SODAR pattern classification and its dependence on meteorological parameters over a semiarid region of India

ABSTRACT

The variability of the atmospheric boundary layer together with meteorological parameters has been investigated over the semi-arid region Delhi. Two sources of the dataset have been used: sound detection and ranging (SODAR) and automatic weather station during the period from December 2013 to November 2014. A Laboratory Virtual Instrument Engineering Workbench (LabVIEW)-based programme has been developed to plot the stability class from A to F directly from the mixing height dataset. Based on the SODAR echograms and mixing height, temporal and seasonal variability of stability classes has been estimated. It is observed that the convective boundary layer height advances and decreases during the daytime depending on the increase and decrease of surface temperature due to solar heating of the ground. From seasonal classification of the stability class, it is observed that the class A and class E are dominated in convection and nocturnal periods in all seasons, whereas class F is not found during the winter and pre-monsoon seasons. Impact of meteorological parameters, that is, wind speed, temperature, and relative humidity on mixing height during different seasons has also been studied.

Acknowledgements

We are thankful to the anonymous reviewers for their valuable suggestions and comments in improving the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.