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Abstract In the marine boundary layer, the exchange of momentum, heat, and moisture occurs between the atmosphere and ocean. Since it is too dangerous for a crewed aircraft to fly close to the ocean surface to directly obtain these measurements, a sUAS (small Uncrewed Aircraft System) is one of the only viable options. On 24 March 2023 a Black Swift Technologies S0 sUAS was deployed from the NOAA P‐3 on a calm clear day off the west coast of Florida. For 23 min at the end of the mission, the sUAS flew 8 straight line legs with an average length of 2.15 km, at roughly 10 m above the ocean surface, with wind speeds between 3.0 and 4.5 m s−1. For the first time over the open ocean using a sUAS, the 4‐Hz wind and thermodynamic data was used to calculate surface momentum flux, sensible heat flux, and latent flux using both direct covariance methods and the bulk aerodynamic formulas. Since all the flux quantities can be found using both direct and indirect methods, we are able to calculate the exchange coefficients of momentum flux (CD), latent heat flux (CE), and sensible heat flux (CH) with results that are generally in good agreement with previous studies over the same wind speed range. This study demonstrates the ability of sUAS to measure air‐sea interactions. Future intention is to use sUAS to obtain similar measurements in high wind events such as hurricanes which could better help understand hurricane intensification and improve model physics.
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Environmental Conditions Associated with Horizontal Convective Rolls, Cellular Convection, and No Organized Circulations
Abstract Typical environmental conditions associated with horizontal convective rolls (HCRs) and cellular convection have been known for over 50 years. Yet our ability to predict whether HCRs, cellular convection, or no discernable organized (null) circulation will occur within a well-mixed convective boundary layer based upon easily observed environmental variables has been limited. Herein, a large database of 50 cases each of HCR, cellular convection, and null events is created that includes observations of mean boundary layer wind and wind shear, boundary layer depth; surface observations of wind, temperature, and relative humidity; and estimates of surface sensible heat flux. Results from a multiclass linear discriminant analysis applied to these data indicate that environmental conditions can be useful in predicting whether HCRs, cellular convection, or no circulation occurs, with the analysis identifying the correct circulation type on 72% of the case days. This result is slightly better than using a mean convective boundary layer (CBL) wind speed of 6 m s−1to discriminate between HCRs and cells. However, the mean CBL wind speed has no ability to further separate out cases with no CBL circulation. The key environmental variables suggested by the discriminant analysis are mean sensible heat flux, friction velocity, and the Obukhov length.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1632850
- PAR ID:
- 10552553
- Publisher / Repository:
- American Meteorological Society
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Monthly Weather Review
- Volume:
- 149
- Issue:
- 5
- ISSN:
- 0027-0644
- Format(s):
- Medium: X Size: p. 1305-1316
- Size(s):
- p. 1305-1316
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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