Calibration and use of a sailplane variometer to measure vertical velocity fluctuations

The calibration of a sailplane variometer to measure vertical velocity fluctuations in the atmospheric boundary layer is described. Its usefulness is demonstrated with typical results from a boundary-layer development study. The atmospheric calibrations gave the ratio of standard deviations of vertical velocity fluctuations measured by a standard tower-mounted turbulence instrument to the values measured by variometer as 2.5 m s^–1 V^–1.     

Interaction Between Wind and Snow Surface

The horizontal and vertical wind velocity fluctuations were measured using two sonic anemometers at a height of 135 cm above a snow surface under a transverse snow wave-forming condition. A snow-wave was formed when the wind at a height of 1 m blew at a speed of more than 7 m s⁻¹ after an approximate accumulation of from 10 to 20 cm of new snow on a snowfield. For example, when a snow-wave had a wavelength of 10 m and a wave height of 15 to 20 cm, the measured horizontal and vertical velocity components showed that they had a frequency peak of 0.7 Hz in coherence and co-spectrum corresponding to this wavelength. The results suggest that wind turbulence and snow-wave formation interact with each other.     

Characteristic Study of the Boundary Layer Parameters over the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal Using the QuikSCAT Dataset

The marine atmospheric boundary layer （MABL） plays a vital role in the transport of momentum and heat from the surface of the ocean into the atmosphere. A detailed study on the MABL characteristics was carried out using high-resolution surface-wind data as measured by the QuikSCAT （Quick scatterometer） satellite. Spatial variations in the surface wind, frictional velocity, roughness parameter and drag coefficient for the different seasons were studied. The surface wind was strong during the southwest monsoon season due to the modulation induced by the Low Level Jetstream. The drag coefficient was larger during this season, due to the strong winds and was lower during the winter months. The spatial variations in the frictional velocity over the seas was small during the post-monsoon season （-0.2 m s^-1）. The maximum spatial variation in the frictional velocity was found over the south Arabian Sea （0.3 to 0.5 m s^-1） during the southwest monsoon period, followed by the pre-monsoon over the Bay of Bengal （0.1 to 0.25 m s^-1）. The mean wind-stress curl during the winter was positive over the equatorial region, with a maximum value of 1.5×10^-7 N m^-3, but on either side of the equatorial belt, a negative wind-stress curl dominated. The area average of the frictional velocity and drag coefficient over the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal were also studied. The values of frictional velocity shows a variability that is similar to the intraseasonal oscillation （ISO） and this was confirmed via wavelet analysis. In the case of the drag coefficient, the prominent oscillations were ISO and quasi-biweekly mode （QBM）. The interrelationship between the drag coefficient and the frictional velocity with wind speed in both the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal was also studied.     

An Observational Study of Wind-Induced Waving of Plants

The motions of individual plants and the turbulence statistics of surface winds measured near the top of a canopy are obtained over a wheat field and a rush field. Two typical cases of motions of individual plants are presented. The displacements of the ear of wheat (the plant height is 1.0 m) showed a natural oscillation in wind speeds of 1.6 m s⁻¹ measured at a height of 30 cm over a wheat canopy, while displacements of the stem of a rush plant were closely related to the fluctuations of surface winds in wind speeds of 1.7 m s⁻¹ measured at the top of the rush plant. The power spectra of displacements of a rush plant seem to support the negative seven-third power hypothesis proposed by Inoue. The frequency responses of displacements of plants to fluctuations of the instantaneous momentum flux are also presented.     

