Measurement report: The promotion of the low-level jet and thermal effects on the development of the deep convective boundary layer at the southern edge of the Taklimakan Desert

Abstract

Abstract. A vigorous development process of the deep convective boundary layer (CBL) was observed at the southern edge of the Taklimakan Desert on 6 June 2022. Based on coherent Doppler wind lidar and ERA5 data, the formation mechanism of the deep CBL exceeding 5 km was analyzed, which was mainly driven by the low-level jet (LLJ) and thermal effects. During the stage of the LLJ preceding the formation of the deep CBL, the LLJ had adequately prepared the conditions for the development of the deep CBL in terms of momentum, energy, and material. Firstly, the cold downhill airflow from the Tibetan Plateau, which leads to the formation of the LLJ, weakens the height and intensity of the temperature inversion layer, thereby reducing the energy demand for the breakdown of this layer. Secondly, the LLJ not only supplements the material and energy in the residual layer but also suppresses the exchange with the lower atmosphere. In addition, the LLJ provides a driving force for the development of the deep CBL. During the stage of thermal effects, the sensible-heat-driven air pump from the Tibetan Plateau and the passage of a cold front provide additional impetus for the development of the deep CBL. Finally, the formation of the deep CBL was catalyzed by extreme thermal effects of the underlying surface, such as the furnace effect and the atmospheric superadiabatic expansion process. The study of the development of the deep CBL is important for revealing the land–air exchange process of momentum, energy, and material between the Taklimakan Desert and the Tibetan Plateau.