The Temperature Gradient and Transition Timescales as a Function of Topography in Complex Terrain
Abstract
Large portions of the Earth's surface are covered by mountainous areas, and understanding atmospheric flow over these regions is critical for weather prediction, (micro)climatological research, and dispersion modeling. Complex interactions between the topographic features, the synoptic forcing and the buoyant forcing drive flow patterns and flow regime transitions. As a part of the MATTERHORN field experiment, Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) technology was used to measure the vertical temperature gradient on an east facing slope across a 2km transect of granite ridge in the Utah west desert, from the base of the mountain to the middle slope. Thus, the temperature gradient is sampled above a wide range of topographic features, from valley formations to ridges, and over a wide range of slope and aspect angles. The relationship between these landforms and the timescales of morning and evening transitions is explored and presented.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2013
- Bibcode:
- 2013AGUFM.A14D..07H
- Keywords:
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- 0315 ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE Biosphere/atmosphere interactions;
- 0394 ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE Instruments and techniques;
- 0325 ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE Evolution of the atmosphere