Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Characterization of the atmospheric boundary layer from radiosonde observations along eastern end of monsoon trough of India

  • Published:
Journal of Earth System Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In this paper, a comparison of two methods for the calculation of the height of atmospheric boundary layer (ABL), using balloon-borne GPS radiosonde data is presented. ABL has been characterized using vertical profiles of meteorological parameter. The gradient of virtual potential temperature (𝜃 v ) profile for the determination of mixed layer heights (MLH) and the mean value of turbulent flow depth (TFD) obtained from the vertical profile of Bulk Richardson Number (R i B ) have been used in this study. One-year data have been used for the study. There is large seasonal variability in MLH with a peak in the summer and winter whereas the TFD remained steady throughout the year. Results from the present study indicate that the magnitudes of TFD are often larger than the MLH.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5
Figure 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Angevine Wayne M, Bakwin Peter S, and Davis Kenneth J 1998 Wind profiler and RASS measurements compared with measurements from a 450-m tall tower; J. Atmos. Oceanic Technol. 15 818–825.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ao C O et al. 2008 Planetary boundary layer information from GPS radio occultation measurements; GRAS SAF Workshop on Applications of GPSRO Measurements, 16–18 June 2008, pp. 123–131 (http://www.grassaf.org/Workshops/agrom_prog/Ao.pdf).

  • Eresmaa N et al. 2006 Mixing height determination by ceilometers; Atmos. Chem. Phys. 6 1485–1493.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hennemuth B and Lammert A 2006 DeterminationQ2 of the atmospheric boundary layer height from radiosonde and lidar backscatter; Bound.-Layer Meteorol. 1 181–200, doi: 10.1007/s10546-005-9035-3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Holzworth G C 1964 Estimates of mean maximum mixing depths in the contiguous United States; Mon. Wea. Rev. 92 235–242.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Holzworth G C 1967 Mixing depths, wind speeds and air pollution potential for selected locations in the United States; J. Appl. Meteorol. 6 1039–1044.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nair Sandhya K et al. 2011 Characterization of the Vertical Structure of Coastal Atmospheric Boundary Layer over Thumba (8.5∘N, 76.9∘E) during Different Seasons; Hindawi Publishing Corporation Advances in Meteorology Volume, Article ID 390826, doi: 10.1155/2011/390826.

  • Oke T R 1988 Boundary Layer Climates; Halsted Press, New York, 435p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Russell Philip B and Uthe Edward E 1978 Regional patterns of mixing depth and stability: Sodar network measurements for input to air quality models; Bull. Am. Meteor. Soc. 59 1275–1287, doi: 10.1175/1520-0477(1978)059<1275:RPOMDA>2.0.CO;2.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Seibert P, Beyrich F, Gryning S E, Joffre S, Rasmussen A, and Tercier P 2000 Review and intercomparison of operational methods for the determination of the mixing height; Atmos. Environ. 34 1001–1027.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Seibert P et al. 2000 Review and intercomparison of operational methods for the determination of the mixing height; Atmos. Environ. 34 1001–1027.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sørensen J H 1998 Sensitivity of the derma long-range Gaussian dispersion model to meteorological input and diffusion parameters; Atmos. Environ. 32 4195– 4206.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Srivastava S et al. 2010 Seasonal variability in mixed layer height and its impact on trace gas distribution over a tropical urban site: Ahmedabad; Atmos. Res. 96 79–87.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stull R B 1988 An Introduction to Boundary Layer Meteorology, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, 666p

  • Subrahamanyam D B and Ramachandran R 2003 Structural characteristics of marine atmospheric boundary layer and its associated dynamics over the central Arabian Sea during INDOEX, IFP-99 campaign; Curr. Sci. 85 1334–1340.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge the SPL, VSSC, ISRO for their logistical and technical support in smooth functioning of balloon borne GPS ascents for the study under ISRO (IGBP)–NOBLE project. Sagarika Chandra is thankful to the Birla Institute of Technology for sponsoring a fellowship for her PhD research work.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre of Excellence in Climatology, Birla Institute of Technology Mesra, Ranchi, 835 215, India

    Sagarika Chandra & Arun K Dwivedi

  2. Centre for Environmental Sciences, Central University of Jharkhand, Ranchi, 835 205, India

    Manoj Kumar

Authors
  1. Sagarika Chandra
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Arun K Dwivedi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Manoj Kumar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Arun K Dwivedi.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Chandra, S., Dwivedi, A.K. & Kumar, M. Characterization of the atmospheric boundary layer from radiosonde observations along eastern end of monsoon trough of India. J Earth Syst Sci 123, 1233–1240 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-014-0458-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-014-0458-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation