Wind profiler radar for understanding the tropical convective boundary layer during different seasons

Abstract

<smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place" downloadurl="http://www.5iantlavalamp.com/"> This paper elucidates tropical continental boundary layer structures and their evolutions during different seasons over Gadanki, Southern India. Gadanki-LAWP (Lower Atmospheric Wind Profiler Radar) has proved to be an excellent tool for studying convective structures and boundary layer depth with good temporal (~ 10 min) and vertical resolution (150 m). We used LAWP reflectivity, Doppler velocity and spectral width data in time versus altitude to characterize general behaviour of convective boundary layer based on the “morning” and “evening” transition. From a wide variety of observed patterns, three categories are identified: (i) Descent, (ii) Ascent, and (iii) Inversion Layer (IL). Long-term Gadanki-LAWP observational results show the Ascent cases occur on relatively warm and moist days with strong turbulence and weak capping inversion [maximum occurrence in monsoon], descent days occur [pre-monsoon] on warm dry convection days and IL days occur [winter] on dew/fog and drier days with subsidence inversion and/or advection of warm air from the Bay of Bengal. </smarttagtype>