The surface layer observed by a high-resolution sodar at DOME C, Antarctica

Abstract

One year field experiment has started on December 2011 at the French - Italian station of Concordia at Dome C, East Antarctic Plateau. The objective of the experiment is the study of the surface layer turbulent processes under stable/very stable stratifications, and the mechanisms leading to the formation of the warming events. A sodar was improved to achieve the vertical/time resolution needed to study these processes. The system, named Surface Layer sodar (SL-sodar), may operate both in high vertical resolution (low range) and low vertical resolution (high range) modes. In situ turbulence and radiation measurements were also provided in the framework of this experiment. A few preliminary results, concerning the standard summer diurnal cycle, a summer warming event, and unusually high frequency boundary layer atmospheric gravity waves are presented.

Keywords

• Antarctica
• Boundary layer
• Mixing layer height
• Sodar
• Gravity Waves