METCRAX II

Second Meteor Crater Experiment

PROJECT DATES
09/30/2013 - 10/30/2013
Project Location
Barringer Meteorite Crater, Arizona
PROJECT DESCRIPTION

METCRAX II was the second experiment studying the atmospheric boundary layer of the Arizona Meteor Crater.

METCRAX II investigated downslope-windstorm-type flows that develop when thermally-driven drainage flows cascade over the rim of the Arizona Meteorite Crater on clear, undisturbed nights. These flows are ubiquitous in mountains throughout the world, but occur on a regular basis at this location and on scale that is uniquely amenable to observation with surface-based instrumentation. The goals of the project were to determine the characteristic atmospheric structure and evolution associated with these flows and the controlling parameters in the katabatic winds that drive them. The field observations will also be used to develop and validate LES models that can extend the findings to basins and ridges of different sizes and shapes.

For information about the first METCRAX experiment, see the METCRAX Project Page.

Measurement Sites

NCAR provided the following instrumentation for METCRAXII.

EOL Instrumentation at METCRAXII
Site Instrumentation Local Network Internet Link Latitude Longitude
far (A) 10 meter tower, radiation, soil WIFI   34.9668 [1] -111.0530 [1]
base  (B) 10 meter tower, GAUS, ceilometer, all-sky camera Copper ethernet to trailer   35.0173 [1] -111.0343 [1]
base trailer server and user computers WIFI Hughes    
near (B1) 50 meter tower, radiation, soil, precip, SODAR/RASS WIFI   35.0110 [1] -111.0380 [1]
rim (C) 40 meter tower WIFI Cellular 35.0221 [1] -111.0256 [1]
crater floor (D) 10 meter tower, radiation, soil WIFI   35.0281 [1] -111.0224 [1]
nrim (visitor center) LIDAR WIFI      
profiler 449 wind profiler, 10m tower   Hughes, Cellular?    

[1] latitude and longitude values were computed from 24 hour means of the values on Oct 10 from the GPS units on the data acquisition DSMs. 

The tower, radiation and soil instrumentation were provided by the Integrated Surface Flux System (ISFS) at EOL. See ISFS at METCRAXII for more information.

The LIDAR, GAUS soundings, ceilometer, sky camera, SODAR/RASS and 449 wind profiler were provided by the Atmospheric Profiling Group (APG) at EOL. See ISS at METCRAX-II for more information.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Data Manager
EOL Archive, NCAR/EOL/DMS