C-FOG Field Campaign for Coastal Fog Observations

The objective of C-FOG (Toward Improving Coastal Fog Prediction) is to advance understanding of liquid fog formation, development, and dissipation over coastal environments to improve fog predictability. The project will take place over Eastern Canada (Nova Scotia, NS and the Island of Newfoundland, NL) coastlines and open water environments during August-October of 2018 where environmental conditions play an important role for late season’s fog formation. Visibility (Vis) and wind (Uw) are the most critical weather- related phenomena affecting marine transportation and aviation. The C-FOG field campaign is designed to optimally measure model fog variability in time and space, with tools including ground, airborne, and shipborne in-situ instruments, remote sensing platforms, as well as numerical models. Instruments are located at a supersite (Ferryland, NL) and four satellite sites, as well as on a research vessel. These instruments measure Uw and turbulence, microphysics, radiation, aerosol, and thermodynamic properties of the environment. Special sensors were developed for fog microphysics investigation, including a Gondola carrying microphysical sensors such as CDP (Cloud droplet probe) and BCP (backscatter cloud probe) for droplet size range from 1-75 micron. A LPM (laser precipitation monitor) from 100 micron to mm size ranges and an OPC (optical particle counter) above 0.3 micron at 20 spectral channels will provide information for fog and drizzle discrimination. Remote sensing platforms (e.g. MWR (microwave radiometer), Ceilometer, Lidar), meteorological towers, tethered balloons, UAV platforms, and GOES-R products (e.g. fog coverage and droplet size) will provide fog information over the horizontal and vertical dimensions. These platforms and products, together with microphysical observations will be used for fog parameterization development, with a focus on understanding the influence of dynamical processes such as strong moisture advection and turbulent mixing. The outcome of this project is to validate and improve numerical model predictions of fog using detailed meteorological and aerosol observations, including LWC (Liquid Water Content), Nd and Na (droplet and aerosol number concentrations), Vis, RHw (with respect to water), and LW and SW (longwave and shortwave) radiative fluxes. Investigators will use observations evaluate the role of dynamical conditions on fog life cycle, and to develop integrated observing systems utilizing model predictions. Overall, C-FOG measurements will be used to evaluate prediction challenges and emphasize the importance of current work.

This research was funded by the Office of Naval Research Award # N00014-18-1-2472 entitled: Toward Improving Coastal Fog Prediction (C-FOG).