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Abstract Review
Corresponding Author |
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Authors |
Name | | Affiliation |
George Jumper |
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Air Force Research Lab |
Ivan Dors |
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University of New Hampshire |
John Roadcap |
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Air Force Research Lab |
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Abstract |
Session | | 1 (Instrumentation and observations to quantify the magnitude and distribution of atmospheric optical turbulence.) |
Title | | 'Turbulence measurents over Mauna Kea' |
Abstract | | A series of turbulence measurements were performed recently over Mauna Kea on the island of Hawaii. The measurements were made from ascending balloons, and included both turbulence and meteorological measurements. A sequence of nine balloons were launched during the campaign; three each on the nights of December 12, 13, and 17, 2002. The results indicate a variety of altitudes that experience strong turbulence. Of further interest is the measurement of ascent rate of the balloons. During the first two nights of the campaign, the ascent rate of the balloons near the tropopause increased to as much as 12.9 m/s for brief periods; more than twice the expected speed. These altitudes experienced particularly strong levels of turbulence. The regions of high ascent rates are local regions of upwelling, associated with strong mountain wave activity. This conclusion is in agreement with mesoscale model results. The experiments indicate a much stronger flow than predicted by the model, but both model and experiments agree that the regions of high ascent rate are located near the tropopause altitude. Further measurements were made simultaneously with a DIMM's seeing monitor, located on the summit of Mauna Kea, and the GroundWinds lidar, located on nearby Mauna Loa, and will be compared with the balloon measurements.
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