Articles | Volume 14, issue 4
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-3033-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-3033-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
26 Apr 2021
Research article |
| 26 Apr 2021
| 26 Apr 2021
Ground-based temperature and humidity profiling: combining active and passive remote sensors
NOAA/OAR/Global Systems Laboratory, Boulder, Colorado, USA
Ulrich Löhnert
University of Cologne/Institute of Geophysics and Meteorology, Cologne, Germany
Related authors
Jonah K. Shaw, Dustin J. Swales, Sergio DeSouza-Machado, David D. Turner, Jennifer E. Kay, and David P. Schneider
Geosci. Model Dev., 18, 4935–4950, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-18-4935-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-18-4935-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Satellites have observed Earth's emissions of infrared radiation since the 1970s. Because infrared wavelengths interact with the atmosphere in distinct ways, these observations contain information about Earth and the atmosphere. We present a tool that runs within Earth system models and produces output that can be directly compared with satellite measurements of infrared radiation. We then use this tool for climate model evaluation, climate change detection, and satellite mission design.
Vincent Michaud-Belleau, Michel Gaudreau, Jean Lacoursière, Éric Boisvert, Lalaina Ravelomanantsoa, David D. Turner, and Luc Rochette
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 3585–3609, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-3585-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-3585-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
The Atmospheric Sounder Spectrometer by Infrared Spectral Technology (ASSIST) is a commercially available ground-based infrared spectroradiometer. It is designed for automated and passive measurement of the thermal radiation emitted by the atmosphere, providing information about the vertical distribution of temperature and humidity, trace gases, clouds, and aerosols in the boundary layer. In this paper, we outline the key characteristics of the ASSIST hardware and signal processing algorithm that yields downwelling radiance spectra in near real-time.
David D. Turner, Maria P. Cadeddu, Julia M. Simonson, and Timothy J. Wagner
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 3533–3546, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-3533-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-3533-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
When deriving a geophysical variable from remote sensors, the uncertainty and information content are critical. The latter quantify specifies what fraction of a real perturbation would be observed in the derived variable. This paper outlines, for the first time, a methodology for propagating the information content from multiple remote sensors into a derived product using horizontal advection as an example.
Laura Bianco, Reagan Mendeke, Jake Lindblom, Irina V. Djalalova, David D. Turner, and James M. Wilczak
Wind Energ. Sci. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-2024-133, https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-2024-133, 2024
Revised manuscript accepted for WES
Short summary
Short summary
Including more renewable energy into the electric grid is a critical part of the strategy to mitigate climate change. Reliable numerical weather prediction (NWP) models need to be able to predict the intrinsic nature of weather-dependent resources, such as wind ramp events, as wind energy could quickly be available in abundance or temporarily cease to exist. We assess the ability of the operational High Resolution Rapid Refresh NWP model to forecast wind ramp events in two most recent versions.
Bianca Adler, David D. Turner, Laura Bianco, Irina V. Djalalova, Timothy Myers, and James M. Wilczak
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 6603–6624, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-6603-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-6603-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Continuous profile observations of temperature and humidity in the lowest part of the atmosphere are essential for the evaluation of numerical weather prediction models and data assimilation for better weather forecasts. Such profiles can be retrieved from passive ground-based remote sensing instruments like infrared spectrometers and microwave radiometers. In this study, we describe three recent modifications to the retrieval framework TROPoe for improved temperature and humidity profiles.
Tessa E. Rosenberger, David D. Turner, Thijs Heus, Girish N. Raghunathan, Timothy J. Wagner, and Julia Simonson
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 6595–6602, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-6595-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-6595-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This work used model output to show that considering the changes in boundary layer depth over time in the calculations of variables such as fluxes and variance yields more accurate results than cases where calculations were done at a constant height. This work was done to improve future observations of these variables at the top of the boundary layer.
Tessa E. Rosenberger, Thijs Heus, Girish N. Raghunathan, David D. Turner, Timothy J. Wagner, and Julia M. Simonson
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2894, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2894, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Entrainment is key in understanding temperature and moisture changes within the boundary layer, but it is difficult to observe using ground-based observations. This work used simulations to verify an assumption that simplifies entrainment estimations from ground-based observational data, recognizing that entrainment is the combination of the transfer of heat and moisture from above the boundary layer into it and the change in concentration of heat and moisture as boundary layer depth changes.
Laura Bianco, Bianca Adler, Ludovic Bariteau, Irina V. Djalalova, Timothy Myers, Sergio Pezoa, David D. Turner, and James M. Wilczak
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 3933–3948, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-3933-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-3933-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The Tropospheric Remotely Observed Profiling via Optimal Estimation physical retrieval is used to retrieve temperature and humidity profiles from various combinations of passive and active remote sensing instruments, surface platforms, and numerical weather prediction models. The retrieved profiles are assessed against collocated radiosonde in non-cloudy conditions to assess the sensitivity of the retrievals to different input combinations. Case studies with cloudy conditions are also inspected.
Volker Wulfmeyer, Christoph Senff, Florian Späth, Andreas Behrendt, Diego Lange, Robert M. Banta, W. Alan Brewer, Andreas Wieser, and David D. Turner
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 1175–1196, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-1175-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-1175-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
A simultaneous deployment of Doppler, temperature, and water-vapor lidar systems is used to provide profiles of molecular destruction rates and turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) dissipation in the convective boundary layer (CBL). The results can be used for the parameterization of turbulent variables, TKE budget analyses, and the verification of weather forecast and climate models.
Sunil Baidar, Timothy J. Wagner, David D. Turner, and W. Alan Brewer
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 3715–3726, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-3715-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-3715-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
This paper provides a new method to retrieve wind profiles from coherent Doppler lidar (CDL) measurements. It takes advantage of layer-to-layer correlation in wind profiles to provide continuous profiles of up to 3 km by filling in the gaps where the CDL signal is too small to retrieve reliable results by itself. Comparison with the current method and collocated radiosonde wind measurements showed excellent agreement with no degradation in results where the current method gives valid results.
