Stephen A. Cohn

THE TERRAIN-INDUCED ROTOR EXPERIMENT : A Field Campaign Overview Including Observational Highlights

Abstract The Terrain-Induced Rotor Experiment (T-REX) is a coordinated international project, composed of an observational field campaign and a research program, focused on the investigation of atmospheric rotors and closely related phenomena in complex terrain. The T-REX field campaign took place during March and April 2006 in the lee of the southern Sierra Nevada in eastern California. Atmospheric rotors have been traditionally defined as quasi-two-dimensional atmospheric vortices that form parallel to and downwind of a mountain ridge under conditions conducive to the generation of large-amplitude mountain waves. Intermittency, high levels of turbulence, and complex small-scale internal structure characterize rotors, which are known hazards to general aviation. The objective of the T-REX field campaign was to provide an unprecedented comprehensive set of in situ and remotely sensed meteorological observations from the ground to UTLS altitudes for the documentation of the spatiotem-poral characteristics ...

The Concordiasi Project in Antarctica

The Concordiasi project is making innovative observations of the atmosphere above Antarctica. The most important goals of the Concordiasi are as follows: To enhance the accuracy of weather prediction and climate records in Antarctica through the assimilation of in situ and satellite data, with an emphasis on data provided by hyperspectral infrared sounders. The focus is on clouds, precipitation, and the mass budget of the ice sheets. The improvements in dynamical model analyses and forecasts will be used in chemical-transport models that describe the links between the polar vortex dynamics and ozone depletion, and to advance the under understanding of the Earth system by examining the interactions between Antarctica and lower latitudes. To improve our understanding of microphysical and dynamical processes controlling the polar ozone, by providing the first quasi-Lagrangian observations of stratospheric ozone and particles, in addition to an improved characterization of the 3D polar vortex dynamics. Techni...

Cross correlations and cross spectra for spaced antenna wind profilers: 2. Algorithms to estimate wind and turbulence

In part 1 of this paper we developed analytic relationships linking the cross correlation and cross spectrum of the echoes from a spaced antenna system to the properties of a horizontally isotropic scattering medium (e.g., clear-air refractive index irregularities) and the background flow (e.g., laminar or isotropic turbulent flow). Using these analytic expressions, in the present paper, part 2, we construct algorithms (for both the time domain and frequency domain) for extracting unbiased wind and turbulence estimates. We derive a condition under which one can ignore turbulence when computing winds from the time delay to the peak of the cross-correlation functions. We show profiles of the horizontal wind and turbulence based on these algorithms using data from the unique 33-cm wavelength spaced antenna wind profiler developed by the National Center for Atmospheric Research.

Validation of a UHF spaced antenna wind profiler for high‐resolution boundary layer observations

In this paper we apply a spaced antenna technique derived from the recent work of Doviak et al. [1996a] and Holloway et al. [this issue] to wind measurement with a small UHF boundary layer profiler. We discuss the implementation of the technique, averaging and quality control strategies, and some advantages and limitations of spaced antenna methods over conventional Doppler beam swinging wind profilers in the boundary layer. Such advantages include a relaxation of the assumption of a horizontally uniform wind field and the possibility of high temporal resolution wind profiles. In this regard we present velocity measurements derived from this UHF system with time resolution of about 30 s and compare these measurements with in situ sonic anemometer data taken on a 300-m tower. Finally, we present an example of a high-resolution time-height cross section of atmospheric winds. This example, collected in stratiform precipitation, shows the intriguing situation of a wind speed maximum (jet) which closely follows the height of the melting layer over several hours even as this height changes by several hundred meters.

Cross correlations of fields scattered by horizontally anisotropic refractive index irregularities

In this paper we present an analytic expression for the cross-correlation function of signals received by spaced antennas for scattering from an atmosphere with horizontally and/or vertically anisotropic scattering irregularities. We demonstrate that our expression is equivalent to the one Briggs [1984] obtained through heuristic arguments; we also show how the parameters in Briggss expression are related to parameters that describe (1) the orientation, shape, and size of the scattering irregularities; (2) the turbulent flow; and (3) the radar. Finally, we introduce an alternative approach (different from Briggss full correlation analysis) for estimating horizontal winds and turbulence.

Cross-correlation ratio method to estimate cross-beam wind and comparison with a full correlation analysis

[1] Cross-beam wind is usually estimated using a full correlation analysis (FCA) method applied to signals from spaced antennas. In this paper we present a cross-correlation ratio (CCR) method for wind measurements. The CCR method is illustrated using theory, and data obtained with the National Center for Atmospheric Research’s multiple antenna profiling radar. The standard errors of estimated cross-beam wind using CCR and a FCA are studied based on a rigorous analysis of the variance of the cross-correlation estimates. The results of the analysis are compared with previous works. It is shown that the current method is easy to implement and has smaller error for receiving antenna spacing small compared to the transmitting antenna dimensions. INDEX TERMS: 1869 Hydrology: Stochastic processes; 6952 Radio Science: Radar atmospheric physics; 6969 Radio Science: Remote sensing; 6974 Radio Science: Signal processing; 6994 Radio Science: Instruments and techniques; KEYWORDS: spaced antenna technique, cross-beam wind, cross-correlation, cross-correlation ratio (CCR), full correlation analysis (FCA), wind profilers

