Evaluation of Diurnal-Seasonal Variation of PBL Depth in Maryland

Progress Report to MDEOctober 1, 2010

Dr. Konstantin Vinnikov, Acting State Climatologist for Maryland Prof. Russell Dickerson, Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Science

University of Maryland at College Park, MD

•We have to study Diurnal/Seasonal variations of PBL depth to understand and explain observed Diurnal/Seasonal variations in PM2.5, SO2, O3, and other major pollutants in atmospheric air.

•We need observed PBL Depth for models validation.

•There is no direct observations of PBL Depth at Maryland. Micro Pulse Lidar Network stations at GSFC, UMBC, and Beltsville are trying to organize long lasting monitoring of this parameter.

•We begin to analyze observations PBL Depth at GSFC and discuss our first results.

•We use wind profilers observations at Beltsville, MD to explain GSFC observed PBL Depth observations.

•Work is in progress.

GSFC Lidar observations on September 1, 2008. [Judd Welton and Tim Berkoff , GSFC/NASA]

PM2.5 vs. SO2

OBSERVED PM2.5 OBSERVED SO2

MD POWER PLANTS SO2 EMISSIONS

Observed PBL Depth data provided by Judd Welton and Tim Bertkoff (GSFC/NASA)

Result of smoothing vertical profiles of wind speed using 3rd order polynomial fit of data observed in the lower 2 km atmospheric layer .

Work is in progress. The next steps are:

•October 13, 2010: Meeting with GSFC and UMBC experts to discuss problems of PBL Depth information retrieval from Micro Pulse Lidar observation.•Evaluate opportunity for retrieving PBL Depth information from observation of wind profiler at Beltsville, MD .•Evaluate role of Low Level Jets (LLJ) in delivering moisture and atmospheric pollutants from southern regions into Maryland.•Study climatology (occurrence, intensity, timing, altitude, etc) of Low Level Jets at Beltsville, MD vs. Fort Mede, MD. •Better understanding of diurnal and seasonal variations of atmospheric pollutants.•Model validation.