A multi-instrument fuzzy logic boundary-layer-top detection algorithm

Abstract

Understanding the boundary-layer height and its dynamics is crucial for a wide array of applications spanning various fields. Accurate identification of the boundary-layer top contributes to improved air quality predictions, pollutant transport assessments, and enhanced numerical weather prediction through parameterization and assimilation techniques. Despite its significance, defining and observing the boundary-layer top remain challenging. Existing methods of estimating the boundary-layer height encompass radiosonde-based methods, radar-based retrievals, and more. As emerging boundary-layer observation platforms emerge, it is useful to reevaluate the efficacy of existing boundary-layer-top detection methods and explore new ones. This study introduces a fuzzy logic algorithm that leverages the synergy of multiple remote sensing boundary-layer profiling instruments: a Doppler lidar, infrared spectrometer, and microwave radiometer. By harnessing the distinct advantages of each sensing platform, the proposed method enables accurate boundary-layer height estimation both during daytime and nocturnal conditions. The algorithm is benchmarked against radiosonde-derived boundary-layer-top estimates obtained from balloon launches across diverse locations in Wisconsin, Oklahoma, and Louisiana during summer and fall. The findings reveal notable similarities between the results produced by the proposed fuzzy logic algorithm and traditional radiosonde-based approaches. However, this study delves into the nuanced differences in their behavior, providing insightful analyses about the underlying causes of the observed discrepancies. While developed with the three instruments mentioned above, the fuzzy logic boundary-layer-top detection algorithm, called BLISS-FL, could be adapted for other wind and thermodynamic profilers. BLISS-FL is released publicly, fostering collaboration and advancement within the research community.