NCAR Modular Wind Profiler at DEEPWAVE-NZ

The NCAR / EOL 449 MHz Modular Wind Profiler was deployed to New Zealand for the DEEPWAVE-NZ campaign. DEEPWAVE, or Deep Propagating Gravity Wave Experiment, examined the generation, propagation and dynamics of gravity waves. New Zealand is an ideal location for such a study, because strong circumpolar westerly flow is undisturbed over thousands of miles of the Southern Ocean and intercepts the Southern Alps mountain range, regularly generating gravity waves that can propagate very high into the upper atmosphere. A broad range instrumentation from a variety of groups was deployed around the country, including research aircraft, lidars, and soundings. NCAR / EOL deployed an ISS (Integrated Sounding System) suite of instruments, including the Modular Wind Profiler, to the remote west coast of New Zealand's South Island. There the suite was used to monitor the upwind flow, waves imbedded in the flow from sources over the ocean, precipitation, and boundary layer structure. The profiler performed very well, consistently monitoring winds to mountain top level (3 - 4 km ASL). These measurements were used to guide research aircraft operations, and to inform the performance of numerical models. The profiler also observed orographic waves from occasional easterly flow, waves and convection from a series of storms coming off the ocean, mixing down of strong winds aloft and other features. The presentation will report on these measurements as well as calibration of the profiler using nearby soundings and a NZ Met Service C-Band weather surveillance radar.