The Polar Atmospheric Boundary Layer -

Observations and Small Scale Modelling

The atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) is the layer  which is influenced by processes  generated at the surface and which  transport  momentum, heat and moisture. In polar regions the ABL top is characterized by a strong increase of air temperature.

Although  the ABL  is often  very shallow in the inner polar regions  (over sea ice  typically 30 – 400 m)  it is important to understand ABL processes well  because of  their  importance for the  interaction of the atmosphere with sea ice and ocean.

We study ABL processes by aircraft and shipborne observations, by data from automatic weather stations,  and by  smallscale modelling.