Fine-Scale Characteristics of Temperature, Wind, and Turbulence in the Lower Atmosphere (0–1,300 m) Over the South Peruvian Coast

Balsley, B. B.; Lawrence, Dale; Woodman, R. F.; Fritts, David C.

doi:10.1007/s10546-012-9774-x

Cited by 36 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…The DataHawk UAV is well suited to making atmospheric measurements up to altitudes of 4.0 km (bungee launch) and 7.0 km (balloon launch). The design of the DataHawk UAV, the characteristics of ground support components, and some preliminary data collected have been described by Lawrence and Balsley (2013) and Balsley et al (2013).…”

Section: Datahawk Uavmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Atmospheric measurements by small, low-cost UAVs have become increasingly popular in recent years (e.g., van den Kroonenberg et al 2008;Lawrence et al 2008;Balsley et al 2013;Bonin et al 2015;Scipion et al 2016), because they offer many potential advantages for atmospheric studies (e.g., Lawrence and Balsley 2013). Scipion et al (2016) have also used the DataHawk for simultaneous measurements and comparisons of C 2 n with SOUSY (SOUnding SYstem) radar in Jicamarca, Peru.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Shigaraki UAV-Radar Experiment (ShUREX): overview of the campaign with some preliminary results

Kantha

Lawrence

Luce

et al. 2017

Prog Earth Planet Sci

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The Shigaraki unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-Radar Experiment (ShUREX) is an international (USA-JapanFrance) observational campaign, whose overarching goal is to demonstrate the utility of small, lightweight, inexpensive, autonomous UAVs in probing and monitoring the lower troposphere and to promote synergistic use of UAVs and very high frequency (VHF) radars. The 2-week campaign lasting from June 1 to June 14, 2015, was carried out at the Middle and Upper Atmosphere (MU) Observatory in Shigaraki, Japan. During the campaign, the DataHawk UAV, developed at the University of Colorado, Boulder, and equipped with high-frequency response cold wire and pitot tube sensors (as well as an iMET radiosonde), was flown near and over the VHF-band MU radar. Measurements in the atmospheric column in the immediate vicinity of the radar were obtained. Simultaneous and continuous operation of the radar in range imaging mode enabled fine-scale structures in the atmosphere to be visualized by the radar. It also permitted the UAV to be commanded to sample interesting structures, guided in near real time by the radar images. This overview provides a description of the ShUREX campaign and some interesting but preliminary results of the very first simultaneous and intensive probing of turbulent structures by UAVs and the MU radar. The campaign demonstrated the validity and utility of the radar range imaging technique in obtaining very high vertical resolution (~20 m) images of echo power in the atmospheric column, which display evolving fine-scale atmospheric structures in unprecedented detail. The campaign also permitted for the very first time the evaluation of the consistency of turbulent kinetic energy dissipation rates in turbulent structures inferred from the spectral broadening of the backscattered radar signal and direct, in situ measurements by the highfrequency response velocity sensor on the UAV. The data also enabled other turbulence parameters such as the temperature structure function parameter C 2 T and refractive index structure function parameter C 2 n to be measured by sensors on the UAV, along with radar-inferred refractive index structure function parameter C 2 n;radar . The comprehensive dataset collected during the campaign (from the radar, the UAV, the boundary layer lidar, the ceilometer, and radiosondes) is expected to help obtain a better understanding of turbulent atmospheric structures, as well as arrive at a better interpretation of the radar data.

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Section: Datahawk Uavmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Shigaraki UAV-Radar Experiment (ShUREX): overview of the campaign with some preliminary results

Kantha

Lawrence

Luce

et al. 2017

Prog Earth Planet Sci

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…They use GPS for navigation. The design of the DataHawk UAV, the characteristics of ground support components and some data collected from these systems were described by Lawrence and Balsley (2013) and Balsley et al (2013). During the campaign, the launching site was some fallow land located at about 1.0 km southeast from MU Radar (Fig.…”

Section: Datahawk Uavmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Atmospheric measurements by small, low-cost UAVs have become increasingly popular in recent years (e.g., van den Kroonenberg et al, 2008;Lawrence et al, 2008;Balsley et al, 2013;Bonin et al, 2015;Scipion et al, 2016) because they offer many potentials and advantages for atmospheric studies (e.g., Lawrence and Balsley, 2013). During a field campaign called ShUREX (Shigaraki UAV-Radar Experiment) carried out in June 2015 at the MU Shigaraki Observatory (Kyoto University, Japan), instrumented UAVs measured pressure, temperature and relative humidity (PTU) and turbulence parameters in the lower atmosphere (up to about 4-5 km) at a horizontal distance of about 1.0 km from the MU Radar .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparisons between high-resolution profiles of squared refractive index gradient <i>M</i><sup>2</sup> measured by the Middle and Upper Atmosphere Radar and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) during the Shigaraki UAV-Radar Experiment 2015 campaign

