Marine boundary layer structure as observed by space-based Lidar | CU Experts

Abstract. The marine boundary layer (MBL) structure is important to the exchange of heat, momentum, and moisture between oceans and the low atmosphere and to the marine low cloud processes. This paper explores MBL structure over the eastern Pacific region with a new 4 year satellite-based dataset. The MBL aerosol lidar backscattering from the CALIPSO (Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations) was used to identify the MBL top (BLH) and the mixing layer height (MLH). Results showed that MBL is generally decoupled with MLH / BLH ratio ranging from ∼ 0.5 to ∼ 0.8 and the MBL decoupling magnitude is mainly controlled by estimated inversion strength (EIS) that affects the cloud top entrainment process. The systematic differences between drizzling and non-drizzling stratocumulus tops, which may relate to the meso-scale circulations or gravity wave in MBL, also show dependence on EIS. Further analysis indicated that the MBL shows similar decoupled structure for clear sky and cumulus cloud-topped conditions, but is better mixed under stratiform cloud breakup and overcast conditions.;

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