Maria P. Cadeddu, Virendra P. Ghate, David D. Turner, and Thomas E. Surleta
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 3453–3470, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-3453-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-3453-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We analyze the variability in marine boundary layer moisture at the Eastern North Atlantic site on a monthly and daily temporal scale and examine its fundamental role in the control of boundary layer cloudiness and precipitation. The study also highlights the complex interaction between large-scale and local processes controlling the boundary layer moisture and the importance of the mesoscale spatial distribution of vapor to support convection and precipitation.
Bianca Adler, James M. Wilczak, Jaymes Kenyon, Laura Bianco, Irina V. Djalalova, Joseph B. Olson, and David D. Turner
Geosci. Model Dev., 16, 597–619, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-16-597-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-16-597-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Rapid changes in wind speed make the integration of wind energy produced during persistent orographic cold-air pools difficult to integrate into the electrical grid. By evaluating three versions of NOAA’s High-Resolution Rapid Refresh model, we demonstrate how model developments targeted during the second Wind Forecast Improvement Project improve the forecast of a persistent cold-air pool event.
Gianluca Di Natale, David D. Turner, Giovanni Bianchini, Massimo Del Guasta, Luca Palchetti, Alessandro Bracci, Luca Baldini, Tiziano Maestri, William Cossich, Michele Martinazzo, and Luca Facheris
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 7235–7258, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-7235-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-7235-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
In this paper, we describe a new approach to test the consistency of the precipitating ice cloud optical and microphysical properties in Antarctica, Dome C, retrieved from hyperspectral measurements in the far-infrared, with the reflectivity detected by a co-located micro rain radar operating at 24 GHz. The retrieved ice crystal sizes were found in accordance with the direct measurements of an optical imager, also installed at Dome C, which can collect the falling ice particles.
William J. Shaw, Larry K. Berg, Mithu Debnath, Georgios Deskos, Caroline Draxl, Virendra P. Ghate, Charlotte B. Hasager, Rao Kotamarthi, Jeffrey D. Mirocha, Paytsar Muradyan, William J. Pringle, David D. Turner, and James M. Wilczak
Wind Energ. Sci., 7, 2307–2334, https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-7-2307-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-7-2307-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
This paper provides a review of prominent scientific challenges to characterizing the offshore wind resource using as examples phenomena that occur in the rapidly developing wind energy areas off the United States. The paper also describes the current state of modeling and observations in the marine atmospheric boundary layer and provides specific recommendations for filling key current knowledge gaps.
Heather Guy, David D. Turner, Von P. Walden, Ian M. Brooks, and Ryan R. Neely
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 5095–5115, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-5095-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-5095-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Fog formation is highly sensitive to near-surface temperatures and humidity profiles. Passive remote sensing instruments can provide continuous measurements of the vertical temperature and humidity profiles and liquid water content, which can improve fog forecasts. Here we compare the performance of collocated infrared and microwave remote sensing instruments and demonstrate that the infrared instrument is especially sensitive to the onset of thin radiation fog.
James B. Duncan Jr., Laura Bianco, Bianca Adler, Tyler Bell, Irina V. Djalalova, Laura Riihimaki, Joseph Sedlar, Elizabeth N. Smith, David D. Turner, Timothy J. Wagner, and James M. Wilczak
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 2479–2502, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-2479-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-2479-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
In this study, several ground-based remote sensing instruments are used to estimate the height of the convective planetary boundary layer, and their performance is compared against independent boundary layer depth estimates obtained from radiosondes launched as part of the CHEESEHEAD19 field campaign. The impact of clouds (particularly boundary layer clouds) on the estimation of the boundary layer depth is also investigated.
Irina V. Djalalova, David D. Turner, Laura Bianco, James M. Wilczak, James Duncan, Bianca Adler, and Daniel Gottas
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 521–537, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-521-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-521-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
In this paper we investigate the synergy obtained by combining active (radio acoustic sounding system – RASS) and passive (microwave radiometer) remote sensing observations to obtain temperature vertical profiles through a radiative transfer model. Inclusion of the RASS observations leads to more accurate temperature profiles from the surface to 5 km above ground, well above the maximum height of the RASS observations themselves (2000 m), when compared to the microwave radiometer used alone.
Heather Guy, Ian M. Brooks, Ken S. Carslaw, Benjamin J. Murray, Von P. Walden, Matthew D. Shupe, Claire Pettersen, David D. Turner, Christopher J. Cox, William D. Neff, Ralf Bennartz, and Ryan R. Neely III
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 15351–15374, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-15351-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-15351-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We present the first full year of surface aerosol number concentration measurements from the central Greenland Ice Sheet. Aerosol concentrations here have a distinct seasonal cycle from those at lower-altitude Arctic sites, which is driven by large-scale atmospheric circulation. Our results can be used to help understand the role aerosols might play in Greenland surface melt through the modification of cloud properties. This is crucial in a rapidly changing region where observations are sparse.
Raghavendra Krishnamurthy, Rob K. Newsom, Larry K. Berg, Heng Xiao, Po-Lun Ma, and David D. Turner
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 4403–4424, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-4403-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-4403-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Planetary boundary layer (PBL) height is a critical parameter in atmospheric models. Continuous PBL height measurements from remote sensing measurements are important to understand various boundary layer mechanisms, especially during daytime and evening transition periods. Due to several limitations in existing methodologies to detect PBL height from a Doppler lidar, in this study, a machine learning (ML) approach is tested. The ML model is observed to improve the accuracy by over 50 %.
