Analysis of differences between thermodynamic and material boundary layer structure: Comparison of detection by ceilometer and microwave radiometer

Jiang, Yunyan; Xin, Jinyuan; Zhao, Dandan; Jia, Danjie; Tang, Guiqian; Quan, Jiannong; Wang, Meng; Dai, Lindong

doi:10.1016/j.atmosres.2020.105179

Cited by 20 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…The pollution decreased from bottom to top within the PBL and was characterized by a gradient distribution. It is consistent with previous research (Jiang et al, 2021) showing that the top PBL height is equal to the maximum detection range of wind lidar. In the daytime, environmental southwesterly winds dominated within the PBL.…”

Section: Multilayer Pbl Structure Under Type C Circulationsupporting

confidence: 93%

The thermodynamic structures of the planetary boundary layer dominated by synoptic circulations and the regular effect on air pollution in Beijing

et al. 2021

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Abstract. To investigate the impacts of multiscale circulations on the planetary boundary layer (PBL), we have carried out the PBL thermodynamic structure field experiment with a Doppler wind profile lidar, a microwave radiometer, and a ceilometer from January 2018 to December 2019 in Beijing. We found that the direct regulatory effect of synoptic circulation worked through transporting and accumulating pollutants in front of mountains in the daytime, while the indirect effect of multiscale circulations worked through coupling mechanisms in the nighttime. The horizontal coupling of different-direction winds produced a severe pollution convergent zone. The vertical coupling of upper environmental winds and lower regional breezes regulated the mixing and diffusion of pollutants by generating dynamic wind shear and advective temperature inversion. We also found that the dominating synoptic circulations led to great differences in PBL thermodynamic structure and pollution. The cyclonic circulation resulted in a typical multilayer PBL characterized by high vertical shear (600 m), temperature inversion (900 m), and an inhomogeneous stratification. Meanwhile, strong regional breezes pushed the pollution convergent zone to the south of Beijing. The southwesterly circulation resulted in a mono-layer PBL characterized by low vertical shear (400 m) and inversion (200 m). The westerly circulation led to a hybrid-structure PBL, and the advective inversion was generated by the vertical shear of zonal winds. Strong environmental winds of southwesterly and westerly circulations pushed the severe-pollution zone to the front of mountains. There was no distinct PBL structure under the anticyclone circulation. The study systematically revealed the appreciable effects of synoptic and regional circulations on PBL structure and air quality, which enriched the prediction theory of atmospheric pollution in the complex terrain.

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Section: Multilayer Pbl Structure Under Type C Circulationsupporting

confidence: 93%

The thermodynamic structures of the planetary boundary layer dominated by synoptic circulations and the regular effect on air pollution in Beijing

et al. 2021

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“…In addition, with the application of artificial intelligence (AI) technology to the boundary layer research, RS data are required to provide reliable PBLH results as standard values (Rieutord et al, 2021). Therefore, evaluating the performance of various algorithms under different atmospheric conditions is important (Krishnamurthy et al, 2021).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of retrieval methods for planetary boundary layer height based on radiosonde data

Liu

et al. 2021

Atmos. Meas. Tech.

