In this note we reassess the role of sonic thermometry in boundary-layer studies. The sonic temperature signal, when corrected for crosswind velocity contamination, very closely approximates the virtual temperature of air. This variable is needed for many boundary-layer calculations. We describe preliminary tests with a new sonic anemometer-thermometer that performs the velocity correction in real time. Our test results offer new insights into the nature of the velocity error on temperature standard deviations and fluxes. They also draw attention to the high noise threshold that appears as an f+' rise in the fS(f) spectrum when spectral levels drop below 10-'%Z2.
Test beds have become an integral part of the weather enterprise, bridging research and forecast services by transitioning innovative tools and tested methods that impact forecasts and forecast users. O ver roughly the last decade, a variety of "test beds" have come into existence focused on high-impact weather and the core tools of meteorology-observations, models, and fundamental understanding of the underlying physical processes. They have entered the proverbial "valley of death" between research and forecast operations (NAS 2000), Develop and introduce new ideas, data, etc. Input Revise and iterate Experiment and demonstrate End testing Output Test and refine loop V Assess impacts and evaluate and have survived. This paper provides a brief background on how this happened; summarizes test bed origins, methods, and selected accomplishments; and provides a perspective on the future of test beds in our field. Dabbert et al. (2005) provides a useful description of test beds from early in their development and Fig.
This paper describes a simple approach to minimizing probe-induced flow distortion errors in a three-axis sonic anemometer. By separating the three axes, mutual interference between the transducers and supports in the three arrays is reduced. Only a transducer shadow correction determined from wind tunnel tests is needed to obtain measurements that are virtually insensitive to probe orientation relative to the mean flow. Preliminary results from a series of three atmospheric tests verify the effectiveness of this correction.
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