Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Differences in Atmospheric Boundary-Layer Characteristics Between Wet and Dry Episodes of the Indian Summer Monsoon

  • Article
  • Published:
Boundary-Layer Meteorology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The differences and similarities in atmospheric boundary-layer (ABL) characteristics, in particular the ABL height, evolution and wind field, between two contrasting episodes of the Indian summer monsoon have been studied using measurements from wind profilers and an instrumented 50-m tower at Gadanki in India. The observed differences are discussed in light of various forcing mechanisms, in particular the effect of soil moisture on the surface energy balance and ABL. The differences in ABL height, its evolution and the wind field between episodes are quite pronounced. Wet episodes not only have a shallower ABL but also the growth is delayed by 1–4 h when compared with that for dry episodes. Abundant soil moisture during the wet episodes (a factor of two greater than during the dry episodes) reduces the buoyancy flux, and thereby not only limits the ABL height but also delays the commencement of ABL growth. The low-level jet (LLJ) is stronger during the dry episodes and has a larger diurnal range than during the wet episodes. The highest occurrence and magnitude of LLJ apparent at a height of 1.5 km during early morning hours shift progressively with height and time till the afternoon, following ABL evolution. The weaker LLJ during the wet episodes is attributed to its southward migration from its mean position (15\(^{\circ }\)N). Larger signal-to-noise ratio and spectral width values are observed during the early night to midnight, compared to noon-time, when the ABL is buoyantly turbulent.

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

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Angevine WM, White AB, Avery SK (1994) Boundary layer depth and entrainment zone characterization with a boundary layer profiler. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 68:375–385

  • Angevine WM (1999) Entrainment results including advection and case studies from the Flatland boundary layer experiments. J Geophys Res 104:30947–30963

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barlow JF (2011) Boundary layer dynamics over London, UK, as observed using Doppler lidar during REPARTEE-II. Atmos Chem Phys 11:2111–2125. doi:10.5194/acp-11-2111-2011

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bianco L, Wilczak JM (2002) Convective boundary layer depth: improved measurement by Doppler radar wind profiler using fuzzy logic methods. J Atmos Oceanic Technol 19:1745–1758

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bianco L, Wilczak JM, White AB (2008) Convective boundary layer depth estimation from wind profilers: statistical comparison between an automated algorithm and expert estimations. J Atmos Ocean Technol 25:1397–1413

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bianco L, Djalalova IV, King CW, Wilczak JM (2011) Diurnal evolution and annual variability of boundary layer height and its correlation to other meteorological variables in California’s central valley. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 140:491–511. doi:10.1007/s10546-011-9622-4

  • Blackadar AF (1957) Boundary layer wind maxima and their significance for the growth of nocturnal inversions. Bull Am Meteorol Soc 38:283–290

    Google Scholar 

  • Burba G (2013) Eddy covariance method for scientific, industrial, agricultural, and regulatory applications. LI-COR Biosciences Nebraska, 331pp

  • Endo S, Shinoda T, Tanaka H (2008) Characteristics of vertical circulation in the convective boundary layer over the Huaihe river basin in China in the early summer of 2004. J Appl Meteorol Climatol 47:2911–2928

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Findlater J (1971) Mean monthly airflow at low levels over the western Indian Ocean. Geophys Memo 16:1–53

    Google Scholar 

  • Gadgil S, Joseph PV (2003) On breaks of the Indian monsoon. Proc Ind Acad Sci (Earth Planet Sci) 112:529–558

    Google Scholar 

  • Gage KS, Balsley BB (1980) On the scattering and reflection mechanisms contributing to clear-air echoes from the troposphere, stratosphere, and mesosphere. Radio Sci 15:243–257

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Garratt JR (1992) The atmospheric boundary layer. Cambridge University Press, UK, 316 pp

  • Goel M, Srivastava HN (1990) Monsoon trough boundary layer experiment (MONTBLEX). Bull Am Meteorol Soc 71:1594–1600

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goswami BN, Lau K, Waliser D (2005) South Asian summer monsoon intraseasonal variability of the atmosphere ocean climate system. Ed, Praxis Pub pp 19–61

  • Holt T, Sethuraman T (1987) The study of mean boundary layer structures over the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal during active and break monsoon periods. Boundary- Layer Meteorol 38:73–94

  • Huffman GJ, Adler RF, Bolvin DT, Gu G, Nelkin EJ, Bowman KP, Hong Y, Stocker EF, Wolff DB (2007) The TRMM multisatellite precipitation analysis (TMPA): quasi-global, multiyear, combined-sensor precipitation estimates at fine scales. J Hydrometeorol 8:38–55

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Joseph PV, Sijikumar S (2004) Intraseasonal variability of the low-level jet stream of the Asian summer monsoon. J Clim 17:1449–1458

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kalnay E et al (1996) The NCEP/NCAR 40-year reanalysis project. Bull Am Meteorol Soc 77:437–471

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • King JC, Argentini SA, Anderson PS (2006) Contrasts between the summertime surface energy balance and boundary layer structure at Dome C and Halley stations, Antarctica. J Geophys Res 111:D02105

    Google Scholar 

  • Medeiros B, Hall A, Stevens B (2005) What controls the mean depth of the PBL? J Clim 18:3157–3172

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mohan TS, Rao TN (2012) Variability of the thermal structure of the atmosphere during wet and dry spells over southeast India. Q J R Meteorol Soc 138:1839–1851

