Unmanned Aerial Systems for Investigating the Polar Atmospheric Boundary Layer—Technical Challenges and Examples of Applications

• Published in: Atmosphere
• Main Authors: Astrid Lampert, Barbara Altstädter, Konrad Bärfuss, Lutz Bretschneider, Jesper Sandgaard, Janosch Michaelis, Lennart Lobitz, Magnus Asmussen, Ellen Damm, Ralf Käthner, Thomas Krüger, Christof Lüpkes, Stefan Nowak, Alexander Peuker, Thomas Rausch, Fabian Reiser, Andreas Scholtz, Denis Sotomayor Zakharov, Dominik Gaus, Stephan Bansmer, Birgit Wehner, Falk Pätzold
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020
• Subjects: unmanned aerial systems; polar atmosphere; meteorological sensors; atmospheric boundary layer; Meteorology. Climatology; QC851-999; Antarctic; Antarc*; Sea ice
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos11040416; https://doaj.org/article/e053f146c410431883ac630d043691d5

Unmanned aerial systems (UAS) fill a gap in high-resolution observations of meteorological parameters on small scales in the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL). Especially in the remote polar areas, there is a strong need for such detailed observations with different research foci. In this study, three systems are presented which have been adapted to the particular needs for operating in harsh polar environments: The fixed-wing aircraft M <math display="inline"> <semantics> <msup> <mrow></mrow> <mn>2</mn> </msup> </semantics> </math> AV with a mass of 6 kg, the quadrocopter ALICE with a mass of 19 kg, and the fixed-wing aircraft ALADINA with a mass of almost 25 kg. For all three systems, their particular modifications for polar operations are documented, in particular the insulation and heating requirements for low temperatures. Each system has completed meteorological observations under challenging conditions, including take-off and landing on the ice surface, low temperatures (down to −28 <math display="inline"> <semantics> <msup> <mrow></mrow> <mo>∘</mo> </msup> </semantics> </math> C), icing, and, for the quadrocopter, under the impact of the rotor downwash. The influence on the measured parameters is addressed here in the form of numerical simulations and spectral data analysis. Furthermore, results from several case studies are discussed: With the M <math display="inline"> <semantics> <msup> <mrow></mrow> <mn>2</mn> </msup> </semantics> </math> AV, low-level flights above leads in Antarctic sea ice were performed to study the impact of areas of open water within ice surfaces on the ABL, and a comparison with simulations was performed. ALICE was used to study the small-scale structure and short-term variability of the ABL during a cruise of RV Polarstern to the 79 <math display="inline"> <semantics> <msup> ...