GROUND-BASED REMOTE-SENSING OF THE ATMOSPHERIC BOUNDARY-LAYER - 25 YEARS OF PROGRESS

The role of ground-based remote sensors in boundary-layer research is reviewed, emphasizing the contributions of radars, sodars, and lidars. The review begins with a brief comparison of the state of remote sens ors in boundary-layer research 25 years ago with its present-day statu s. Next, a summary of the current capabilities of remote sensors for b oundary-layer studies demonstrates that for boundary-layer depth and f or profiles of many mean quantities, remote sensors offer some of the most accurate measurements available. Similar accuracies are in genera l not found for most turbulence parameters. Important contributions of remote sensors to our understanding of the structure and dynamics of various boundary-layer phenomena or processes are then discussed, incl uding the sea breeze, convergence boundaries, dispersion, and boundary -layer cloud systems. The review concludes with a discussion of the li kely future role of remote sensors in boundary-layer research.