Paolo Andreozzi, Mark D. Fielding, Robin J. Hogan, Richard M. Forbes, Samuel Rémy, Birger Bohn, and Ulrich Löhnert
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-3790, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-3790, 2025
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (ACP).
Short summary
Short summary
Aerosols significantly contribute to the Earth’s climate, but models still struggle at representing them. Here we use satellite observations of clouds to improve aerosols in our weather and air-quality model. We show that African wildfires induce too bright simulated clouds and that our model removes too much aerosol from ice-containing clouds. This showcases how our approach effectively targets poorly observed aerosol processes, potentially informing weather forecasting and climate models.
Jonah K. Shaw, Dustin J. Swales, Sergio DeSouza-Machado, David D. Turner, Jennifer E. Kay, and David P. Schneider
Geosci. Model Dev., 18, 4935–4950, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-18-4935-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-18-4935-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Satellites have observed Earth's emissions of infrared radiation since the 1970s. Because infrared wavelengths interact with the atmosphere in distinct ways, these observations contain information about Earth and the atmosphere. We present a tool that runs within Earth system models and produces output that can be directly compared with satellite measurements of infrared radiation. We then use this tool for climate model evaluation, climate change detection, and satellite mission design.
Vincent Michaud-Belleau, Michel Gaudreau, Jean Lacoursière, Éric Boisvert, Lalaina Ravelomanantsoa, David D. Turner, and Luc Rochette
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 3585–3609, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-3585-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-3585-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
The Atmospheric Sounder Spectrometer by Infrared Spectral Technology (ASSIST) is a commercially available ground-based infrared spectroradiometer. It is designed for automated and passive measurement of the thermal radiation emitted by the atmosphere, providing information about the vertical distribution of temperature and humidity, trace gases, clouds, and aerosols in the boundary layer. In this paper, we outline the key characteristics of the ASSIST hardware and signal processing algorithm that yields downwelling radiance spectra in near real-time.
David D. Turner, Maria P. Cadeddu, Julia M. Simonson, and Timothy J. Wagner
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 3533–3546, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-3533-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-3533-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
When deriving a geophysical variable from remote sensors, the uncertainty and information content are critical. The latter quantify specifies what fraction of a real perturbation would be observed in the derived variable. This paper outlines, for the first time, a methodology for propagating the information content from multiple remote sensors into a derived product using horizontal advection as an example.
Tobias Böck, Moritz Löffler, Tobias Marke, Bernhard Pospichal, Christine Knist, and Ulrich Löhnert
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1727, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1727, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
We investigated how accurate modern ground-based weather sensors are in measuring temperature and humidity within the lower atmosphere. We identified different types of small but important measurement errors inherent to the instrument. Understanding these issues helps improve data quality and supports better short-term weather forecasts using sensor networks across Europe.
Laura Bianco, Reagan Mendeke, Jake Lindblom, Irina V. Djalalova, David D. Turner, and James M. Wilczak
Wind Energ. Sci. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-2024-133, https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-2024-133, 2024
Revised manuscript accepted for WES
Short summary
Short summary
Including more renewable energy into the electric grid is a critical part of the strategy to mitigate climate change. Reliable numerical weather prediction (NWP) models need to be able to predict the intrinsic nature of weather-dependent resources, such as wind ramp events, as wind energy could quickly be available in abundance or temporarily cease to exist. We assess the ability of the operational High Resolution Rapid Refresh NWP model to forecast wind ramp events in two most recent versions.
Bianca Adler, David D. Turner, Laura Bianco, Irina V. Djalalova, Timothy Myers, and James M. Wilczak
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 6603–6624, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-6603-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-6603-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Continuous profile observations of temperature and humidity in the lowest part of the atmosphere are essential for the evaluation of numerical weather prediction models and data assimilation for better weather forecasts. Such profiles can be retrieved from passive ground-based remote sensing instruments like infrared spectrometers and microwave radiometers. In this study, we describe three recent modifications to the retrieval framework TROPoe for improved temperature and humidity profiles.
Tessa E. Rosenberger, David D. Turner, Thijs Heus, Girish N. Raghunathan, Timothy J. Wagner, and Julia Simonson
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 6595–6602, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-6595-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-6595-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This work used model output to show that considering the changes in boundary layer depth over time in the calculations of variables such as fluxes and variance yields more accurate results than cases where calculations were done at a constant height. This work was done to improve future observations of these variables at the top of the boundary layer.
Tessa E. Rosenberger, Thijs Heus, Girish N. Raghunathan, David D. Turner, Timothy J. Wagner, and Julia M. Simonson
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2894, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2894, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Entrainment is key in understanding temperature and moisture changes within the boundary layer, but it is difficult to observe using ground-based observations. This work used simulations to verify an assumption that simplifies entrainment estimations from ground-based observational data, recognizing that entrainment is the combination of the transfer of heat and moisture from above the boundary layer into it and the change in concentration of heat and moisture as boundary layer depth changes.
Laura Bianco, Bianca Adler, Ludovic Bariteau, Irina V. Djalalova, Timothy Myers, Sergio Pezoa, David D. Turner, and James M. Wilczak
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 3933–3948, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-3933-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-3933-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The Tropospheric Remotely Observed Profiling via Optimal Estimation physical retrieval is used to retrieve temperature and humidity profiles from various combinations of passive and active remote sensing instruments, surface platforms, and numerical weather prediction models. The retrieved profiles are assessed against collocated radiosonde in non-cloudy conditions to assess the sensitivity of the retrievals to different input combinations. Case studies with cloudy conditions are also inspected.
Volker Wulfmeyer, Christoph Senff, Florian Späth, Andreas Behrendt, Diego Lange, Robert M. Banta, W. Alan Brewer, Andreas Wieser, and David D. Turner
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 1175–1196, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-1175-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-1175-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
A simultaneous deployment of Doppler, temperature, and water-vapor lidar systems is used to provide profiles of molecular destruction rates and turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) dissipation in the convective boundary layer (CBL). The results can be used for the parameterization of turbulent variables, TKE budget analyses, and the verification of weather forecast and climate models.
