MICROFRONTS

Boundary-layer micro-meteorology measurement program designed to study radiation properties and dissipation properties in frontal regions.

Objectives:

1. Determine the dissipation of kinetic energy in the surface layer under varying conditions
2. Determine, from dissipation range data, the kinetic energy dissipation in a frontal zone as a check on previous estimates based on lower resolution data
3. Examine the nature of the coherent structures and microfronts that are revealed in daytime observations for the case of surface heating in order to perform a closer examinitation of near neutral case exisiting surface layer similarity theory and to determine the exchange coefficent in the bulk aerodynamic prediction of the surface heat flux
4. Study and modify the bulk aerodynamic relationship for use with the surface radiative temperature
5. Study the dynamic and thermodynamic effects on the atmosphere arising from the contrast of a small lake with the surrounding land, with special attention to the effects of small lakes on the development or suppression of daytime convective cloudiness
6. Observe the occurrences of breakdowns of the stable boundary layer and the occurrences of atmospheric gravity waves to examine the unverified hypothesis that there exists a relation between the instability of the nighttime planetary boundary layer and the occurence of gravity wave activity.