  • Monks PS et al (2009) Atmospheric composition change: global and regional air quality. Atmos Environ 43:5268–5350

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parasnis SS (1991) Convective boundary layer during active and break conditions of the summer monsoon. J Atmos Sci 48:999–1002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rajeevan M, Bhate J, Kale JD, Lal B (2006) High-resolution daily gridded rainfall data for the Indian region: analysis of break and active monsoon spells. Curr Sci 91:296–306

    Google Scholar 

  • Rajeevan M, Gadgil S, Bhate J (2010) Active and break spells of the Indian summer monsoon. J Earth Syst Sci 119:229–247

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ramamurthy K (1969) Monsoon of India: some aspects of “break” in the Indian southwest monsoon during July and August. IMD Forecasting Manual part IV. 18.3, 57 pp

  • Rao KG, Raman S, Prabhu A (1991) Boundary layer heights over the monsoon trough region during active and break phases. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 57:129–138

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rao TN, Rao DN, Mohan K (2001) Classification of tropical precipitating systems and associated Z–R relationships. J Geophys Res 116(D16):17699–17711

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rao TN, Kirankumar NVP, Radhakrishna B, Rao DN, Nakamura K (2008a) Classification of tropical precipitating systems using wind profiler spectral moments part II: statistical characteristics of rainfall systems and sensitivity analysis. J Atmos Ocean Technol 25:898–908. doi:10.1175/2007JTECHA1032.1

  • Rao TN, Kirankumar NVP, Radhakrishna B, Rao DN, Nakamura K (2008b) Classification of tropical precipitating systems using wind profiler spectral moments: part I: algorithm description and validation. J Atmos Ocean Technol 25:884–897. doi:10.1175/2007JTECHA1031.1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rao TN, Uma KN, Mohan TS, Rao DN (2009) Differences in draft core statistics from the wet to dry spell over Gadanki, India (13.58N, 79.28E) Mon Weather Rev 137:4293–4306. doi:10.1175/2009MWR3057.1

  • Ratan R, Venugopal V (2013) Wet and dry spell characteristics of global tropical rainfall. Water Resour Res 49:1–12. doi:10.1002/wrcr.20275

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reddy KK et al (2001) Lower atmospheric wind profiler at Gadanki, tropical India: initial results. Meteorol Z 10:457–466

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rojaraman M, Ratnam MV, Rajeevan M, Rao SVB (2011) Intriguing aspects of the monsoon low level jet over peninsular India revealed by high resolution GPS radiosonde observations. J Atmos Sci 68:1413–1423. doi:10.1175/2011JAS3611.1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Srinivasulu P, Yasodha P, Kamaraj P, Rao TN, Jayaraman A, Reddy SN, Satyanarayana S (2012) 1280-MHz active array radar wind profiler for lower atmosphere: system description and data validation. J Atmos Ocean Technol 29:1455–1470. doi:10.1175/JTECH-D-12-00030.1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stull RB (1988) An introduction to boundary layer meteorology. Kluwer Academic, USA, 666 pp

  • Tanaka H, Hiyama T, Yamamoto K (2007) Surface flux and atmospheric boundary layer observations from the LAPS project over the middle stream of the Huaihe river basin in China. Hydrol Process 21:1997–2008

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wai MMK, Smith EA (1998) Linking boundary layer circulations and surface processes during FIFE 89. Part II: maintenance of secondary circulation. J Atmos Sci 55:1260–1276

  • Webster PJ, Magana VO, Palmer TN, Shukla J, Tomas RT, Yanai M, Yasunari T (1998) Monsoons: processes, predictability and the prospects of prediction. J Geophys Res 103:14451–14510

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilczak JM, Oncley SP, Stage SA (2001) Sonic anemometer tilt correction algorithms. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 99(1):127–150

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xavier PK, Goswami BN (2007) An analog method for real time forecasting of summer monsoon subseasonal variability. Mon Weather Rev 135:4149–4160. doi:10.1175/2007MWR1854.1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Q, Zhang J, Juan Qiao, Wang S (2011) Relationship of atmospheric boundary layer depth with thermodynamic processes at the land surface in arid regions of China. Earth Sci 54:1586–1594. doi:10.1007/s11430-011-4207-0

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhou X, Geerts B (2013) The influence of soil moisture on the planetary boundary layer and on cumulus convection over an isolated mountain. Part I: observations. Mon Weather Rev 141:1061–1078. doi:10.1175/MWR-D-12-00150.1

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank IMD and TRMM team for providing rainfall data, NCEP for reanalysis data and anonymous reviewers for their insightful suggestions.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Head, Clouds and Convective Systems Group, National Atmospheric Research Laboratory, Gadanki, 517 112, India

    A. Sandeep & T. Narayana Rao

  2. Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati, 517 502, India

    C. N. Ramkiran & S. V. B. Rao

Authors
  1. A. Sandeep
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. T. Narayana Rao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. C. N. Ramkiran
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. S. V. B. Rao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to T. Narayana Rao.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Sandeep, A., Rao, T.N., Ramkiran, C.N. et al. Differences in Atmospheric Boundary-Layer Characteristics Between Wet and Dry Episodes of the Indian Summer Monsoon. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 153, 217–236 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10546-014-9945-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10546-014-9945-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation