Using satellite thermal infrared imagery to study boundary layer structure in an Antarctic katabatic wind region

King, J. C. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3315-7568; Varley, M. J.; Lachlan-Cope, T. A. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0657-3235. 1998 Using satellite thermal infrared imagery to study boundary layer structure in an Antarctic katabatic wind region. International Journal of Remote Sensing, 19 (17). 3335-3348. https://doi.org/10.1080/014311698214028

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/014311698214028

Abstract/Summary

We use snow surface temperatures obtained from thermal infrared (TIR) satellite imagery, together with radiosonde profiles of free-air temperature and high-resolution topographic data to study the thermal structure of the atmospheric boundary layer in a coastal region ofEast Antarctica. Surface temperatures over a coastal ice shelf are shown to be significantly lower than those observed on the lower part of the adjoining coastal slopes as a result of the strong surface temperature inversion that forms over the ice shelf. Between 400 and 1500 m elevation the surface temperature lapse rate is close to the dry adiabatic value while the free-air temperature profile is significantly stable over this height range. We argue that this implies that the strength of the surface inversion increases with increasing elevation. Above 1500 m the surface temperature lapse rate becomes significantly superadiabatic and the coldest surface temperatures are found a few 10s of kilometres inland of the highest topography. The technique may prove useful for studying boundary layer structure in other regions of Antarctica where suitable high-resolution topographic data are available.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.1080/014311698214028
Programmes:	BAS Programmes > Pre 2000 programme
ISSN:	0143-1161
Date made live:	04 Dec 2013 11:35 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/504120

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

https://doi.org/10.1080/014311698214028

Programmes:

BAS Programmes > Pre 2000 programme

ISSN:

0143-1161

Date made live:

04 Dec 2013 11:35 +0 (UTC)

URI:

https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/504120