An overview of the diurnal cycle of the atmospheric boundary layer during the West African monsoon season: results from the 2016 observational campaign

Abstract

Abstract. A ground-based field campaign was conducted in southern West Africa from mid-June to the end of July 2016 within the framework of the Dynamics–Aerosol–Chemistry–Cloud Interactions in West Africa (DACCIWA) project. It aimed to provide a high-quality comprehensive data set for process studies, in particular of interactions between low-level clouds (LLCs) and boundary-layer conditions. In this region missing observations are still a major issue. During the campaign, extensive remote sensing and in situ measurements were conducted at three supersites: Kumasi (Ghana), Savè (Benin) and Ile-Ife (Nigeria). Daily radiosoundings were performed at 06:00 UTC, and 15 intensive observation periods (IOPs) were performed during which additional radiosondes were launched, and remotely piloted aerial systems were operated. Extended stratiform LLCs form frequently in southern West Africa during the nighttime and persist long into the following day. They affect the radiation budget and hence the evolution of the atmospheric boundary layer and regional climate. The relevant parameters and processes governing the formation and dissolution of the LLCs are still not fully understood. This paper gives an overview of the diurnal cycles of the energy-balance components, near-surface temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction as well as of the conditions (LLCs, low-level jet) in the boundary layer at the supersites and relates them to synoptic-scale conditions (monsoon layer, harmattan layer, African easterly jet, tropospheric stratification) in the DACCIWA operational area. The characteristics of LLCs vary considerably from day to day, including a few almost cloud-free nights. During cloudy nights we found large differences in the LLCs' formation and dissolution times as well as in the cloud-base height. The differences exist at individual sites and also between the sites. The synoptic conditions are characterized by a monsoon layer with south-westerly winds, on average about 1.9 km deep, and easterly winds above; the depth and strength of the monsoon flow show great day-to-day variability. Within the monsoon layer, a nocturnal low-level jet forms in approximately the same layer as the LLC. Its strength and duration is highly variable from night to night. This unique data set will allow us to test some new hypotheses about the processes involved in the development of LLCs and their interaction with the boundary layer and can also be used for model evaluation.

A new approach for assessing synergies of solar and wind power: implications for West Africa

“…Across WA, wind power potential on its own is not estimated as particularly high [27,28]; wind speed is quite variable temporally and geographically, with the highest potential found towards the north/northwest [25,27,29,30]. However, wind speed has a pronounced diurnal cycle in many places in WA: pressure gradients drive nocturnal low-level jets (NLLJ) whose signatures are already discernible between 100-200m [31,32], and which disappear during daytime due to thermal turbulence [19,[31][32][33][34]. Thus, electric power production from large wind turbines could have an opposite diurnal cycle to solar power production, complementing it in a hybrid power system [34].…”

The observed diurnal cycle of nocturnal low-level stratus clouds over southern West Africa: a case study

“…Knippertz et al (2017) presented the large-scale setting, synoptic and mesoscale weather systems, which affected the region during the DACCIWA campaign, identifying different phases of similar meteorological conditions, while Kalthoff et al (2018) gave an overview of the diurnal cycle of the ABL conditions as 5 well as of the conditions related to nocturnal LLC at three ground-based supersites.…”

“…In this study we focus on the description of the diurnal cycle of LLC and identification of physical processes and factors that control the formation, maintenance and dissolution of LLC during one typical night with undisturbed monsoon conditions and persistent LLC (e.g. Flamant et al, 2018;Kalthoff et al, 2018). For this we use measurements performed at the Savè supersite during 10 the intensive observation period (IOP) 8 (7-8 July 2016).…”

“…The Savè supersite (8.00 o N, 2.43 o E, 166 m above sea level (a.s.l.)) is located approximately 185 km inland from the coast in a moderately hilly region which is favorable for LLC formation (van der Linden et al, 2015;Adler et al, 2017;Kalthoff et al, 2018). A comprehensive mea-surement set-up at this supersite allows the detailed investigation of atmospheric conditions and identification of atmospheric processes relevant to the observed life-cycle of LLC.…”

“…Based on radiosonde measurements, CBH and CTH can be determined by applying different criteria on RH measurements, such as the criteria described in Kalthoff et al (2018). Their criteria detect cloud layers when RH is larger than 99 %.…”