High-resolution properties of the Equatorial Pacific marine atmospheric boundary layer from lidar and radiosonde observations

• Published in: Journal of the atmospheric sciences Vol. 53; no. 14; pp. 2054 - 2075
• Main Authors: COOPER, D. I, EICHINGER, W. E, BARR, S, COTTINGAME, W, HYNES, M. V, KELLER, C. F, LEBEDA, C. F, POLING, D. A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston, MA American Meteorological Society 15.07.1996
• Subjects: Atmosphere; Atmospheric boundary layer; Boundary layers; Climate; Climatology; Convection, turbulence, diffusion. Boundary layer structure and dynamics; Earth, ocean, space; Exact sciences and technology; External geophysics; Lidar; Marine; Meteorology; Oceanography; Science; Pacific Ocean; Tropical Pacific Ocean; Guadalcanal; Christmas Island; Pacific region; ISEW, Equatorial Pacific; Tropical Pacific; ISE, Pacific, Solomon Is., Guadalcanal; IS, Equatorial Pacific; I, Central Pacific; USA, New Mexico, Los Alamos; Water; Ship observation; Sea surface; Vapor; Marine atmosphere; Atmospheric boundary layer; Radar observation; Entrainment; Surface temperature; Radio sounding; Ocean atmosphere interaction
• ISSN: 0022-4928; 1520-0469
• DOI: 10.1175/1520-0469(1996)053<2054:hrpote>2.0.co;2

A "thermostat" mechanism for cooling the Equatorial Pacific is being tested with data collected during the Central Equatorial Pacific Experiment. The Los Alamos National Laboratory participated by fielding two shipboard lidars that collected nearly continuous data over the Pacific from Mar 10 to 21, 1993 as the ship sailed from Guadalcanal to Christmas Island. Data collected from the two lidars were used to determine ocean-atmosphere phenomenology, which in turn affects the climatology of the Central Pacific.