Residual kriging analysis of airborne measurements: Application to the mapping of atmospheric boundary-layer thermal structures in a mountain valley

Abstract

Residual kriging (RK) is applied to data from measurements performed with an instrumented motorglider in an Alpine Valley, where a coupled lake and valley wind develops. Results provide an insight into a typical mean vertical structure of the valley boundary layer, displaying a rather shallow convective mixed layer, surmounted by a deep stable layer. Mapping with RK allows to detect spatial temperature anomalies associated with the local development of diurnal winds over each explored valley cross section. Local scale features, such as cross-valley thermal asymmetries, amenable to surface inhomogeneities and their effects on heat fluxes, are also identified. © 2013 Royal Meteorological Society.