Using a new Water Vapor Differential Absorption Lidar to study the thermodynamic evolution of the boundary layer during the PECAN 2015 field campaign

The Plains Elevated Convection at Night (PECAN) field campaign was conducted in the central Great Plains from 1 June – 15 July 2015. Vertical water vapor flux profiles at a resolution of 75 m from 300 m to a height of 2.5 km were constructed using 45 continuous days of data collected with a Water Vapor Differential Absorption Lidar (WV DIAL), Atmospheric Emitted Radiance Interferometer (AERI) and 449 MHz wind profiler. All data were collected in Ellis, KS at a fixed PECAN Integrated Sounding Array (PISA) site. Water vapor and latent heat flux profiles were constructed using water vapor information from the WV DIAL, temperature and pressure profiles from the AERI and vertical wind information from the 449 MHz wind profiler. A 8.5-m tall flux tower was used to provide surface fluxes to complete the near-surface vertical profiles of water vapor and latent heat flux from the surface through the boundary layer. Profiles of potential and virtual potential temperature constructed using 5-minute AERI data were used to study the effects of buoyancy on the water vapor fluxes. These high temporal and spatial resolution instruments to explore patterns of energy and water vapor exchange between the surface and boundary layer for the duration of the PECAN field campaign. This novel combination of flux tower and ground-based profiling instruments allowed for new insight gained in studying the thermodynamic evolution of pre and post storm environments.