Sabrina Schnitt, Andreas Foth, Heike Kalesse-Los, Mario Mech, Claudia Acquistapace, Friedhelm Jansen, Ulrich Löhnert, Bernhard Pospichal, Johannes Röttenbacher, Susanne Crewell, and Bjorn Stevens
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 16, 681–700, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-681-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-681-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This publication describes the microwave radiometric measurements performed during the EUREC4A campaign at Barbados Cloud Observatory (BCO) and aboard RV Meteor and RV Maria S Merian. We present retrieved integrated water vapor (IWV), liquid water path (LWP), and temperature and humidity profiles as a unified, quality-controlled, multi-site data set on a 3 s temporal resolution for a core period between 19 January 2020 and 14 February 2020.
Tobias Böck, Bernhard Pospichal, and Ulrich Löhnert
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 219–233, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-219-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-219-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
In this study, measurement uncertainties from microwave radiometers and their impact on temperature profiling are analyzed. These measurement uncertainties include horizontal inhomogeneities of the atmosphere, pointing errors or tilts of the instrument, physical obstacles which are in the line of sight of the radiometer, and radio frequency interferences. Impacts on temperature profiles from these uncertainties are usually small in real-life scenarios and when obstacles are far enough away.
Sunil Baidar, Timothy J. Wagner, David D. Turner, and W. Alan Brewer
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 3715–3726, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-3715-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-3715-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
This paper provides a new method to retrieve wind profiles from coherent Doppler lidar (CDL) measurements. It takes advantage of layer-to-layer correlation in wind profiles to provide continuous profiles of up to 3 km by filling in the gaps where the CDL signal is too small to retrieve reliable results by itself. Comparison with the current method and collocated radiosonde wind measurements showed excellent agreement with no degradation in results where the current method gives valid results.
Nils Eingrüber, Wolfgang Korres, Ulrich Löhnert, and Karl Schneider
Adv. Sci. Res., 20, 65–71, https://doi.org/10.5194/asr-20-65-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/asr-20-65-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Sensitivity analyses for wind direction effects upon an ENVI-met microclimate model were performed for a heterogeneous urban study area. Significant temperature differences were found when forcing the model with constant N/E/S/W wind direction data. Best model performance was observed using measured wind direction forcing data. The results demonstrate that cooling effects of park areas are largely directional which is important for urban planning and design of climate change adaptation measures.
Maria P. Cadeddu, Virendra P. Ghate, David D. Turner, and Thomas E. Surleta
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 3453–3470, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-3453-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-3453-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We analyze the variability in marine boundary layer moisture at the Eastern North Atlantic site on a monthly and daily temporal scale and examine its fundamental role in the control of boundary layer cloudiness and precipitation. The study also highlights the complex interaction between large-scale and local processes controlling the boundary layer moisture and the importance of the mesoscale spatial distribution of vapor to support convection and precipitation.
Bianca Adler, James M. Wilczak, Jaymes Kenyon, Laura Bianco, Irina V. Djalalova, Joseph B. Olson, and David D. Turner
Geosci. Model Dev., 16, 597–619, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-16-597-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-16-597-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Rapid changes in wind speed make the integration of wind energy produced during persistent orographic cold-air pools difficult to integrate into the electrical grid. By evaluating three versions of NOAA’s High-Resolution Rapid Refresh model, we demonstrate how model developments targeted during the second Wind Forecast Improvement Project improve the forecast of a persistent cold-air pool event.
Gianluca Di Natale, David D. Turner, Giovanni Bianchini, Massimo Del Guasta, Luca Palchetti, Alessandro Bracci, Luca Baldini, Tiziano Maestri, William Cossich, Michele Martinazzo, and Luca Facheris
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 7235–7258, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-7235-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-7235-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
In this paper, we describe a new approach to test the consistency of the precipitating ice cloud optical and microphysical properties in Antarctica, Dome C, retrieved from hyperspectral measurements in the far-infrared, with the reflectivity detected by a co-located micro rain radar operating at 24 GHz. The retrieved ice crystal sizes were found in accordance with the direct measurements of an optical imager, also installed at Dome C, which can collect the falling ice particles.
William J. Shaw, Larry K. Berg, Mithu Debnath, Georgios Deskos, Caroline Draxl, Virendra P. Ghate, Charlotte B. Hasager, Rao Kotamarthi, Jeffrey D. Mirocha, Paytsar Muradyan, William J. Pringle, David D. Turner, and James M. Wilczak
Wind Energ. Sci., 7, 2307–2334, https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-7-2307-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-7-2307-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
This paper provides a review of prominent scientific challenges to characterizing the offshore wind resource using as examples phenomena that occur in the rapidly developing wind energy areas off the United States. The paper also describes the current state of modeling and observations in the marine atmospheric boundary layer and provides specific recommendations for filling key current knowledge gaps.
Jan H. Schween, Camilo del Rio, Juan-Luis García, Pablo Osses, Sarah Westbrook, and Ulrich Löhnert
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 12241–12267, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-12241-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-12241-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Marine stratocumulus clouds of the eastern Pacific play an essential role in the Earth's climate. These clouds form the major source of water to parts of the extreme dry Atacama Desert at the northern coast of Chile. For the first time these clouds are observed over a whole year with three remote sensing instruments. It is shown how these clouds are influenced by the land–sea wind system and the distribution of ocean temperatures.
Heather Guy, David D. Turner, Von P. Walden, Ian M. Brooks, and Ryan R. Neely
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 5095–5115, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-5095-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-5095-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Fog formation is highly sensitive to near-surface temperatures and humidity profiles. Passive remote sensing instruments can provide continuous measurements of the vertical temperature and humidity profiles and liquid water content, which can improve fog forecasts. Here we compare the performance of collocated infrared and microwave remote sensing instruments and demonstrate that the infrared instrument is especially sensitive to the onset of thin radiation fog.
