Estimation of abl Parameters Using the Vertical Velocity Measurements of an Acoustic Sounder

The friction velocity, the surface heat flux and the height of the Atmospheric Boundary Layer (ABL) are important parameters. In this work, vertical velocity variance (_w²) and wind velocity structure parameter (C_v²) profiles estimated by acoustic sounder measurements are used, along with similarity relations, to estimate these parameters in the unstable Atmospheric Boundary Layer and the friction velocity in the stable one. The data were collected by two acoustic sounders with different height range and resolution under various atmospheric conditions (stability) and at two experimental sites in different terrain. The C_v² profiles are estimated using gate difference of the vertical velocity measurements and the assumption of local isotropy. The vertical velocity data are corrected for the significant effects of noisy measurements and sampling volume averaging on the _w² and C_v² estimations using original techniques that are presented in this work. The results of the similarity method using acoustic sounder data are compared against estimates of the corresponding atmospheric parameters obtained from direct measurements. The comparison confirms the ability of the method to provide reasonably accurate estimates of these parameters especially in the middle of the day.