MAPNet (Mobile Atmospheric Profiling Network): Updates and Research Applications

The Mobile Atmospheric Profiling Network (MAPNet) consists of the following four mobile platforms, three of which are profiling systems: Mobile Integrated Profiling System (MIPS), Rapidly Deployable Profiling System (RaDAPS), Mobile Doppler Lidar and Sounding truck (MoDLS), and the Mobile Alabama X-band (MAX) scanning dual polarization radar. In August 2021, a five-year grant was awarded to UAH through the National Science Foundation (NSF) Community Instruments and Facilities (CIF) program to formally initiate and maintain the MAPNet. The primary goal of the CIF program is to “provide the NSF-sponsored atmospheric sciences research community with access to specialized instrumentation for field and laboratory-based studies." The general areas of boundary layer meteorology and precipitation processes define the notable strengths of the MAPNet measurement capabilities. The MAPNet offers the capability to profile (i.e., acquire vertical measurements of) wind, temperature, humidity, aerosol backscatter, and precipitation obtained from radars, sodars, lidars, and multi-frequency radiometers (Table 1) for a broad range of weather conditions.

Table 1. Instruments on the three profiling platforms.

Instrument	Description	Measurements	Δt (min), Δz (m)	On what platform?
915	915 MHz Radar Wind Profiler	u, v, w wind, backscatter	5 min, 30 m	MIPS, RaDAPS
XPR	X-band Profiling Radar	Ze, VR, SW; or I/Q	0.2 s, 50 m	MIPS
MRR	MicroRain Radar	Ze, VR, SW	60 s, 100 m	RaDAPS
MPR	Microwave Profiling Radiometer (35 channels)	T and water vapor profiles, integ. water vapor, cloud water path	100 s, variable height	MIPS, RaDAPS, MoDLS
CL51 CMH15k	Lidar ceilometer (910 nm) Lidar ceilometer (1064 nm)	backscatter profile, cloud base height, Hcb	10 s, 15 m 10 s, 15 m	MIPS, RaDAPS MoDLS
DL	Doppler Lidar	horizontal wind backscatter, w profiles	5 min, 30 m 1 s, 30 m	MoDLS
PA0	Doppler sodar	u, v, w wind	5 min, 15 m	MIPS & RaDAPS option

This presentation will summarize the current capabilities of the MAPNet, in addition to planned upgrades to further enhance MAPNet capabilities. Example cases from recent research and educational campaigns will be detailed, including the following:

• Wheeler Lake Breeze Experiment, planned and executed by undergraduate students associated with a NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program, in which MAPNet assets were deployed over a meso-γ-scale domain to document mesoscale variability of flows around the Wheeler Lake Breeze system.
• A nocturnal elevated convective initiation event documented during the 2 March 2023 PERiLS IOP-2. In this case, initiation of an east-west line of deep convection over the PERiLS network was observed with the MAPNet and other PERiLS facilities.
• Rapid rapid changes in the low-level shear profile documented during PERiLS 2022 and 2023. Nearly every PERiLS IOP has documented a heterogeneous boundary layer. In this talk, we will highlight the utilization of MAPNet to better understand the Rain-Induced Transition (RIT) process.
• Plans for a prototype field campaign, the Huntsville Area Boundary Layer and Aerosol Research (HABLAR) project, along with initial results, will be summarized. This topic illustrates MAPNet capabilities for air quality studies.
• The utilization of the MAPNet during the upcoming ARM Mobile Facility 3 (AMF3) deployment over northern Alabama will be outlined.

Finally, an outline of possible future instrument additions to further enhance MAPNet capabilities will be presented.