Premium
Estimation of potential‐temperature gradient in turbulent stable layers using acoustic sounder measurements
Author(s) -
Helmis C. G.,
Kalogiros J. A.,
Asimakopoulos D. N.,
Soilemes A. T.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
quarterly journal of the royal meteorological society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.744
H-Index - 143
eISSN - 1477-870X
pISSN - 0035-9009
DOI - 10.1002/qj.49712656203
Subject(s) - temperature gradient , potential temperature , planetary boundary layer , turbulence , backscatter (email) , temperature measurement , inversion (geology) , intensity (physics) , computational physics , physics , geology , optics , mechanics , meteorology , thermodynamics , telecommunications , paleontology , structural basin , computer science , wireless
Abstract The intensity of acoustic backscatter from a monostatic acoustic sounder is used to compute the profile of the temperature structure parameter C T 2 . The average value of C T 2in low‐height turbulent stable layers (temperature inversions) is used to infer the local potential‐temperature gradient. The estimates of temperature jump in the first height inversion at the top of the unstable atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) are compared with the direct measurements of the temperature profile by a tethered balloon, and the indirect estimation from the wave period of the waves present on the inversion. The agreement of the estimations with the direct measurements is satisfactory (at least a 0.4 degC accuracy). Also, the‐4/3 similarity law of the C T 2profile in the unstable ABL is used to obtain estimates of the surface heat flux, Q o . The comparison of these estimates of Q o with eddy correlation measurements shows the high accuracy of this method. This direct connection of the C T 2profile with Q o can also be used to calibrate the backscatter intensity.