Julian Steinheuer, Carola Detring, Frank Beyrich, Ulrich Löhnert, Petra Friederichs, and Stephanie Fiedler
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 3243–3260, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-3243-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-3243-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Doppler wind lidars (DWLs) allow the determination of wind profiles with high vertical resolution and thus provide an alternative to meteorological towers. We address the question of whether wind gusts can be derived since they are short-lived phenomena. Therefore, we compare different DWL configurations and develop a new method applicable to all of them. A fast continuous scanning mode that completes a full observation cycle within 3.4 s is found to be the best-performing configuration.
James B. Duncan Jr., Laura Bianco, Bianca Adler, Tyler Bell, Irina V. Djalalova, Laura Riihimaki, Joseph Sedlar, Elizabeth N. Smith, David D. Turner, Timothy J. Wagner, and James M. Wilczak
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 2479–2502, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-2479-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-2479-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
In this study, several ground-based remote sensing instruments are used to estimate the height of the convective planetary boundary layer, and their performance is compared against independent boundary layer depth estimates obtained from radiosondes launched as part of the CHEESEHEAD19 field campaign. The impact of clouds (particularly boundary layer clouds) on the estimation of the boundary layer depth is also investigated.
Irina V. Djalalova, David D. Turner, Laura Bianco, James M. Wilczak, James Duncan, Bianca Adler, and Daniel Gottas
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 521–537, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-521-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-521-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
In this paper we investigate the synergy obtained by combining active (radio acoustic sounding system – RASS) and passive (microwave radiometer) remote sensing observations to obtain temperature vertical profiles through a radiative transfer model. Inclusion of the RASS observations leads to more accurate temperature profiles from the surface to 5 km above ground, well above the maximum height of the RASS observations themselves (2000 m), when compared to the microwave radiometer used alone.
Heather Guy, Ian M. Brooks, Ken S. Carslaw, Benjamin J. Murray, Von P. Walden, Matthew D. Shupe, Claire Pettersen, David D. Turner, Christopher J. Cox, William D. Neff, Ralf Bennartz, and Ryan R. Neely III
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 15351–15374, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-15351-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-15351-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We present the first full year of surface aerosol number concentration measurements from the central Greenland Ice Sheet. Aerosol concentrations here have a distinct seasonal cycle from those at lower-altitude Arctic sites, which is driven by large-scale atmospheric circulation. Our results can be used to help understand the role aerosols might play in Greenland surface melt through the modification of cloud properties. This is crucial in a rapidly changing region where observations are sparse.
Raghavendra Krishnamurthy, Rob K. Newsom, Larry K. Berg, Heng Xiao, Po-Lun Ma, and David D. Turner
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 4403–4424, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-4403-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-4403-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Planetary boundary layer (PBL) height is a critical parameter in atmospheric models. Continuous PBL height measurements from remote sensing measurements are important to understand various boundary layer mechanisms, especially during daytime and evening transition periods. Due to several limitations in existing methodologies to detect PBL height from a Doppler lidar, in this study, a machine learning (ML) approach is tested. The ML model is observed to improve the accuracy by over 50 %.
Cited articles
Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) user facility: Atmospheric Emitted Radiance Interferometer (AERICH1), 2017-05-10 to 2017-07-02, Southern Great Plains (SGP) Central Facility, Lamont, OK (C1), Compiled by J. Gero, R. Garcia, D. Hackel, B. Ermold and K. Gaustad, ARM Data Center, available at: https://www.arm.gov (last access: 21 July 2019), 2004.
Barrera-Verdejo, M., Crewell, S., Löhnert, U., Orlandi, E., and Di Girolamo, P.: Ground-based lidar and microwave radiometry synergy for high vertical resolution absolute humidity profiling, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 9, 4013–4028, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-4013-2016, 2016.
Bluestein, H. B., Wienhoff, Z. B., Turner, D. D., Reif, D. W., Snyder, J. C.,
Thiem, K. J., and Houser, J. B.: A comparison of the fine-scale structures of
a prefrontal wind-shift line and a strong cold front in the Southern Plains
of the U.S., Mon. Weather Rev.., 145, 3307–3330, https://doi.org/10.1175/MWR-D-16-0403.1, 2017.
Blumberg, W. G., Turner, D. D., Löhnert, U., and Castleberry, S.: Ground
based temperature and humidity profiling using spectral infrared and
microwave observations, Part II: Actual retrieval performance in clear-sky
and cloudy conditions, J. Appl. Meteorol., 54, 2305–2319, 2015.
Caumont, O., Cimini, D., Löhnert, U., Alados-Arboledas, L., Bleisch, R.,
Buffa, F., Ferrario, M.E., Haefele, A., Huet, T., Madonna, F., and Pace, G.:
Assimilation of humidity and temperature observations retrieved from
ground-based microwave radiometers into a convective-scale NWP model, Q. J. Roy. Meteor. Soc., 142, 2692–2704, https://doi.org/10.1002/qj.2860, 2016.
Cimini, D., Campos, E., Ware, R., Albers, S., Giuliani, G., Oreamuno, J.,
Joe, P., Koch, S. E., Cober, S., and Westwater, E.: Thermodynamic atmospheric
profiling during the 2010 winter Olympics using ground-based microwave
radiometry, IEEE T. Geosci. Remote, 49, 4959–4969, https://doi.org/10.1109/TGRS.2011.2154337, 2011.
Cimini, D., Nelson, M., Güldner, J., and Ware, R.: Forecast indices from a ground-based microwave radiometer for operational meteorology, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 8, 315–333, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-8-315-2015, 2015.
