Influence of irradiance and mixing layer height on the vertical trace matter distribution in the lower planetary boundary layer – drone-based investigation
- 1Max Planck Institute for Chemistry (Mainz, Germany)
Abstract
Drone-based atmospheric measurements allow time-resolved investigation of stratification in the lower atmosphere of many atmospherically relevant variables. Measuring a variety of variables can be used, e.g., for mixing layer (height, MLH) identification and examination of the representativity of ground-based measurements in the lowermost boundary layer. We present drone-based vertical profiling during two 2.5-week summer field campaigns in rural Germany to investigate the vertical distribution of trace matter and meteorological variables in the lowermost troposphere. Night-time vertical profiling of temperature, humidity, wind speed, and trace substances (CO ₂ , O ₃ , particle mass and number concentrations) in the lowest 120 m revealed a multiple-layer fine-scale stratification. Trace substances surpassed several traditional meteorological variables in sensitivity for MLH detection. Among all variables, O ₃ and potential temperature were the most reliable MLH markers, highlighting combining trace matter and meteorological measurements to understand stratification processes. Using a gradient-based approach for diurnal vertical profiles up to 500 m above ground, we evaluate under which conditions and to which degree ground-based measurements, used world-wide in networks or during individual field campaigns, can be taken as representative for the lowermost mixing layer, and how strong radiative-driven mixing reduces vertical gradients. Location-specific sources and sinks affect the trace matter distribution in the ML much stronger than irradiance. However, homogeneity of aerosol particle concentrations was strongly promoted under high-radiative conditions, even at low MLHs. This suggests distinguishing between high- and low-irradiation conditions in the planetary boundary layer could improve parameterization for vertical mixing and should be considered when evaluating ground-based data.
Versions
Related
- Vertical distribution of pollution trapped by wintertime surface inversions in Fairbanks, Alaska, during the ALPACA experiment
- Impact of circumsolar irradiance and aerosol optical depth on CAMS surface solar irradiance estimates
- State-aware adaptive multimodal fusion for ultra-short-term solar irradiance forecasting using sky cloud images
- Integrating MODIS and TROPOMI Atmospheric Products into TUV for High-Accuracy Surface UV Irradiance Modeling in the Mountainous Southwest USA
- Spatial context importance in deep learning for global horizontal irradiance estimation from satellite imagery
BibTeX
@article{moormann2026influence,
title = {{Influence of irradiance and mixing layer height on the vertical trace matter distribution in the lower planetary boundary layer – drone-based investigation}},
author = {Lasse Moormann and Friederike Fachinger and Holger Tost and Frank Drewnick},
journal = {Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.5194/acp-26-14417-2026},
url = {https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/26/14417/2026/},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Influence of irradiance and mixing layer height on the vertical trace matter distribution in the lower planetary boundary layer – drone-based investigation
AU - Lasse Moormann
AU - Friederike Fachinger
AU - Holger Tost
AU - Frank Drewnick
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/13
JO - Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
DO - 10.5194/acp-26-14417-2026
UR - https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/26/14417/2026/
AB - Drone-based atmospheric measurements allow time-resolved investigation of stratification in the lower atmosphere of many atmospherically relevant variables. Measuring a variety of variables can be used, e.g., for mixing layer (height, MLH) identification and examination of the representativity of ground-based measurements in the lowermost boundary layer. We present drone-based vertical profiling during two 2.5-week summer field campaigns in rural Germany to investigate the vertical distribution of trace matter and meteorological variables in the lowermost troposphere. Night-time vertical profiling of temperature, humidity, wind speed, and trace substances (CO ₂ , O ₃ , particle mass and number concentrations) in the lowest 120 m revealed a multiple-layer fine-scale stratification. Trace substances surpassed several traditional meteorological variables in sensitivity for MLH detection. Among all variables, O ₃ and potential temperature were the most reliable MLH markers, highlighting combining trace matter and meteorological measurements to understand stratification processes. Using a gradient-based approach for diurnal vertical profiles up to 500 m above ground, we evaluate under which conditions and to which degree ground-based measurements, used world-wide in networks or during individual field campaigns, can be taken as representative for the lowermost mixing layer, and how strong radiative-driven mixing reduces vertical gradients. Location-specific sources and sinks affect the trace matter distribution in the ML much stronger than irradiance. However, homogeneity of aerosol particle concentrations was strongly promoted under high-radiative conditions, even at low MLHs. This suggests distinguishing between high- and low-irradiation conditions in the planetary boundary layer could improve parameterization for vertical mixing and should be considered when evaluating ground-based data.
SN - 1680-7324
ER -