Gap Filling and Quality Assessment of CO2 and Water Vapour Fluxes above an Urban Area with Radial Basis Function Neural Networks

Vertical turbulent fluxes of water vapour, carbon dioxide, and sensible heat were measured from 16 August to the 28 September 2006 near the city centre of Münster in north-west Germany. In comparison to results of measurements above homogeneous ecosystem sites, the CO₂ fluxes above the urban investigation area showed more peaks and higher variances during the course of a day, probably caused by traffic and other varying, anthropogenic sources. The main goal of this study is the introduction and establishment of a new gap filling procedure using radial basis function (RBF) neural networks, which is also applicable under complex environmental conditions. We applied adapted RBF neural networks within a combined modular expert system of neural networks as an innovative approach to fill data gaps in micrometeorological flux time series. We found that RBF networks are superior to multi-layer perceptron (MLP) neural networks in the reproduction of the highly variable turbulent fluxes. In addition, we enhanced the methodology in the field of quality assessment for eddy covariance data. An RBF neural network mapping system was used to identify conditions of a turbulence regime that allows reliable quantification of turbulent fluxes through finding an acceptable minimum of the friction velocity. For the data analysed in this study, the minimum acceptable friction velocity was found to be 0.15 m s⁻¹. The obtained CO₂ fluxes, measured on a tower at 65 m a.g.l., reached average values of 12 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹ and fell to nighttime minimum values of 3 μmol m ⁻² s⁻¹. Mean daily CO₂ emissions of 21 g CO₂ m⁻²d ⁻¹ were obtained during our 6-week experiment. Hence, the city centre of Münster appeared to be a significant source of CO₂. The half-hourly average values of water vapour fluxes ranged between 0.062 and 0.989 mmol m⁻² s⁻¹and showed lower variances than the simultaneously measured fluxes of CO₂.     

Kinetic Study of the Reactions of Ozone with Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Adsorbed on Atmospheric Model Particles

In this experimental study, rate constants were measured for the reactions of ozone with 13 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) adsorbed on different types of particles. Graphite and silica were chosen to model, respectively, carbonaceous and mineral atmospheric particles. The pseudo-first order rate constants were obtained from the fit of the experimental decay of particulate PAH concentrations versus time. Second order rate constants were calculated considering the ozone gaseous concentration. At room temperature, rate constants varied, in the case of graphite particles, between (1.5 ± 0.5) × 10⁻¹⁷ and (1.3 ± 0.7) × 10⁻¹⁶ cm³ molecule⁻¹ s⁻¹ for chrysene and dibenzo[a,l]pyrene, respectively, and, in the case of silica particles, between (1.5 ± 0.3) × 10⁻¹⁷ and (1.4 ± 0.3) × 10⁻¹⁶ cm³ molecule⁻¹ s⁻¹ for fluoranthene and benzo[a]pyrene, respectively. Different granulometric parameters (particle size, pore size) and different PAH concentrations were tested in the case of silica particles. Heterogeneous reactions of ozone with particulate PAHs are shown to be more rapid than those occurring in the gas-phase, and may be competitive with atmospheric photodegradation.     

Long-term modeling of soil C erosion and sequestration at the small watershed scale

The soil C balance is determined by the difference between inputs (e.g., plant litter, organic amendments, depositional C) and outputs (e.g., soil respiration, dissolved organic C leaching, and eroded C). There is a need to improve our understanding of whether soil erosion is a sink or a source of atmospheric CO₂. The objective of this paper is to discover the long-term influence of soil erosion on the C cycle of managed watersheds near Coshocton, OH. We hypothesize that the amount of eroded C that is deposited in or out of a watershed compares in magnitude to the soil C changes induced via microbial respiration. We applied the erosion productivity impact calculator (EPIC) model to evaluate the role of erosion–deposition processes on the C balance of three small watersheds (∼1 ha). Experimental records from the USDA North Appalachian Experimental Watershed facility north of Coshocton, OH were used in the study. Soils are predominantly silt loam and have developed from loess-like deposits over residual bedrock. Management practices in the three watersheds have changed over time. Currently, watershed 118 (W118) is under a corn (Zea mays L.)–soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr.) no till rotation, W128 is under conventional till continuous corn, and W188 is under no till continuous corn. Simulations of a comprehensive set of ecosystem processes including plant growth, runoff, and water erosion were used to quantify sediment C yields. A simulated sediment C yield of 43 ± 22 kg C ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ compared favorably against the observed 31 ± 12 kg C ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ in W118. EPIC overestimated the soil C stock in the top 30-cm soil depth in W118 by 21% of the measured value (36.8 Mg C ha⁻¹). Simulations of soil C stocks in the other two watersheds (42.3 Mg C ha⁻¹ in W128 and 50.4 Mg C ha⁻¹ in W188) were off by <1 Mg C ha⁻¹. Simulated eroded C re-deposited inside (30–212 kg C ha⁻¹ year⁻¹) or outside (73–179 kg C ha⁻¹ year⁻¹) watershed boundaries compared in magnitude to a simulated soil C sequestration rate of 225 kg C ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ and to literature values. An analysis of net ecosystem carbon balance revealed that the watershed currently under a plow till system (W128) was a source of C to the atmosphere while the watersheds currently under a no till system (W118 and W188) behaved as C sinks of atmospheric CO₂. Our results demonstrate a clear need for documenting and modeling the proportion of eroded soil C that is transported outside watershed boundaries and the proportion that evolves as CO₂ to the atmosphere.     