Cimini, D., Rosenkranz, P. W., Tretyakov, M. Y., Koshelev, M. A., and Romano, F.: Uncertainty of atmospheric microwave absorption model: impact on ground-based radiometer simulations and retrievals, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 15231–15259, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-15231-2018, 2018.
Cimini, D., Haeffelin, M., Kotthaus, S., Löhnert, U., Martinet, P.,
O'Connor, E., Walden, C., Coen, M., and Preissler, J.: Towards the profiling
of the atmospheric boundary layer at European scale – introducing the COST
action PROBE, Bull. Atmos. Sci. Tech., 1, 23–42, https://doi.org/10.1007/s42865-020-00003-8, 2020.
Clough, S. A. and Iacono, M. J.: Line-by-line calculation of atmospheric fluxes and cooling rates, 2: Applications to carbon dioxide, ozone, methane, nitrous oxide, and halocarbons, J Geophys. Res., 100, 16519–16535, 1995.
Clough, S. A., Shephard, M. W., Mlawer, E. J., Delamere, J. S., Iacono, M. J.,
Cady-Pereira, K., Boukabara, S., and Brown, P. D.: Atmospheric radiative
transfer modeling: A summary of the AER codes, J. Quant. Spectrosc. Ra., 91, 233–244,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jqsrt.2004.05.058, 2005.
Coniglio, M. C., Romine, G. S., Turner, D. D., and Torn, R. D.: Impacts of
targeted AERI and Doppler lidar wind retrievals on short-term forecasts of
the initiation and early evolution of thunderstorms, Mon. Weather Rev., 147,
1149–1170, https://doi.org/10.1175/MWR-D-0351.1, 2019.
Crewell, S. and Löhnert, U.: Accuracy of boundary layer temperature
profiles retrieved with multi-frequency, multi-angle microwave radiometry,
IEEE T. Geosci. Remote, 45, 2195–2201, 2007.
Dabberdt, W. F., Schlatter, T.W., Carr, F. H., Friday, E. W. J., Jorgenson, D., Koch, S., Pirone, M., Ralph, F. M., Sun, J., Welsh, P., Wilson, J. W., and Zou, X.: Multifuction mesoscale observing networks,
B. Am. Meteorol. Soc., 86, 961–982, https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-86-7-961, 2005.
De Angelis, F., Cimini, D., Löhnert, U., Caumont, O., Haefele, A., Pospichal, B., Martinet, P., Navas-Guzmán, F., Klein-Baltink, H., Dupont, J.-C., and Hocking, J.: Long-term observations minus background monitoring of ground-based brightness temperatures from a microwave radiometer network, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 10, 3947–3961, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-10-3947-2017, 2017.
Degelia, S. K., Wang, X., and Stensrud, D. J.: An evaluation of the impact of
assimilating AERI retrievals, kinematic profilers, rawinsondes, and surface
observations on a forecast of nocturnal convection initiation event during
the PECAN field campaign, Mon. Weather Rev., 147, 2739–2764, https://doi.org/10.1175/MWR-D-18-0423.1,
2019.
Ebell, K., Orlandi, E., Hünerbein, A., Löhnert, U., and Crewell, S.:
Combining ground-based with satellite-based measurements in the atmospheric
state retrieval: Assessment of the information content, J. Geophys. Res.
Atmos., 118, 6940–6956, https://doi.org/10.1002/jgrd.50548, 2013.
Feltz, W. F., Smith, W. L., Howell, H. B., Knuteson, R. O., Woolf, H., and
Revercomb, H. E.: Near-continuous profiling of temperature, moisture, and
atmospheric stability using the Atmospheric Emitted Radiance Interferometer
(AERI), J. Appl. Meteor, 42, 584–597, 2003.
Fernando, H. J. S., Mann, J., Palma, J., Lundquist, J., Barthelmie, R., Belo-Pereira, M., Brown, W., Chow, F., Gerz, T., Hocut, C., Klein, P., Leo, L.,
Matos, J., Oncley, S., Pryor, C., Bariteau, L., Bell, T., Bodini, N., Carney, M., Courtney, M., Creegan, E., Dimitrova, R., Gomes, S., Hagen, M., Hyde, J., Kigle, S., Krishnamurthy, R., Lopes, J., Mazzaro, L., Neher, J., Menke, R., Murpy, P., Oswald, L., Otarola-Bustos, S., Pattantyus, A., Veiga Rodrigues, C., Schady, A., Sirin, N., Spuler, S., Sevensson, E., Tomaszewski, J., Turner, D., van Veen, L., Vasiljevic, N., Vassallo, D., Voss, S., Wildmann, N., and Yang, Y.: The Perdigao: Peering into microscale
details of mountain winds, B. Am. Meteorol. Soc., 100, 799–819, https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-17-0227.1,
2019.
Foth, A. and Pospichal, B.: Optimal estimation of water vapour profiles using a combination of Raman lidar and microwave radiometer, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 10, 3325–3344, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-10-3325-2017, 2017.
Geerts, B., Parsons, D., Ziegler, C., Weckwerth, T., Biggerstaff, M., Clark, R., Coniglio, M., Demoz, B., Ferrare, R., Gallus Jr. W., Haghi, K., Hanesiak, J., Klein, P., Knupp, K., Kosiba, K., McFarquhar, G., Moore, J., Nehrir, A., Parker, M., Pinto, J., Rauber, R., Schumacher, R., Turner, D., Wang, Q., Wang, X., Wang, Z., and Wurman, J.: The 2015 Plains Elevated Convection At Night
field project, B. Am. Meteorol. Soc., 98, 767–786, 2017.
Grasmick, C., Geerts, B., Turner, D. D., Wang, Z., and Weckwerth, T. M.: The
relation between nocturnal MCS evolution and its outflow boundaries in the
stable boundary layer: An observational study of the 15 July 2015 MCS in
PECAN, Mon. Weather Rev., 146, 3203–3226, https://doi.org/10.1175/MWR-D-18-0169.1, 2018.
