LAB #7 - EVOLUTION OF BOUNDARY LAYER CONVECTION

Lab Objective:

In this lab, we will examine the diurnal evolution of boundary layer convection as observed in clear-air radar data.  A qualitative comparison with theoretical estimates of the type of convection that should be observed under different boundary layer conditions will be made.

Method:

1.  Verify by saving a data example that somewhere around the country, at this very time, that BLC is being observed by Doppler radar.

2.  Using SOLO, open one of the following two data sets:

• 02 August, 1991
• 12 August, 1991

3.  Now, document the scale and type of boundary layer convection you see in the data set, from the earliest to the latest time observed.

• Save imagery to document the type of BLC, either HCRs or open/closed cells. 
• Compute the aspect ratio of the observed convection.  Use the soundings below to do so.

4.  Now compare you observations to the theory we discussed in class. 

• Does the mode of convection vary throughout the day according to theory? 
• Are the computed aspect ratios consistent with theoretical values?

SOUNDINGS:

last updated:  Monday, November 19, 2007