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The Future of Atmospheric Boundary Layer Observing, Understanding, and Modeling Proceedings of a Workshop (2018) / Chapter Skim
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Overview
Pages 1-8

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From page 1...
... BACKGROUND The atmospheric boundary layer is the lowest kilometer or so of the atmosphere closest to Earth's surface. It has substantial variability due to, for example, the nature of the underlying surface, diurnal cycling, thermal stratification, vertical entrainment, and advective processes (see Figure 1)
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From page 2...
... Global satellite observations are key for sampling boundary conditions over oceans and providing information for global weather predictions; however, their ability to penetrate and resolve the vertical structure in the BL is still limited. Technology for ground-based active and passive profilers exists to provide adequate coverage of the evolution of BL height, winds, temperature, and humidity over land down to the mesoscale, as recommended by previous National 2 National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.
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From page 3...
... A number of emerging technologies provide opportunities for advancement in BL observing. One key focus of the workshop involved applying these emergent technological capabilities to relevant science questions and applications and to leverage existing networks to address open BL observation needs.
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From page 4...
... Calculation of radiative cloud forcing at the surface using the same data also shows that the models are inaccurate, likely due to incorrect cloud fraction. 6 A relationship describing the vertical behavior of nondimensionalized mean flow and turbulence properties within the atmospheric surface layer (the lowest 10% or so of the atmospheric boundary layer)
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From page 5...
... and second order effects such as flow size distribution, flow spacing, partially frozen leads, and melt ponds. Problems associated with cloud observations include turbulence in clouds and its ability to drive the entire BL; however, remote sensing is one approach to studying this problem.
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From page 6...
... Observations also play a crucial role in evaluation and data assimilation. In global models, ABL metrics focus on the surface (land temperature and FIGURE 3.
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From page 7...
... High-resolution models and LES can be good partners for ABL observations, though additional, routine ABL vertical profile observations and model evaluation metrics are needed. Observations could be directed to address specific quantified model weaknesses, and some enduring modeling challenges include clouds, stable BLs, and complex land surfaces.
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Key Terms

  • atmospheric boundary
  • abl observations
  • skin temperature
  • abl vertical
  • improved observations

  • ice surfaces
  • stable bls
  • global weather
  • cloud forcing
  • satellite observations

  • challenges include
  • model biases
  • vertical structure
  • heat capacity
  • increased societal

  • sea spray
  • greenhouse gas
  • wave breaking
  • extended weather
  • persistence due

  • societal demands
  • advective processes
  • science questions
  • existing networks
  • snow cover

  • fairall noted
  • applications drivers
  • atmospheric surface
  • global model
  • surface energy


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