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Abstract. Radiosonde (RS) is widely used to detect the vertical structures of the planetary boundary layer (PBL), and numerous methods have been proposed for retrieving PBL height (PBLH) from RS data. However, an algorithm that is suitable under all atmospheric conditions does not exist. This study evaluates the performance of four common PBLH algorithms under different thermodynamic stability conditions based on RS data collected from nine sites in January–December 2019. The four RS algorithms are the potential temperature gradient method (GMθ), relative humidity (RH) gradient method (GMRH), parcel method (PM) and Richardson number method (RM). Atmospheric conditions are divided into convective boundary layer (CBL), neutral boundary layer (NBL) and stable boundary layer (SBL) on the basis of the potential temperature profile. Results indicate that SBL is dominant at nighttime, whilst CBL dominates at daytime. Under all and SBL classifications, PBLH retrieved by RM is typically higher than those retrieved using the other methods. On the contrary, the PBLH result retrieved by PM is the lowest. Under CBL and NBL classifications, PBLH retrieved by PM is the highest. PBLH retrieved by GMθ and GMRH is relatively low under all classifications. Moreover, the uncertainty analysis shows that the consistency of PBLH retrieved by different algorithms is more than 80 % under CBL and NBL classifications. By contrast, the consistency of PBLH is less than 60 % under SBL classification. The average profiles and standard deviations of wind speed and potential temperature under consistent and inconsistent conditions are also investigated. The results indicate that consistent cases are typically accompanied by evident atmospheric stratification, such as a large gradient in the potential temperature profile or a low-level jet in the wind speed profile. These results indicate that the reliability of the PBLH results retrieved from RS data is affected by the structure of the boundary layer. Overall, GMθ and RM are appropriate for CBL condition. GMθ and PM are recommended for NBL condition. GMθ and GMRH are robust for SBL condition. This comprehensive comparison provides a reference for selecting the appropriate algorithm when retrieving PBLH from RS data.

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“…In recent years, various instruments have been developed to observe the structure of PBL. These instruments include the radiosonde (RS), radar wind profiler, microwave radiometer, lidar and ceilometer (Emeis et al, 2004;Guo et al, 2016;Liu et al, 2019;Aryee et al, 2020;Jiang et al, 2020). In accordance with the principle of observation, these instruments can be divided into three categories.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of retrieval methods for planetary boundary layer height based on radiosonde data

Li¹,

Liu²,

Ma³

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Abstract. Radiosonde (RS) is widely used to detect the vertical structures of the planetary boundary layer (PBL), and numerous methods have been proposed for retrieving PBL height (PBLH) from RS data. However, an algorithm that is suitable under all atmospheric conditions does not exist. This study evaluates the performance of four common PBLH algorithms under different thermodynamic stability conditions based on RS data collected from nine sites in January–December 2019. The four RS algorithms are the potential temperature gradient method (GMθ), relative humidity (RH) gradient method (GMRH), parcel method (PM) and Richardson number method (RM). Atmospheric conditions are divided into convective boundary layer (CBL), neutral boundary layer (NBL) and stable boundary layer (SBL) on the basis of the potential temperature profile. Results indicate that SBL is dominant at nighttime, whilst CBL dominates at daytime. Intercomparisons show that PBLH retrieved via RM is typically higher than those retrieved using the other methods under all and SBL conditions. PBLH retrieved using GMθ and GMRH is relatively low. PBLH from PM is the lowest under all and SBL classifications, and the highest under CBL and NBL classifications. Moreover, the uncertainty analysis shows that PBLH retrieved using different algorithms is consistent in most cases (more than 80 %) under CBL and NBL conditions. By contrast, the consistency of PBLH is less than 60 % under SBL condition. The average profiles and standard deviations of wind speed and potential temperature under consistent and inconsistent conditions indicate that consistent cases are typically accompanied by evident atmospheric stratification, such as a large gradient in the potential temperature profile or a low-level jet in the wind speed profile. These findings indicate that the reliability of the PBLH results retrieved from RS data is affected by the structure of the boundary layer. Overall, GMθ and RM are appropriate for CBL condition. GMθ and PM are recommended for NBL condition. GMθ and GMRH are robust for SBL condition. This comprehensive comparison provides a reference for selecting the appropriate algorithm when retrieving PBLH from RS data.

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Analysis of differences between thermodynamic and material boundary layer structure: Comparison of detection by ceilometer and microwave radiometer

Cited by 20 publications

References 35 publications

The thermodynamic structures of the planetary boundary layer dominated by synoptic circulations and the regular effect on air pollution in Beijing

The thermodynamic structures of the planetary boundary layer dominated by synoptic circulations and the regular effect on air pollution in Beijing

Evaluation of retrieval methods for planetary boundary layer height based on radiosonde data

Evaluation of retrieval methods for planetary boundary layer height based on radiosonde data

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