Investigating surface-cloud-boundary layer interactions over Dome C, Antarctica, using space-borne and in-situ observations

Polar regions are at the forefront of global change as evident through recent ice cover and air temperature trends, yet their geographic inaccessibility poses a significant challenge for monitoring the rapidly changing environment. Several unique high latitude feedbacks in response to changes in surface albedo, boundary layer thermal structure, and cloud properties, may amplify the surface warming in polar regions. Moreover, parameterization of turbulence in stable polar boundary layer remains an ongoing challenge for climate models requiring observations with high spatiotemporal and vertical resolution for validation. Antarctica's pristine environment makes the continent an ideal testbed for studying boundary layer and cryosphere-atmosphere feedbacks, and can benefit from advanced and innovative observing techniques. Here, we demonstrate the advantages of combining multi-year ground-based and space-borne observations at Dome C for conducting surface-cloud-boundary layer investigations over a 11-yr time period (from 2006 to 2016). High vertical resolution profiles of temperature, moisture, and winds obtained from daily upper-air soundings are used to investigate the seasonal and interannual evolution of the boundary layer thermodynamic structure. Information regarding sky condition (blowing snow, cloudy, clear) is obtained from coincident and co-located CALIPSO tracks using the CALIPSO Lidar Level 2 Blowing Snow product. The multi-sensor CloudSat Profiling Radar (CPR), CALIPSO, and MODIS (2B-FLXHR-LIDAR) product is similarly used to estimate the vertical distribution of liquid and ice-clouds and associated heating profile. Finally, using surface meteorological variables (temperature, pressure, relative humidity, and winds) and longwave and shortwave (upward and downward) radiation measurements at high temporal resolution, we estimate the individual and net impact of boundary layer, clouds, and blowing snow on the surface energy and radiation budget. Results based on this multi-instrument analysis are summarized, highlighting the need for a comprehensive observational strategy to improve our understanding and predictive capability of polar boundary layer and cryosphere-atmosphere interactions.