et al. 2017

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Abstract. New comparisons between the square of the generalized potential refractive index gradient M 2 , estimated from the very high-frequency (VHF) Middle and Upper Atmosphere (MU) Radar, located at Shigaraki, Japan, and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) measurements are presented. These comparisons were performed at unprecedented temporal and range resolutions (1-4 min and ∼ 20 m, respectively) in the altitude range ∼ 1.27-4.5 km from simultaneous and nearly collocated measurements made during the ShUREX (Shigaraki UAV-Radar Experiment) 2015 campaign. Seven consecutive UAV flights made during daytime on 7 June 2015 were used for this purpose. The MU Radar was operated in range imaging mode for improving the range resolution at vertical incidence (typically a few tens of meters). The proportionality of the radar echo power to M 2 is reported for the first time at such high time and range resolutions for stratified conditions for which Fresnel scatter or a reflection mechanism is expected. In more complex features obtained for a range of turbulent layers generated by shear instabilities or associated with convective cloud cells, M 2 estimated from UAV data does not reproduce observed radar echo power profiles. Proposed interpretations of this discrepancy are presented.

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“…This system consists of a GPS-controlled, battery-operated aircraft (1 m wingspan), programmed to fly 70 m diameter circles ascending or descending entirely in the radar beam, while measuring temperature, humidity, and winds at 8.1 Hz. Through postprocessing of these data, it can also measure (turbulent energy dissipation rate) and structure functions C 2 T (temperature); C 2 q (humidity); and, as used here, C 2 n (refractive index) (Balsley et al, 2012). In order to reach the altitudes above the 1 km radar ground clutter, the DataHawk was dropped from a conventional weather balloon and flown under permission from The Peruvian Corporation of Commercial Airports and Aviation Inc. (CORPAC) air traffic control.…”

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confidence: 99%

Simultaneous observations of structure function parameter of refractive index using a high-resolution radar and the DataHawk small airborne measurement system

et al. 2016

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Abstract. The SOUSY (SOUnding SYstem) radar was relocated to the Jicamarca Radio Observatory (JRO) near Lima, Peru, in 2000, where the radar controller and acquisition system were upgraded with state-of-the-art parts to take full advantage of its potential for high-resolution atmospheric sounding. Due to its broad bandwidth (4 MHz), it is able to characterize clear-air backscattering with high range resolution (37.5 m).A campaign conducted at JRO in July 2014 aimed to characterize the lower troposphere with a high temporal resolution (8.1 Hz) using the DataHawk (DH) small unmanned aircraft system, which provides in situ atmospheric measurements at scales as small as 1 m in the lower troposphere and can be GPS-guided to obtain measurements within the beam of the radar. This was a unique opportunity to make coincident observations by both systems and to directly compare their in situ and remotely sensed parameters.Because SOUSY only points vertically, it is only possible to retrieve vertical radar profiles caused by changes in the refractive index within the resolution volume. Turbulent variations due to scattering are described by the structure function parameter of refractive index C 2 n . Profiles of C 2 n from the DH are obtained by combining pressure, temperature, and relative humidity measurements along the helical trajectory and integrated at the same scale as the radar range resolution. Excellent agreement is observed between the C 2 n estimates obtained from the DH and SOUSY in the overlapping measurement regime from 1200 m up to 4200 m above sea level, and this correspondence provides the first accurate calibration of the SOUSY radar for measuring C 2 n .

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Fine-Scale Characteristics of Temperature, Wind, and Turbulence in the Lower Atmosphere (0–1,300 m) Over the South Peruvian Coast

Cited by 36 publications

References 22 publications

Shigaraki UAV-Radar Experiment (ShUREX): overview of the campaign with some preliminary results

Shigaraki UAV-Radar Experiment (ShUREX): overview of the campaign with some preliminary results

Comparisons between high-resolution profiles of squared refractive index gradient <i>M</i><sup>2</sup> measured by the Middle and Upper Atmosphere Radar and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) during the Shigaraki UAV-Radar Experiment 2015 campaign

Simultaneous observations of structure function parameter of refractive index using a high-resolution radar and the DataHawk small airborne measurement system

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Fine-Scale Characteristics of Temperature, Wind, and Turbulence in the Lower Atmosphere (0–1,300 m) Over the South Peruvian Coast

Cited by 36 publications

References 22 publications

Shigaraki UAV-Radar Experiment (ShUREX): overview of the campaign with some preliminary results

Shigaraki UAV-Radar Experiment (ShUREX): overview of the campaign with some preliminary results

Comparisons between high-resolution profiles of squared refractive index gradient &lt;i&gt;M&lt;/i&gt;&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt; measured by the Middle and Upper Atmosphere Radar and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) during the Shigaraki UAV-Radar Experiment 2015 campaign

Simultaneous observations of structure function parameter of refractive index using a high-resolution radar and the DataHawk small airborne measurement system

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About

Comparisons between high-resolution profiles of squared refractive index gradient <i>M</i><sup>2</sup> measured by the Middle and Upper Atmosphere Radar and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) during the Shigaraki UAV-Radar Experiment 2015 campaign