Advected Air Mass Reservoirs in the Downwind of Mountains and Their Roles in Overrunning Boundary Layer Depths Over the Plains
Abstract Atmospheric boundary layer depths (BLDs) over continental sites have long been meticulously characterized. However, a downwind‐footprint concept for BLDs over plains under the impact of seasonally and spatially changing horizontal advection of BLDs off elevated terrains has remained unexplo...
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Wiley
2019-08-01
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| Series: | Geophysical Research Letters |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL083988 |
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| author | Sandip Pal Temple R. Lee |
| author_facet | Sandip Pal Temple R. Lee |
| author_sort | Sandip Pal |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Atmospheric boundary layer depths (BLDs) over continental sites have long been meticulously characterized. However, a downwind‐footprint concept for BLDs over plains under the impact of seasonally and spatially changing horizontal advection of BLDs off elevated terrains has remained unexplored. For the first time, we provide observational evidence of the impact of mountains on regional BLDs using 25‐years (1991–2015) of rawinsonde‐retrieved afternoon BLDs over 22 sites located in the mountains' (Rockies and Appalachians) downstream. Results suggest that mountain‐advected air mass, elevated terrains, and wind play a significant role in modulating BLD variability “miles away” from terrains. We found significant BLD contrasts over the plains (400–1,500 m) under mountain‐advected versus flatland‐advected flows pertaining to elevated mixed layers off the mountain ranges. The BLD contrasts were higher in the downwind of Rockies than the Appalachians, and higher BLD contrasts were observed in spring and summer (900–1,500 m) than in fall and winter (100–500 m). These findings will help build advanced parameterizations in models where BLD simulations around complex terrain still remain a hurdle. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-3af28c5c909e44ee9eefab426ed9b042 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 0094-8276 1944-8007 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2019-08-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Geophysical Research Letters |
| spelling | doaj-art-3af28c5c909e44ee9eefab426ed9b0422025-08-20T02:24:35ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072019-08-014616101401014910.1029/2019GL083988Advected Air Mass Reservoirs in the Downwind of Mountains and Their Roles in Overrunning Boundary Layer Depths Over the PlainsSandip Pal0Temple R. Lee1Department of Geosciences, Atmospheric Science Division Texas Tech University Lubbock TX USACooperative Institute for Mesoscale Meteorological Studies (CIMMS) Norman OK USAAbstract Atmospheric boundary layer depths (BLDs) over continental sites have long been meticulously characterized. However, a downwind‐footprint concept for BLDs over plains under the impact of seasonally and spatially changing horizontal advection of BLDs off elevated terrains has remained unexplored. For the first time, we provide observational evidence of the impact of mountains on regional BLDs using 25‐years (1991–2015) of rawinsonde‐retrieved afternoon BLDs over 22 sites located in the mountains' (Rockies and Appalachians) downstream. Results suggest that mountain‐advected air mass, elevated terrains, and wind play a significant role in modulating BLD variability “miles away” from terrains. We found significant BLD contrasts over the plains (400–1,500 m) under mountain‐advected versus flatland‐advected flows pertaining to elevated mixed layers off the mountain ranges. The BLD contrasts were higher in the downwind of Rockies than the Appalachians, and higher BLD contrasts were observed in spring and summer (900–1,500 m) than in fall and winter (100–500 m). These findings will help build advanced parameterizations in models where BLD simulations around complex terrain still remain a hurdle.https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL083988atmospheric boundary layer depthdownwindadvectionrawinsonde measurementsseasonal cycleboundary layer features |
| spellingShingle | Sandip Pal Temple R. Lee Advected Air Mass Reservoirs in the Downwind of Mountains and Their Roles in Overrunning Boundary Layer Depths Over the Plains Geophysical Research Letters atmospheric boundary layer depth downwind advection rawinsonde measurements seasonal cycle boundary layer features |
| title | Advected Air Mass Reservoirs in the Downwind of Mountains and Their Roles in Overrunning Boundary Layer Depths Over the Plains |
| title_full | Advected Air Mass Reservoirs in the Downwind of Mountains and Their Roles in Overrunning Boundary Layer Depths Over the Plains |
| title_fullStr | Advected Air Mass Reservoirs in the Downwind of Mountains and Their Roles in Overrunning Boundary Layer Depths Over the Plains |
| title_full_unstemmed | Advected Air Mass Reservoirs in the Downwind of Mountains and Their Roles in Overrunning Boundary Layer Depths Over the Plains |
| title_short | Advected Air Mass Reservoirs in the Downwind of Mountains and Their Roles in Overrunning Boundary Layer Depths Over the Plains |
| title_sort | advected air mass reservoirs in the downwind of mountains and their roles in overrunning boundary layer depths over the plains |
| topic | atmospheric boundary layer depth downwind advection rawinsonde measurements seasonal cycle boundary layer features |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL083988 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sandippal advectedairmassreservoirsinthedownwindofmountainsandtheirrolesinoverrunningboundarylayerdepthsovertheplains AT templerlee advectedairmassreservoirsinthedownwindofmountainsandtheirrolesinoverrunningboundarylayerdepthsovertheplains |