Hu, J., Yussouf, N., Turner, D. D., Jones, T. A., and Wang, X.: Impact of
ground-based remote sensing boundary layer observations on short-term
probabilistic forecasts of a tornadic supercell event, Weather Forecast., 34,
1453–1476, https://doi.org/10.1175/WAF-D-18-0200.1, 2019.
Johnson, A., Wang, X., Haghi, K., and Parsons, D. B.: Evaluation of forecasts
of a convectively generated bore using an intensively observed case study
from PECAN, Mon. Weather Rev., 146, 3097–3122, https://doi.org/10.1175/MWR-D-18-0059.1, 2018.
Knuteson, R. O., Revercomb, H., Best, F., Ciganovich, N., Dedecker, R., Dirkx, T., Ellington, S., Feltz, W., Garcia, R., Howell, H., Smith, W., Short, J., and Tobin, D.: Atmospheric Emitted Radiance Interferometer.
Part I: Instrument design, J. Atmos. Ocean. Tech., 21, 1763–1776, 2004a.
Knuteson, R. O., Revercomb, H., Best, F., Ciganovich, N., Dedecker, R., Dirkx, T., Ellington, S., Feltz, W., Garcia, R., Howell, H., Smith, W., Short, J., and Tobin, D.: Atmospheric Emitted Radiance Interferometer,
Part II: Instrument performance, J. Atmos. Ocean. Tech., 21, 1777–1789, 2004b.
Loveless, D. M., Wagner, T. J., Turner, D. D., Ackerman, S. A., and Feltz,
W. F.: A composite perspective on bore passages during the PECAN
campaign, Mon. Weather Rev., 147, 1395–1413, https://doi.org/10.1175/MWR-D-18-0291.1, 2019.
Löhnert, U., Turner, D. D., and Crewell, S.: Ground-based temperature and
humidity profiling using spectral infrared and microwave observations, Part
1: Simulated retrieval performance in clear sky conditions, J. Appl. Meteor. Clim., 48,
1017–1032, https://doi.org/10.1175/2008JAMC2060.1, 2009.
Löhnert, U. and Maier, O.: Operational profiling of temperature using ground-based microwave radiometry at Payerne: prospects and challenges, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 5, 1121–1134, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-5-1121-2012, 2012.
Maahn, M., Turner, D. D., Löhnert, U., Posselt, D. J., Ebell, K., Mace,
G. G., and Comstock, J. M.: Optimal estimation retrievals and their
uncertainties: What every atmospheric scientist should know, B. Am. Meteorol. Soc., 101,
1512–1523, https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-19-0027.1, 2020.
Mlawer, E. J. and Turner, D. D.: Spectral radiation measurements and analysis
in the ARM program, The Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program: The First 20 Years, Meteor. Monograph, 57, Amer. Meteor. Soc., 1–17,
https://doi.org/10.1175/AMSMONOGRAPHS-D-15-0027.1, 2016.
Mueller, D., Geerts, B., Wang, Z., Deng, M., and Grasmick, C.: Evolution and
vertical structure of an undular bore observed on 20 June 2015 during PECAN,
Mon. Wether. Rev., 145, 3375–3794, https://doi.org/10.1175/MWR-D-16-0305.1, 2017.
National Academies: Thriving on our changing planet: A decadal strategy for
Earth observation from space. National Academies Press, https://doi.org/10.17226/24938,
available from https://www.nap.edu/catalog/24938/thriving-on-our-changing-planet-a-decadal-strategy-for-earth (last access: February 2019), 2018.
NRC: National Research Council Committee on Developing Mesoscale
Meteorological Observational Capabilities to Meet Multiple National Needs:
Observing Weather and Climate from the Ground Up: A Nationwide Network of
Networks, National Academies Press, 234 pp., 2009.
Nehrir, A. R., Rapasky, K. S., and Carlsten, J. L.: Micropulse water vapor
differential absorption lidar: Transmitter design and performance, Opt. Express., 20,
137–151, 2012.
Newsom, R. K., Turner, D. D., Lehtinen, R., Muenkel, C., Kallio, J., and
Roininen, R.: Evaluation of a compact broadband differential absorption
lidar for routine water vapor profiling in the atmospheric boundary
layer, J. Atmos. Ocean. Tech., 37, 47–65, https://doi.org/10.1175/JTECH-D-18-0102.1, 2020.
Payne, V. H., Mlawer, E. J., Cady-Pereira, K. E., and Moncet, J.-L.: Water
vapor continuum absorption in the microwave, IEEE T. Geosci. Remote, 49, 2194–2208,
https://doi.org/10.1109/TGRS.2010.2091416, 2011.
Revercomb, H. E., Buijs, H., Howell, H. B., LaPorte, D. D., Smith, W. L., and
Sromovsky, L. A.: Radiometric calibration of IR Fourier transform
spectrometers: Solution to a problem with the high-resolution interferometer
sounder, Appl. Opt., 27, 3210–3218, 1988.
Rodgers, C. D.: Inverse Methods for Atmospheric Sounding: Theory and Practice, Series on Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Planetary Physics, Vol.
2, World Scientific, 238 pp, 2000.
Rose, T., Crewell, S., Löhnert, U., and Simmer, C.: A network suitable
microwave radiometer for operational monitoring of the cloudy atmosphere,
Atmos. Res., 75, 183–200, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosres.2004.12.005, 2005.
Sica, R. J. and Haefele, A.: Retrieval of water vapor mixing ratio from a
multiple channel Raman-scatter lidar using an optimal estimation method,
Appl. Opt., 55, 763–777, https://doi.org/10.1364/AO.55.000763, 2016.
