A Methodology for Estimating the Energy and Moisture Budget of the Convective Boundary Layer Using Continuous Ground-Based Infrared Spectrometer Observations

Abstract Land–atmosphere interactions play a critical role in both the atmospheric water and energy cycles. Changes soil moisture vegetation alter partitioning of surface fluxes, influencing diurnal evolution planetary boundary layer (PBL). The mixing-diagram framework has proven useful understanding heat budget within convective (CBL). We demonstrate that observations from Department Energy Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Southern Great Plains site provide all needed inputs for framework, allowing us to quantify impact advection, radiative heating, encroachment, entrainment on CBL. Profiles temperature humidity retrieved ground-based infrared spectrometer [Atmospheric Emitted Radiance Interferometer (AERI)] are component this analysis. Large-eddy simulation results mean mixed-layer values derived shown be close budgets. A novel approach demonstrated here is use network AERIs Doppler lidars advective fluxes moisture. enables estimation as residual, providing way observe without using multiple lidar systems. high temporal resolution AERI morning, midday, afternoon CBL quantified. This work provides new evaluate weather climate models. Significance Statement (PBL) influenced by sources, accurately representing numerical models forecasts predictions. approach, driven profiling illustrated here, powerful contributions each these sources. In particular, mixed into PBL above can determined remote sensors approach.