2011 - Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences ...

This study was performed at the David Skaggs Research
Center in May–June 2011. Byron Blomquist (University
of Hawaii) and Ludovic Bariteau did a series of comparisons
of the Picarro G1300 fast CO2 sensor and the Licor
Li7200 CO2/H2O sensor in controlled conditions. Tests
were done for motion and water vapor contamination as
a function of temperature. A Nafion membrane drier was
evaluated as a method to reduce water-vapor crosstalk. A
report is in preparation.
Milestone 3. Install and make test flights of PSD W-band
radar on NOAA P-3.
This milestone is delayed because flight time on the
NOAA WP-3D aircraft was not available this year. The
radar will be sent back to ProSensing for packaging for
possible tests next year.
CET-01RemoteHydrologicSensing
FEDERAL LEAD: TIM SCHNEIDER
CIRES LEAD: ALBIN GASIEWSKI
NOAA Goal 3: Weather and Water
Project Goal: Develop microwave remote sensing capabilities to
faciliate NOAA measurements of key hydrological variables.
Milestone 1. Develop sensors and perform observations to
understand Arctic processes.
Researcher did not provide an update.
Milestone 2. Improve radiative transfer and assimilation
techniques for remote sensing and numerical forecasting.
Researcher did not provide an update.
Milestone 3. Develop sensors and perform observations to
understand Arctic processes.
Researcher did not provide an update.
AMOS-02 Data Management, Products
and Infrastructure Systems
n CSD-11 Processes in the Marine Boundary Layer
n NGDC-01 Geospatial Technology for Global Integrated Observing
and Data Management Systems
n NGDC-02 Marine Geophysics Data Stewardship
n NGDC-08 Improve Integration of Coastal Data to Support Community
Resiliency
n SWPC-03 Information Technology and Data Systems
n SWPC-04 Space Environment Data Algorithm and Product
Development
n GSD-07 High-Performance Computing Systems
CSD-11ProcessesintheMarineBoundaryLayer
FEDERAL LEAD: ROBERT BANTA
CIRES LEAD: CHRISTINE ENNIS
NOAA Goal 2: Climate
Project Goal: Understand dynamic processes in the marine
boundary layer, such as the distribution of wind flow characteristics,
including development of nocturnal low-level jets, the
primary source of wind resources for offshore wind farms.
Milestone 1. Develop a detailed analysis of spatial and temporal
variability of the offshore boundary layer wind flow
characteristics using past experiment Doppler lidar measurements
in the Atlantic off the coast of the northeastern United
States. Impact: This research will advance the understanding
of the spatial and temporal variability of wind flow characteristics
responsible for mixing and transport processes in the
offshore boundary layer, ultimately providing accurate estimates
of wind resources at the heights where multi-megawatt
wind turbines operate. The results can also be used for
validation of satellite estimates of wind flow characteristics
and in numerical models.
The motion-compensated wind measurements by the
High Resolution Doppler Lidar (HRDL) during the offshore
experiment in the Gulf of Maine in 2004 were used
to obtain high-resolution, high-precision profiles of wind
speed and direction. Profiles, averaged over 15 minutes,
were combined into time-height cross sections along
ship-track segments, and analyzed for diurnal cycle. These
kilometer-deep curtains of wind-speed profiles illustrate
the strong vertical, horizontal and temporal variability of
the winds aloft often encountered in the coastal zone. A
closer look at the wind variability shows considerable difference
between nighttime (0000–1200 UTC) and daytime
(about 1200–2300 UTC) winds at turbine heights of
50–150 m and well above.
The analyses of time series, distributions of quantities
such as wind speed and wind shear through the blade
layer show strong spatial and temporal variability to the
wind field in the marine boundary layer. Winds near the
coast show diurnal behavior, and frequent occurrences
of low-level jet structure are evident especially during
nocturnal periods. Persistent patterns of spatial variability
of the flow field due to coastal irregularities should be of
particular concern for wind-energy planning, because this
affects the representativeness of fixed-location measurements
and implies that some areas would be favored for
wind-energy production, whereas others would not.
Product: The paper “Doppler-lidar-based wind-profile
measurement system for offshore wind-energy and other
marine-boundary-layer applications” and a correction
for the paper were submitted to the Journal of Atmospheric
Meteorology and Climate in February 2011.
Conference papers:
Pichugina, YL, RM Banta, WA Brewer, and RM Hardesty
(2010), Doppler lidar measurements of wind flow characteristics
over flat terrain and over ocean, 15th International
Symposium for the Advancement of Boundary Layer
Remote Sensing, June 28–30, Paris, France.
Pichugina, YL, RM Banta, WA Brewer, SP Sandberg,
and RM Hardesty (2010), Offshore wind measurements
by Doppler lidar, International Laser Radar Conference
(ILRC25), July 5–9, St. Petersburg, Russia.
CIRES Annual Report 2011 85