Comparison of NCAR EOL ISS Profiling Measurements and the HRRR Model During M2HATS

The Multi-point Monin-Obukhov similarity horizontal array turbulence study (M2HATS) took place in Tonopah, Nevada during the summer of 2023 and was led by Chenning Tong of Clemson University and Shane Mayor of California State University, Chico. During the campaign, the NSF NCAR Integrated Sounding System (ISS) platform operated a profiling supersite that included the 449 MHz and 915 MHz profiling radars, as well as three scanning lidars. Radiosondes were launched twice daily. The intent of these profiling operations was to observe the atmospheric boundary layer, which resulted in an extensive database of atmospheric profiles with varied temporal and spatial resolutions. In this study, we showcase the footprint of intensive profiling measurements and capabilities, highlight special cases, and make comparisons to atmospheric profiles created from NOAA’s 3-km resolution, hourly updated High-Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) model. This analysis allows us to assess the comparability of these datasets under varied atmospheric conditions, which provides insight into the functionality of different profiling methods as these conditions change. The information gathered in this study will be used to inform the deployment and operation of ISS in future field campaigns.