Oxygen and Hydrogen Isotopic Signatures of Large Atmospheric Ice Conglomerations

Specific studies about the stable isotope composition (¹⁸O/¹⁶O and D/H) of atmospheric icy conglomerations are still scarce. The present work offers, for the first time, a very detailed analysis of oxygen and hydrogen isotopic signatures of unusually large ice conglomerations, or “megacryometeors”, that fell to the ground in Spain during January 2000. The hydrochemical analysis is based on the bulk isotopic composition and systematic selective sampling (deuterium isotopic mapping) of eleven selected specimens. δ¹⁸O and δD (V-SMOW) of all samples fall into the Meteoric Water Line matching well with typical tropospheric values. The distribution of the samples on Craig's line suggests either a variation in condensation temperature and/or different residual fractions of water vapour (Rayleigh processes). Three of the largest megacryometeors exhibited unequivocally distinctive negative values (δ¹⁸O = −17.2%₀ and δD = −127 %₀ V-SMOW), (δ¹⁸O = −15.6%₀ and δD = −112%₀ V-SMOW) and (δ¹⁸O = −14.4%₀ and δD = −100%₀ V-SMOW), suggesting an atmospheric origin typical of the upper troposphere. Theoretical calculations indicate that the vertical trajectory of growth was lower than 3.2 km. During the period in which the fall of megacryometeors occurred, anomalous atmospheric conditions were observed to exist: a substantial lowering of the tropopause with a deep layer of saturated air below, ozone depression and strong wind shear. Moreover, these large ice conglomerations occurred during non-thunderstorm conditions, suggesting an alternative process of ice growth was responsible for their formation.     

Studying air pollution with kitt peak solar flux atlas — analysis method and results of observation

For the measurement of atmospheric NO2 vertical column density (VCD), Kitt Peak Solar Flux Atlas can be substituted as an extraterrestrial solar radiation. Compared with differential analysis method, the Taylor expansion of integrated transfer equation underestimates the VCD. This underestimation is as large as 35% when the amount of NO2 is 1 × 1017 cm－2 and observation is conducted with an air mass factor of 10. Even when the VCD is 2 × 1016 cm－2 and the air mass factor is 4, the relative error of the retrieved VCD is still no less than 3%. If the observation is restricted under the small air mass factor condition (≤4), with Kitt Peak Solar spectrum as an extraterrestrial solar radiation, only an atmospheric layer of 2 km thick from ground can be studied, which will make the absorption too weak to be detected by normal instruments.The VCD in winter Tokyo area was observed and analyzed by differential method, which shows a good precision even when the absorption is as low as 3%. The largest average VCD was about 1.3 × 1017 cm－2, and the lowest was about 1.3 × 1016 cm－2. The trend of its variation was almost the same as the ground level observation by Saltzman reagent method.     

