Aircraft observations of the atmospheric boundary layer in the vicinity of the marginal ice zone under conditions of flow parallel to the ice edge

• Main Author: Gobel, Teresa M.
• Other Authors: Shaw, W.J., Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.), Meteorology and Oceanography, Nuss, W.A.
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: Monterey, California: Naval Postgraduate School 1990
• Subjects: Marginal ice zone; Boundary layer (Meteorology); Marine meteorology; Spitzbergen
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10945/34893

This paper describes aircraft observations made with the NOAA P-3 research aircraft on 24 March 1989. The measurement region was over the marginal ice zone, southeast of Spitzbergen, between 74 to 76 degs N and 19 to 27 degs E. Above the atmospheric boundary layer, the geostrophic wind was 12 ms at approximately 15 deg off-ice. A well mixed layer extended along the entire 200 km flight path which was perpendicular to and centered over the ice edge. There was a stratocumulus layer over the ocean which decreased in thickness towards the ice. The associated inversion, which coincided with the cloud layer top, continued to decrease in height over the ice. This caused a strong thermal wind effect within the atmospheric boundary layer. The near-surface geostrophic wind decreased from approximately 12 ms over the ocean to 5 ms over the ice due to the horizontal temperature gradient and sloping inversion. Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. Lieutenant, United States Navy http://archive.org/details/aircraftobservat1094534893