A doppler sodar case study of top-down convection and convective dissipation of stratus

von Hünerbein, S; Richner, H

Abstract

Stratus dissipation over the Swiss Plateau has long been a forecasting problem. A case study of stratus structure and development was conducted during the winter of 1997/98. Measurements were performed with the monostatic Doppler sodar of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zürich, to supplement conventional observation methods. A pyranometer, a second sodar, and a sonic anemometer were also intermittently available.

Sodar echo patterns and vertical velocity data have been investigated with respect to the inversion height, especially during stratus dissipation. Typical cloud-dissipating processes, such as convection, top-down convection, and advection have been discerned. The results show that sodar measurements can supplement other observation methods in a useful way, especially when the data analysis of echo patterns and high-resolution vertical velocities are combined.

Citation

von Hünerbein, S., & Richner, H. (2002). A doppler sodar case study of top-down convection and convective dissipation of stratus. Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology, 19(8), 1170-1180. https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0426%282002%29019%3C1170%3AADSCSO%3E2.0.CO%3B2

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Aug 1, 2002
• Deposit Date: Sep 19, 2007
• Journal: Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology
• Print ISSN: 0739-0572
• Publisher: American Meteorological Society
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 19
• Issue: 8
• Pages: 1170-1180
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0426%282002%29019%3C1170%3AADSCSO%3E2.0.CO%3B2