1. LCDR Steven Mancini 15 Mar 2004 OC3570 Cruise Project
A WINTER TIME ANALYSIS OF THE MARINE BOUNDARY LAYER INVERSION OFF OF THE CALIFORNIA COAST
LCDR Steven Mancini
15 Mar 2004
OC3570 Cruise Project

2. Contents Introduction Measurements Data Processing
Analysis and Findings

3. Introduction Marine boundary layer inversion caused by combination of:
Subsidence from EPH (warming aloft)
Cooling from below by cold water
Much stronger in summer due to:
Positioning of EPH (increased subsidence)
Upwelling (increased cooling)
Typically weak in winter due to lack of above conditions
Also synoptic pattern is more variable

4. Measurements Both cruise legs (27Jan-3Feb)
Rawinsondes
GPS
UDAS
Aircraft data (27Jan, 2 Feb, 4 Feb)
Flight level temps, pressure

5. Data Processing
Used MATLAB to graphically view sondes, UDAS and aircraft data
Used GARP to view NOGAPS fields, satellite images, etc.
Oakland and Vandenberg soundings
Fort Ord profiler diagrams

6. Synoptic Pattern

7. Sonde 2

8. Oakland 1200 Jan 28 Sounding

9. Sonde 7

10. Warm Front Approaches

11. Oakland 1200 Feb 1 Sounding

12. Sonde 18

13. Profiler
Veering Winds

14. Cold Front Approaches

16. Profiler
Wind Shift and
Drop in Temps

17. Ship UDAS Readings

18. Sonde 27

19. Aircraft Data Feb 4

20. Oakland 0000 Feb 5 Sounding