On the Scaling Laws of the Velocity-Scalar Cospectra in the Canopy Sublayer Above Tall Forests

The scaling laws of the vertical (F _wc ) and longitudinal (F _uc ) velocity-scalar cospectra within the inertial subrange are explored using dimensional arguments and a simplified cospectral budget in the canopy sublayer above three distinct forested ecosystems. The cospectral budget was shown to be consistent with plausible scaling laws originating from dimensional considerations. Using the analytical solution to the novel cospectral budget, it was shown that F _wc (k) and F _uc (k) are governed by the linear superposition of two terms that scale as k ^−2/3−α and k ^−β , where k is the wavenumber, −α is the exponent of the velocity spectrum, and β( ≥ 7/3) depends on the ratio of the similarity constants for the pressure-scalar covariance and the flux transport terms. It was also demonstrated that, when the magnitude of the mean scalar concentration gradient is large, the k ^−2/3−α term dominates the velocity-scalar cospectral budget. For such a case, correcting for biases emerging from high frequency losses in eddy-covariance scalar flux measurements can be readily formulated by using the measured velocity spectral exponent in the inertial subrange.     

A Study of the Reaction of OH Radicals with N-Methyl Pyrrolidinone,N-Methyl Succinimide and N-Formyl Pyrrolidinone

A study of the oxidation mechanism of N-methyl pyrrolidinone (C₅H₉NO, NMP) initiated by hydroxyl radicals was made at EUPHORE at atmospheric pressure (1000 ± 10) mbar of air and ambient temperature (T = 300 ± 5 K). The main products were N-methyl succinimide (NMS) (52 ± 4)% and N-formyl pyrrolidinone (FP) (23 ± 9)%. The relative rate technique was used to determine the rate constants of OH with NMP, NMS and FP, the measured values were (in units of cm³ molecule ^{− 1} s^{− 1}): k_NMP = (2.2 ± 0.4) × 10^{− 11}, k_NMS = (1.4 ± 0.3) × 10^{− 12} and k_FP = (6 ± 1) × 10^{− 12}. The results are presented and discussed in terms of the atmospheric impact.     

Stratus–Fog Formation and Dissipation: A 6-Day Case Study

A suite of active and passive remote sensing instruments and in-situ sensors deployed at the SIRTA Observatory (Instrumented Site for Atmospheric Remote Sensing Research), near Paris, France, for a period of six months (October 2006–March 2007) document simultaneously radiative, microphysical and dynamic processes driving the continental-fog life cycle. The study focuses on a 6-day period between 23 and 29 December 2006 characterized by several stratus-cloud lowering and lifting events and almost 18 h of visibility below 1 km. Conceptual models and different possible scenarios are presented here to explain the formation, the development and the dissipation phases of three major stratus–fog events and to quantify the impact of each driving process. For example, slowly evolving large-scale conditions characterized by a slow continuous cloud-base lowering, followed by a rapid transient period conductive to fog formation and dissipation, are observed for cases 1 and 3. During this stable period, continuous cloud-top radiative cooling (≈ −160 Wm⁻²) induces a progressive and slow lowering of the cloud base: larger droplets at cloud top (cloud reflectivity approximately equals to −20 dBZ) induce slow droplet fall to and beyond cloud base (Doppler velocity ≈ −0.1 ms⁻¹), cooling the sub-cloud layer by evaporation and lowering the saturation level to 100 m (case 1) or to the surface (cases 2 and 3). Suddenly, a significant increase in Doppler velocity magnitude ≈ −0.6 ms⁻¹ and of turbulent kinetic energy dissipation rate around 10⁻³ m²s⁻³ occurs at cloud base (case 1). These larger cloud droplets reach the surface leading to fog formation over 1.5 h. The Doppler velocity continues to increase over the entire cloud depth with a maximum value of around −1 ms⁻¹ due to the collection of fog droplets by the drizzle drops with high collection efficiency. As particles become larger, they fall to the ground and lead to fog dissipation. Hence, falling particles play a major role in both the formation and also in the dissipation of the fog. These roles co-exist and the balance is driven by the characteristics of the falling particles, such as the concentration of drizzle drops, the size distribution of drizzle drops compared to fog droplets, Doppler velocity and thermodynamic state close to the surface.     

