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Atmospheric Boundary-Layer Evening Transitions: A Comparison Between Two Different Experimental Sites

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Abstract

The planetary boundary-layer (PBL) afternoon and evening transition is investigated with measurements from two-month datasets, gathered at two experimental sites significantly different regarding heterogeneity, the degree of terrain wetness, and proximity to mountains. The period of 4 h prior to and after astronomical sunset is extensively analyzed. We show the mean evolution, average, maximum and minimum values of PBL variables, including wind speed, turbulent kinetic energy and potential temperature vertical gradient. Characteristic events, such as the wind minimum around sunset and a common pattern in the evolution of other variables, are identified. Results suggest that, for the establishment of the nocturnal stable boundary layer, moisture plays a more decisive role than turbulence. We also look into the occurrence of katabatic flows, finding more intense but less frequent events at the driest site. In contrast, at that location the crossover of the sensible heat flux takes place later. Time-scale evolution is investigated through case studies, and air humidity and soil moisture are found to have crucial importance explaining most of the site-to-site differences. Therefore, a humidity sensitivity experiment with the Weather Research and Forecasting model is performed, evaluating the role of moisture during the transition by increasing the soil humidity at the driest site and reducing it at the other location. The simulations reveal that humidity effects are more important until 1 h before sunset, both near the surface and at upper levels in the PBL. Furthermore, the moisture change is more relevant at the less humid and more homogeneous site, with intense and long-lasting effects after sunset.

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Acknowledgments

This research has been funded by the Spanish Government (MINECO projects CGL2006-12474-C03-03, CGL2009-12797-C03-03, CGL2011-13477-E and CGL2012-37416-C04-02). The GR3/14 program (supported by UCM and Banco Santander) has also partially financed this work through the Research Group “Micrometeorology and Climate Variability” (No. 910437). Additionally, M. Sastre was supported by a FPI-UCM fellowship (reference BE45/10). BLLAST field experiment was made possible thanks to the contribution of several institutions and supports: INSU-CNRS (Institut National des Sciences de l’Univers, Centre national de la Recherche Scientifique, LEFE-IDAO program), Météo-France, Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (University of Toulouse), EUFAR (EUropean Facility for Airborne Research) and COST ES0802 (European Cooperation in the field of Scientific and Technical). The field experiment would not have occurred without the contribution of all participating European and American research groups, which all have contributed in a significant amount. BLLAST field experiment was hosted by the instrumented site of Centre de Recherches Atmosphériques, Lannemezan, France (Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées, Laboratoire d’Aérologie). BLLAST data are managed by SEDOO, from Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées. The tower equipment is supported by CNRS, University of Toulouse and European POCTEFA FluxPyr program and FEDER program (Contract 34172 – IRENEA – ESPOIR). Prof. J.L. Casanova and Dr. J. Peláez (CIBA); Dr. F. Saïd, C. Darbieu and Dr. M. Lothon (Laboratoire d’Aérologie, Toulouse); P. Bornuat (Météo-France, Tarbes); and G. Morales (AEMET) are acknowledged for their technical support and help dealing with some data as well as for the climatological information. Finally, we thank I. Gómara (Univ. Complutense, Madrid), Dr. F. Lohou (Univ. Paul Sabatier, Toulouse), and two anonymous referees, whose valuable suggestions and comments contributed to improving the manuscript.

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  1. Dep. Geofísica y Meteorología, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040, Madrid, Spain

    Mariano Sastre, Carlos Yagüe & Carlos Román-Cascón

  2. Dep. Astrofísica y Ciencias de la Atmósfera, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040, Madrid, Spain

    Gregorio Maqueda

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  1. Mariano Sastre
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  2. Carlos Yagüe
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  3. Carlos Román-Cascón
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  4. Gregorio Maqueda
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Correspondence to Mariano Sastre.

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Sastre, M., Yagüe, C., Román-Cascón, C. et al. Atmospheric Boundary-Layer Evening Transitions: A Comparison Between Two Different Experimental Sites. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 157, 375–399 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10546-015-0065-1

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