Infrared and millimetre-wave scintillometry in the suburban environment - Part 1: Structure parameters

Ward, H.C.; Evans, J.G. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4194-1416; Grimmond, C.S.B.; Bradford, J.. 2015 Infrared and millimetre-wave scintillometry in the suburban environment - Part 1: Structure parameters. Atmospheric Measurement Techniques, 8 (3). 1385-1405. 10.5194/amt-8-1385-2015

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Abstract/Summary

Scintillometry, a form of ground-based remote sensing, provides the capability to estimate surface heat fluxes over scales of a few hundred metres to kilometres. Measurements are spatial averages, making this technique particularly valuable over areas with moderate heterogeneity such as mixed agricultural or urban environments. In this study, we present the structure parameters of temperature and humidity, which can be related to the sensible and latent heat fluxes through similarity theory, for a suburban area in the UK. The fluxes are provided in the second paper of this two-part series. A millimetre-wave scintillometer was combined with an infrared scintillometer along a 5.5 km path over northern Swindon. The pairing of these two wavelengths offers sensitivity to both temperature and humidity fluctuations, and the correlation between wavelengths is also used to retrieve the path-averaged temperature–humidity correlation. Comparison is made with structure parameters calculated from an eddy covariance station located close to the centre of the scintillometer path. The performance of the measurement techniques under different conditions is discussed. Similar behaviour is seen between the two data sets at sub-daily timescales. For the two summer-to-winter periods presented here, similar evolution is displayed across the seasons. A higher vegetation fraction within the scintillometer source area is consistent with the lower Bowen ratio observed (midday Bowen ratio < 1) compared with more built-up areas around the eddy covariance station. The energy partitioning is further explored in the companion paper.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.5194/amt-8-1385-2015
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	Acreman Reynard
ISSN:	1867-1381
Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:	Open Access paper - full text available via Official URL link
NORA Subject Terms:	Atmospheric Sciences
Related URLs:	Discussion paper
Date made live:	31 Jul 2015 11:51 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/511410

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