UV attenuation in the cloudy atmosphere

Ultraviolet (UV) energy absorption plays a very important role in the Earth–atmosphere system. Based on observational data for Beijing, we suggest that some atmospheric constituents utilize or transfer UV energy in chemical and photochemical (C&P) reactions, in addition to those which absorb UV energy directly. These constituents are primarily volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from both vegetative and anthropogenic sources. The total UV energy loss in the cloudy atmosphere for Beijing in 1990 was 78.9 Wm⁻². This attenuation was caused by ozone (48.3 Wm⁻²), other compounds in the atmosphere (26.6 Wm⁻²) and a scattering factor (4.0 Wm⁻²). Our results for a cloudy atmosphere in the Beijing area show that the absorption due to these other compounds occurs largely through the mediation of water vapor. This fraction of energy loss has not been fully accounted for in previous models. Observations and previous models results suggest that 1) a cloudy atmosphere absorbs 25∼30 Wm⁻² more solar shortwave radiation than models predict; and 2) aerosols can significantly decrease the downward mean UV-visible radiation and the absorbed solar radiation at the surface by up to 28 and 23 Wm⁻², respectively. Thus, quantitative study of UV and visible absorption by atmospheric constituents involved in homogeneous and heterogeneous C&P reactions is important for atmospheric models.     

Tropical cyclones and polar lows: Velocity,size, and energy scales,and relation to the 26°C cyclone origin criteria

The goal of this paper is to quantitatively formulate some necessary conditions for the development of intense atmospheric vortices. Specifically, these criteria are discussed for tropical cyclones (TC) and polar lows (PL) by using bulk formulas for fluxes of momentum, sensible heating, and latent heating between the ocean and the atmosphere. The velocity scale is used in two forms: (1) as expressed through the buoyancy flux b and the Coriolis parameter l_c for rotating fluids convection, and (2) as expressed with the cube of velocity times the drag coefficient through the formula for total kinetic energy dissipation in the atmospheric boundary layer. In the quasistationary case the dissipation equals the generation of the energy. In both cases the velocity scale can be expressed through temperature and humidity differences between the ocean and the atmosphere in terms of the reduced gravity, and both forms produce quite comparable velocity scales. Using parameters b and l_c, we can form scales of the area and, by adding the mass of a unit air column, a scale of the total kinetic energy as well. These scales nicely explain the much smaller size of a PL, as compared to a TC, and the total kinetic energy of a TC is of the order 10¹⁸-10¹⁹ J. It will be shown that wind of 33 m s^-1 is produced when the total enthalpy fluxes between the ocean and the atmosphere are about 700 W m^-2 for a TC and 1700 W m^-2 for a PL, in association with the much larger role of the latent heat in the first case and the stricter geostrophic constraints and larger static stability in the second case. This replaces the mystical role of 26^oC as a criterion for TC origin. The buoyancy flux, a product of the reduced gravity and the wind speed, together with the atmospheric static stability, determines the rate of the penetrating convection. It is known from the observations that the formation time for a PL reaching an altitude of 5--6 km can be only a few hours, and a day, or even half a day, for a TC reaching 15--18 km. These two facts allow us to construct curves on the plane of T^s and ΔT=T_s-T_a to determine possibilities for forming an intense vortex. Here, T_a is the atmospheric temperature at the height z=10 m. A PL should have ΔT>20^oC in accordance with the observations and numerical simulations. The conditions for a TC are not so straightforward but our diagram shows that the temperature difference of a few degrees, or possibly even a fraction of a degree, might be sufficient for TC development for a range of static stabilities and development times.     

