)in the lower troposphere.The ABLH is strongly associated with the vertical distributions of heat,mass,and energy in the PBL,and it is a key quantity in numerical simulation of the PBL and plays an essential role in atmospheric environmental assessment.In this paper,various definitions and methods for deriving and estimating the ABLH are summarized,from the perspectives of turbulent motion,PBL dynamics and thermodynamics,and distributions of various substances in the PBL.Different methods for determining the ABLH by means of direct observation and remote sensing retrieval are reviewed,and comparisons of the advantages and disadvantages of these methods are presented.The paper also summarizes the ABLH parameterization schemes,discusses current problems in the estimation of ABLH,and finally points out the directions for possible future breakthroughs in the ABLHrelated research and application.

A Study of the Atmospheric Boundary Layer Structure During a Clear Day in the Arid Region of Northwest China

The local climate and atmospheric circulation pattern exert a clear influence on the atmospheric boundary layer （ABL） formation and development in Northwest China. In this paper, we use field observational data to analyze the distribution and characteristics of the ABL in the extremely arid desert in Dunhuang, Northwest China. These data show that the daytime convective boundary layer and night time stable boundary layer in this area extend to higher altitudes than in other areas. In the night time, the stable boundary layer exceeds 900 m in altitude and can sometimes peak at 1750 m, above which the residual layer may reach up to about 4000 m. The daytime convective boundary layer develops rapidly after entering the residual layer, and exceeds 4000 m in thickness. The results show that the deep convective boundary layer in the daytime is a pre-requisite for maintaining the deep residual mixed layer in the night time. Meanwhile, the deep residual mixed layer in the night time provides favorable thermal conditions for the development of the convective boundary layer in the daytime. The prolonged periods of clear weather that often occurs in this area allow the cumulative effect of the atmospheric residual layer to develop fully, which creates thermal conditions beneficial for the growth of the daytime convective boundary layer. At the same time, the land surface process and atmospheric motion within the surface layer in this area also provide helpful support for forming the particular structure of the thermal ABL. High surface temperature is clearly the powerful external thermal forcing for the deep convective boundary layer. Strong sensible heat flux in the surface layer provides the required energy. Highly convective atmosphere and strong turbulence provide the necessary dynamic conditions, and the accumulative effect of the residual layer provides a favorable thermal environment.