High Resolution in situ Profiling of the Boundary Layer with Tethered Blimps (Rendezvous Science Poster, 2008)


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High Resolution in situ Profiling of the Boundary Layer with Tethered Blimps

Yannick P. Meillier¹, Rod G. Frehlich¹, Ben B. Balsley¹

¹ Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado-Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309

The CIRES Tethered Lifting System (TLS) was developed to provide unique high-resolution in situ atmospheric measurements from the surface up to a few kilometers. The unique benefits of the TLS include its portability, altitude coverage, excellent sensitivity, and high-resolution profiling capabilities.

In addition to developing a state-of-the-art tethered lifting system, unique high-rate turbulence sensors have been developed for accurate temperature and velocity measurements. Analysis of these data provides high-resolution profiles of turbulence statistics in addition to mean profiles of supporting meteorological quantities such as pressure, relative humidity, and wind direction. This set of measurements is essential for an accurate characterization of boundary layer evolution, particularly for stable night time conditions. For example, accurate measurements of temperature gradients are possible because of the improved statistical accuracy. The TLS measurements are ideally suited to verify recent progress in stably stratified turbulence studies.

This poster presents a review of various studies using the CIRES TLS data. Such studies include, (1) the structure and evolution of the stable night time boundary layer, (2) the use of TLS turbulence measurements as truth for validating lidar-based turbulence estimates, (3) measurements of steep vertical gradients, (4) improved estimates of the boundary layer height, (5) turbulence intermittency, (6) CO2 profiling, and (7) periodic wave-generated bursts of turbulence.