Analysis of wind vertical component characteristics in the stratosphere

Height, time, and latitude dependences are analyzed of zonal mean vertical component of wind velocity for the period of 1992–2006 from the UKMO atmospheric general circulation model. It is shown that the ascending wind speed can provide vertical transport, against gravity, of rather large (up to 3–5μm) aerosol particles with density to 1.0–1.5 g/cm³ in the stratosphere and mesosphere. The wind velocity vertical component is supposedly a significant factor of particle motion up to 30–40–km levels and can affect sedimentation rate and residence time of the aerosol particles in the stratosphere. Structure of the mean vertical component of wind velocity allows occurrence of dynamically stable aerosol layers in the middle stratosphere.     

Emissions of ammonia from weeping wall stores and earth-banked lagoons determined using passive sampling and atmospheric dispersion modelling

Ammonia emissions from stored farm manures form a small but significant proportion (∼10%) of the total emitted annually from UK sources. These emissions are regulated by factors including: the surface area of the store; the storage method; the physical form of the stored manure and the source of manure. A method was developed to estimate in situ emissions from a range of store types (weeping wall and earth-banked lagoon) that are currently under-represented in UK emissions estimates. Passive diffusion samplers (Willems Badges) were used to determine vertical concentration profiles to a height of 4.5 m at a number of locations around each slurry store. An atmospheric dispersion model was applied to estimate the contribution from emissions from other on-farm ammonia sources to the measured data and also to determine the emission rates from the stored manure. A procedure was applied whereby the emission rates from each source were allowed to vary and a numerical equation solver was applied to backfit the modelled data set to the field measurements. Measurements were collected at four farms on a monthly basis throughout the year, with each dataset being collected over 24 h. The uncertainties in the estimates of emissions from the slurry stores during individual measurement periods typically ranged between 20–40% though higher uncertainties occurred when emission fluxes from the stores were below 0.25 g NH₃–N m⁻² day⁻¹ and were entrained in the wakes, and mixed with the emissions, of adjacent buildings. The average emission from the farms was 0.6 g NH₃–N m⁻² day⁻¹ which agrees with other recent data on ammonia emissions from crusted slurry stores and, though it is within the range of data considered in the UK emissions inventory, suggests that emissions from weeping wall stores and earth-banked lagoons may be currently overestimated in national predictions.     

Horizontal and Vertical Turbulent Fluxes Forced by a Gravity Wave Event in the Nocturnal Atmospheric Surface Layer Over the Amazon Forest

A nocturnal gravity wave was detected over a south-western Amazon forest during the Large-Scale Biosphere–Atmosphere experiment in Amazonia (LBA) in the course of the dry-to-wet season campaign on October 2002. The atmospheric surface layer was stably stratified and had low turbulence activity, based on friction velocity values. However, the passage of the wave, an event with a period of about 180–300 s, caused negative turbulent fluxes of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and positive sensible heat fluxes, as measured by the eddy-covariance system at 60 m (≈30 m above the tree tops). The evolution of vertical profiles of air temperature, specific humidity and wind speed during the wave movement revealed that cold and drier air occupied the sub-canopy space while high wind speeds were measured above the vegetation. The analysis of wind speed and scalars high frequency data was performed using the wavelet technique, which enables the decomposition of signals in several frequencies allowed by the data sampling conditions. The results showed that the time series of vertical velocity and air temperature were −90° out of phase during the passage of the wave, implying no direct vertical transport of heat. Similarly, the time series of vertical velocity and CO₂ concentration were 90° out of phase. The wave was not directly associated with vertical fluxes of this variable but the mixing induced by its passage resulted in significant exchanges in smaller scales as measured by the eddy-covariance system. The phase differences between horizontal velocity and both air temperature and CO₂ concentration were, respectively, zero and 180°, implying phase and anti-phase relationships. As a result, the wave contributed to positive horizontal fluxes of heat and negative horizontal fluxes of carbon dioxide. Such results have to be considered in nocturnal boundary-layer surface-atmosphere exchange schemes for modelling purposes.     