Sisterson, D. L., Peppler, R. A., Cress, T. S., Lamb, P. J., and Turner, D. D.:
The ARM Southern Great Plains (SGP) site, The Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program: The First 20 Years, Meteor. Monograph. Amer. Meteor.
Soc., 57, 1–14, https://doi.org/10.1175/AMSMONOGRAPHS-D-16-0004.1, 2016.
Spuler, S. M., Repasky, K. S., Morley, B., Moen, D., Hayman, M., and Nehrir, A. R.: Field-deployable diode-laser-based differential absorption lidar (DIAL) for profiling water vapor, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 8, 1073–1087, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-8-1073-2015, 2015.
Toms, B. A., Tomaszewski, J. M., Turner, D. D., and Koch, S. E.: Analysis of a
lower-tropospheric gravity wave train using direct and remote sensing
measurement systems, Mon. Weather Rev., 145, 2791–2812, https://doi.org/10.1175/MWR-D-0216.1,
2017.
Toporov, M. and Löhnert, U.: Synergy of Satellite- and Ground-Based
Observations for Continuous Monitoring of Atmospheric Stability, Liquid
Water Path and Integrated Water Vapor, J. Appl. Meteor. Climatol., 59, 1153–1170,
https://doi.org/10.1175/JAMC-D-19-0169.1, 2020.
Turner, D. D.: Improved ground-based liquid water path retrievals using a
combined infrared and microwave approach, J. Geophys. Res., 112, D15204,
https://doi.org/10.1029/2007JD008530, 2007.
Turner, D. D. and Goldsmith, J. E. M.: Twenty-Four-Hour Raman Lidar Water
Vapor Measurements during the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program's
1996 and 1997 Water Vapor Intensive Observation Periods, J. Atmos. Ocean. Tech., 16,
1062–1076, 1999.
Turner, D. D. and Löhnert, U.: Information content and uncertainties in
thermodynamic profiles and liquid cloud properties retrieved from the
ground-based Atmospheric Emitted Radiance Interferometer (AERI), J. Appl. Meteor. Clim.,
53, 752–771, https://doi.org/10.1175/JAMC-D-13-0126.1, 2014.
Turner, D. D. and Blumberg, W. G.: Improvements to the AERIoe thermodynamic
profile retrieval algorithm, IEEE Selected Topics Appl. Earth Obs. Remote Sens., 12, 1339–1354,
https://doi.org/10.1109/JSTARS.2018.2874968, 2019.
Turner, D. D., Knuteson, R. O., Revercomb, H. E., Lo, C., and Dedecker, R. G.:
Noise reduction of Atmospheric Emitted Radiance Interferometer (AERI)
observations using principal component analysis, J. Atmos. Ocean. Tech., 23, 1223–1238,
2006.
Turner, D. D., Wulfmeyer, V., Berg, L. K., and Schween, J. H.: Water vapor
turbulence profiles in stationary continental convective mixed layers, J. Geophys. Res.,
119, 1–15, https://doi.org/10.1002/2014JD022202, 2014.
Turner, D. D., Mlawer, E. J., and Revercomb, H. E.: Water vapor observations in
the ARM program. The Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program: The First 20 Years, Meteor. Monograph, Amer. Meteor. Soc., 57, 11–18,
https://doi.org/10.1175/AMSMONOGRAPHS-D-15-0025.1, 2016a.
Turner, D. D., Goldsmith, J. E. M., and Ferrare, R. A.: Development and
applications of the ARM Raman lidar, The Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program: The First 20 Years, Meteor. Monograph. Amer. Meteor. Soc.
57, 1–15, https://doi.org/10.1175/AMSMONOGRAPHS-D-15-0026.1, 2016b.
UCAR/NCAR-Earth Observing Laboratory: NCAR/EOL Water Vapor DIAL Data, Version 1.0 (Version 1.0) [Data set], UCAR/NCAR – Earth Observing Laboratory. available at: https://www.eol.ucar.edu/field_projects/perdigao/ (last access: July 2019), 2017.
Wagner, T. J., Feltz, W. F., and Ackerman, S. A.: The temporal evolution of
convective indices in storm-producing environments, Weather Forecast., 23, 786–794, 2008.
Wagner, T. J., Klein, P. M., and Turner, D. D.: A new generation of
ground-based mobile platforms for active and passive profiling of the
boundary layer, B. Am. Meteorol. Soc., 100, 137–153,
https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-17-0165.1, 2019.
Weckwerth, T. M., Weber, K., Turner, D. D., and Spuler, S. M.: Validation of a
new water vapor micropulse differential absorption lidar (DIAL), J. Atmos. Ocean. Tech.,
33, 2353–2372, https://doi.org/10.1175/JTECH-D-16-0119.1, 2016.
Wulfmeyer, V., Hardesty, R. M., Turner, D. D., Behrendt, A., Cadeddu, M., Di
Girolamo, P., Schluessel, P., van Baelen, J., and Zus, F.: A review of the
remote sensing of lower-tropospheric thermodynamic profiles and its
indispensible role for the understanding and simulation of water and energy
cycles, Rev. Geophys., 53, 819–895, https://doi.org/10.1002/2014RG000476, 2015.
Yang, J. and Min, Q.: Retrieval of atmospheric profiles in the New York
State Mesonet using one-dimensional variational algorithm, J. Geophys. Res., 123, 7563–7575, https://doi.org/10.1029/2018JD028272, 2018.
Short summary
Temperature and humidity profiles in the lowest couple of kilometers near the surface are very important for many applications. Passive spectral radiometers are commercially available, and observations from these instruments have been used to get these profiles. However, new active lidar systems are able to measure partial profiles of water vapor. This paper investigates how the derived profiles of water vapor and temperature are improved when the active and passive observations are combined.
Temperature and humidity profiles in the lowest couple of kilometers near the surface are very...
Special issue