ACOUSTIC SOUNDER MEASUREMENTS OF THE PLANETARY BOUNDARY-LAYER AT MAITRI, ANTARCTICA

The planetary boundary layer (PBL) over the Indian Antarctic station, Maitri (70.7 degrees S; 11.7 degrees E; 120 m asl) has been studied us ing a monostatic acoustic sounder. Acoustic sounder records reveal tha t the Antarctic PBL remains stably stratified throughout the year exce pt for some periods in the peak summer months. The summertime PBL exhi bits a diurnal variation with ground-based inversions developing at ni ght and the convective plumes occurring during the peak sunlight hours . The cyclonic inflow of warm oceanic air towards the continent's inte rior from the coast helps in the development of the elevated layers an d the Kelvin-Helmholtz waves observed on the sodar records.