Coevolution of Down-Valley Flow and the Nocturnal Boundary Layer in Complex Terrain

An enhanced National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) integrated sounding system (ISS) was deployed as part of the Vertical Transport and Mixing (VTMX) field experiment, which took place in October of 2000. The enhanced ISS was set up at the southern terminus of the Great Salt Lake Valley just north of a gap in the Traverse Range (TR), which separates the Great Salt Lake and Utah Lake basins. This location was chosen to sample the dynamic and thermodynamic properties of the flow as it passes over the TR separating the two basins. The enhanced ISS allowed for near-continuous sampling of the nocturnal boundary layer (NBL) and low-level winds associated with drainage flow through the gap in the TR. Diurnally varying winds were observed at the NCAR site on days characterized by weak synoptic forcing and limited cloud cover. A down-valley jet (DVJ) was observed on about 50% of the nights during VTMX, with the maximum winds usually occurring within 150 m of the surface. The DVJ was associated with abrupt warming at low levels as a result of downward mixing and vertical transport of warm air from the inversion layer above. Several processes were observed to contribute to vertical transport and mixing at the NCAR site. Pulses in the strength of the DVJ contributed to vertical transport by creating localized areas of low-level convergence. Gravity waves and Kelvin–Helmholtz waves, which facilitated vertical mixing near the surface and atop the DVJ, were observed with a sodar and an aerosol backscatter lidar that were deployed as part of the enhanced ISS. The nonlocal nature of the processes responsible for generating turbulence in strongly stratified surface layers in complex terrain confounds surface flux parameterizations typically used in mesoscale models that rely on Monin–Obukhov similarity theory. This finding has major implications for modeling NBL structure and drainage flows in regions of complex terrain.

Mesoscale Snowfall Prediction and Verification in Mountainous Terrain

Short-term forecasting of precipitation often relies on meteorological radar coverage to provide information on the intensity, extent, and motion of approaching mesoscale features. However, in significant portions of mountainous regions, radar coverage is lacking because of topographic blocking, and the absence of radar signatures in sections of the radar scan produces uncertain or even misleading information to the public and operational forecasters. In addition, echo characteristics within the radar volume scan are often influenced by the vertical extent and type of precipitation. Each of these conditions limits the opportunity for accurate snowfall prediction and studies of precipitation climatology. To improve both short-term forecasting and postevent verification studies, much greater use can be made of specifically sited surface observations, tailored graphical output from mesoscale models, satellite remote sensing, and case study knowledge of local topographic influences. In this paper, methods to support snowfall forecasts and verification in radar-limited mountainous terrain are demonstrated that include matching the output parameters and graphics from high-resolution mesoscale models to surface mesonets and snowfall observations, analysis of continuous and event-based measurements of snow density, application of multispectral satellite data for verification and trend analysis, and characterization of orographic influences in different winter storm scenarios. The advantages of improved wintertime quantitative precipitation forecasting (QPF) in mountain regions include public safety responsibilities that are critical to National Weather Service (NWS) operations, and are relevant to any mountainous region with radar scan limitations or during periods of radar data outages.

Wind Profiler Observations of Mountain Waves and Rotors during T-REX

AbstractA network of three boundary layer radar wind profilers is used to study characteristics of mountain waves and rotors and to explore the utility of such a network. The data employed were collected as part of the Terrain-Induced Rotor Experiment (T-REX), which took place in Owens Valley, California, in early 2006. The wind profilers provide a continuous time–height representation of wave and rotor structure. During intensive observing period 3 (IOP 3), the profiler network was positioned in an L-shaped configuration, capturing key features of the mountain waves and rotor, including the boundary layer vortex sheet (or shear layer), turbulence within this shear layer, the classical lower turbulence zone (LTZ), and wave motion above the LTZ. Observed features were found to be in good agreement with recent high-resolution numerical simulations. Using the wind profiler with superior time resolution (Multiple Antenna Profiler Radar), a series of updraft–downdraft couplets were observed beneath the first d...

Application of Capon technique to mitigate bird contamination on a spaced antenna wind profiler

Received 13 December 2006; revised 29 June 2007; accepted 31 August 2007; published 4 December 2007. [1] A novel technique is developed for profiling radars to measure atmospheric wind fields when signals are contaminated by migrating birds. It exploits the idea of adaptive beamforming to suppress the interference from birds to provide accurate threedimensional wind measurements using a spaced antenna system. Numerical simulations based on the configuration of the UHF Multiple Antenna Profiler Radar of the National Center for Atmospheric Research are implemented to investigate the performance and the limitation of the proposed technique. The feasibility of atmospheric wind measurements is further demonstrated by using the experimental data. Wind measurements from the full correlation analysis (FCA) and postset beam steering (PBS) are also provided for comparisons. During the period when a single bird is present in the radar beam, the proposed technique produces wind estimates that are consistent with atmospheric wind field prior to the entry of the bird, while both FCA and PBS wind estimates are biased.