Initial Observations from the MicroPulse DIAL (MPD) Network Demonstration Project

The National Center for Atmospheric Research and Montana State University recently completed a National Science Foundation major research instrumentation grant to build five MicroPulse Differential absorption lidars (MPDs) for water vapor profiling. A first demonstration of the MPD configured as a five-unit network occurred at the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Southern Great Plains (SGP) field sites near Lamont, OK from 17 April –22 July 2019, coinciding with the peak in the convective storm season. During the network demonstration project, one of the MPDs was collocated with the ARM Raman lidar and 3-hourly radiosonde launches. All five MPDs were collocated with Atmospheric Emitted Radiance Interferometers (AERIs), microwave radiometers (MWRs) and Doppler lidars and were operated within the range of the Vance Air Force Base WSR-88D scanning weather radar.

These MPDs, AERIs and Doppler lidars operated in unattended mode and collected continuous profiles of water vapor, temperature and winds. The MPDs provided water vapor profiles from 0.3 km up to 3-5 km AGL. The passive AERIs were used to retrieve water vapor and temperature profiles from near the ground up to ~3 km. The Doppler lidars provided wind profiles from near the ground up to ~4 km. We will illustrate the lidar and AERI signatures that occurred before and during both clear-air and convective weather events. Convective storm observations include the full convective storm life cycle, convection initiation events and dissipating squall lines. Data were collected during passages of several low-level boundary-layer convergence zones, including gust fronts, nocturnal bores and cold fronts. Numerous days illustrated the complete evolution of the daytime convective boundary layer and the formation of the residual layer. There are several examples of intriguing elevated moist and dry layers. Preliminary analyses of integrated thermodynamic and wind profiles from these case studies will be presented.