Comparison of indirect methods for the estimation of Boundary Layer height over flat-terrain in a coastal site
In this paper an analysis of different indirect methods for the calculation of the boundary layer height (BLH) using sodar, ultrasonic anemometer and a prognostic model based on single point surface measurements is presented. In particular the automatic spectral routine developed for Remtech sodar i...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Borntraeger
2009-06-01
|
| Series: | Meteorologische Zeitschrift |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1127/0941-2948/2009/0381 |
| _version_ | 1797332575279120384 |
|---|---|
| author | Daniele Contini Danilea Cava Paolo Martano Antonio Donateo Fabio M. Grasso |
| author_facet | Daniele Contini Danilea Cava Paolo Martano Antonio Donateo Fabio M. Grasso |
| author_sort | Daniele Contini |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In this paper an analysis of different indirect methods for the calculation of the boundary layer height (BLH) using sodar, ultrasonic anemometer and a prognostic model based on single point surface measurements is presented. In particular the automatic spectral routine developed for Remtech sodar is compared with the results obtained with the parameterization of the vertical velocity variance of a minisodar, with the calculation of a prognostic model, with a parameterization based on horizontal velocity spectra and with the BLH evaluated from the intensity of minisodar echoes in stable conditions. The data of a radiosonde system taken in a nearby site was also analysed to get an independent evaluation of BLH for comparison. There is a significant scatter in the data for both the evaluation through the variance of vertical wind speed and the spectral analysis of the horizontal wind velocity although created by different effects. In unstable conditions the different methods give a similar pattern even if the prognostic model in some days predicts a significantly higher BLH with respect to the other methods. In stable nocturnal conditions the performances of the Remtech routine are worse than those in unstable conditions with an evident overestimation of the BLH that it is likely related to the overestimation of vertical turbulence and to the use of multiple range gates in the algorithm. Taking as reference the evaluation of BLH of the sodar, the spectral method applied to ultrasonic anemometer data seems to be affected by the lowest biases and it is a possible candidate, for the development of automatic routines for operational evaluation of BLH possibly with a different parameterisation for stable and unstable cases. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T07:51:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7a6edd59612540b09720394ba67861b2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0941-2948 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T07:51:52Z |
| publishDate | 2009-06-01 |
| publisher | Borntraeger |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Meteorologische Zeitschrift |
| spelling | doaj.art-7a6edd59612540b09720394ba67861b22024-02-02T14:45:07ZengBorntraegerMeteorologische Zeitschrift0941-29482009-06-0118330932010.1127/0941-2948/2009/038173392Comparison of indirect methods for the estimation of Boundary Layer height over flat-terrain in a coastal siteDaniele ContiniDanilea CavaPaolo MartanoAntonio DonateoFabio M. GrassoIn this paper an analysis of different indirect methods for the calculation of the boundary layer height (BLH) using sodar, ultrasonic anemometer and a prognostic model based on single point surface measurements is presented. In particular the automatic spectral routine developed for Remtech sodar is compared with the results obtained with the parameterization of the vertical velocity variance of a minisodar, with the calculation of a prognostic model, with a parameterization based on horizontal velocity spectra and with the BLH evaluated from the intensity of minisodar echoes in stable conditions. The data of a radiosonde system taken in a nearby site was also analysed to get an independent evaluation of BLH for comparison. There is a significant scatter in the data for both the evaluation through the variance of vertical wind speed and the spectral analysis of the horizontal wind velocity although created by different effects. In unstable conditions the different methods give a similar pattern even if the prognostic model in some days predicts a significantly higher BLH with respect to the other methods. In stable nocturnal conditions the performances of the Remtech routine are worse than those in unstable conditions with an evident overestimation of the BLH that it is likely related to the overestimation of vertical turbulence and to the use of multiple range gates in the algorithm. Taking as reference the evaluation of BLH of the sodar, the spectral method applied to ultrasonic anemometer data seems to be affected by the lowest biases and it is a possible candidate, for the development of automatic routines for operational evaluation of BLH possibly with a different parameterisation for stable and unstable cases.http://dx.doi.org/10.1127/0941-2948/2009/0381 |
| spellingShingle | Daniele Contini Danilea Cava Paolo Martano Antonio Donateo Fabio M. Grasso Comparison of indirect methods for the estimation of Boundary Layer height over flat-terrain in a coastal site Meteorologische Zeitschrift |
| title | Comparison of indirect methods for the estimation of Boundary Layer height over flat-terrain in a coastal site |
| title_full | Comparison of indirect methods for the estimation of Boundary Layer height over flat-terrain in a coastal site |
| title_fullStr | Comparison of indirect methods for the estimation of Boundary Layer height over flat-terrain in a coastal site |
| title_full_unstemmed | Comparison of indirect methods for the estimation of Boundary Layer height over flat-terrain in a coastal site |
| title_short | Comparison of indirect methods for the estimation of Boundary Layer height over flat-terrain in a coastal site |
| title_sort | comparison of indirect methods for the estimation of boundary layer height over flat terrain in a coastal site |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1127/0941-2948/2009/0381 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT danielecontini comparisonofindirectmethodsfortheestimationofboundarylayerheightoverflatterraininacoastalsite AT danileacava comparisonofindirectmethodsfortheestimationofboundarylayerheightoverflatterraininacoastalsite AT paolomartano comparisonofindirectmethodsfortheestimationofboundarylayerheightoverflatterraininacoastalsite AT antoniodonateo comparisonofindirectmethodsfortheestimationofboundarylayerheightoverflatterraininacoastalsite AT fabiomgrasso comparisonofindirectmethodsfortheestimationofboundarylayerheightoverflatterraininacoastalsite |