On the Correlation between Convective Plume Updrafts and Downdrafts,Lidar Reflectivity and Depolarization Ratio

We question the correlation between vertical velocity (w) on the one hand and the occurrence of convective plumes in lidar reflectivity (i.e. range corrected backscatter signal Pz ²) and depolarization ratio (Δ) on the other hand in the convective boundary layer (CBL). Thermal vertical motion is directly investigated using vertical velocities measured by a ground-based Doppler lidar operating at 2 μm. This lidar provides also simultaneous measurements of lidar reflectivity. In addition, a second lidar 200 m away provides reflectivities at 0.53 and 1 μm and depolarization ratio at 0.53 μm. The time series from the two lidars are analyzed in terms of linear correlation coefficient (ρ). The main result is that the plume-like structures provided by lidar reflectivity within the CBL as well as the CBL height are not a clear signature of updrafts. It is shown that the lidar reflectivity within the CBL is frequently anti-correlated (ρ (w, Pz ² )) with the vertical velocity. On the contrary, the correlation coefficient between the depolarization ratio and the vertical velocity ρ (w, Δ ) is always positive, showing that the depolarization ratio is a fair tracer of updrafts. The importance of relative humidity on the correlation coefficient is discussed. An erratum to this article can be found at     

Daytime variations of ozone eddy fluxes to maize

The vertical fluxes of ozone, momentum and heat in the atmospheric surface layer have been measured by eddy correlation above both mature and senescent maize canopies. Aerodynamic formulae are applied to find that the bulk canopy surface resistancer _c to ozone uptake and destruction varies between 4.0 and 0.5 s cm⁻¹ during the daytime. Apparently, surface properties tend to control the removal of ozone at the surface of the earth. For a lush canopy, the stomatal diffusion resistance is the most important property, while changes in surface temperature have little effect. Destruction at the soil and exterior plant surfaces appears to account for 20–50% of the total loss if leaf mesophyll resistances are assumed to be very small. Free water at leaf surfaces may at times inhibit ozone removal by both senescent and healthy plants.     

General Characteristics of the Atmospheric Boundary Layer Over a Flaw Lead Polynya Region in Winter and Spring

A time series of microwave radiometric profiles over Arctic Canada’s Cape Bathurst (70°N, 124.5°W) flaw lead polynya region from 1 January to 30 June, 2008 was examined to determine the general characteristics of the atmospheric boundary layer in winter and spring. A surface based or elevated inversion was present on 97% of winter (January–March) days, and on 77% of spring (April–June) days. The inversion was the deepest in the first week of March (≈1100 m), and the shallowest in June (≈250 m). The mean temperature and absolute humidity from the surface to the top of the inversion averaged 250.1 K (−23.1°C), and 0.56 × 10⁻³ kg m⁻³ in winter, and in spring averaged 267.5 K (−5.6°C), and 2.77 × 10⁻³ kg m⁻³. The median winter atmospheric boundary-layer (ABL) potential temperature profile provided evidence of a shallow, weakly stable internal boundary layer (surface to 350 m) topped by an inversion (350–1,000 m). The median spring profile showed a shallow, near-neutral internal boundary layer (surface to 350 m) under an elevated inversion (600–800 m). The median ABL absolute humidity profiles were weakly positive in winter and negative in spring. Estimates of the convergence of sensible heat and water vapour from the surface that could have produced the turbulent internal boundary layers of the median profiles were 0.67 MJ m⁻² and 13.1 × 10⁻³ kg m⁻² for the winter season, and 0.66 MJ m⁻² and 33.4 × 10⁻³ kg m⁻² for the spring season. With fetches of 10–100 km, these accumulations may have resulted from a surface sensible heat flux of 15–185 W m⁻², plus a surface moisture flux of 0.001–0.013 mm h⁻¹ (or a latent heat flux of 0.7–8.8 W m⁻²) in winter, and 0.003–0.033 mm h⁻¹ (or a latent heat flux of 2–22 W m⁻²) in spring.