Utö Observatory for Analysing Atmospheric Ducting Events over Baltic Coastal and Marine Waters

Autor: Laakso, Laura Rautiainen, Jani Tyynelä, Mikko Lensu, Simo Siiriä, Ville Vakkari, Ewan O’Connor, Karoliina Hämäläinen, Harry Lonka, Ken Stenbäck, Jarmo Koistinen, Lauri
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2023
Předmět:
Zdroj: Remote Sensing; Volume 15; Issue 12; Pages: 2989
ISSN: 2072-4292
DOI: 10.3390/rs15122989
Popis: Maritime safety relies on navigation, detection, and radio communication technologies that function through electromagnetic radiation. Propagation of electromagnetic radiation can be impacted by a disruptive phenomenon known as ducting. Our four-week study using a X-band coastal radar and various meteorological and marine observations, including vertical profiles of temperature, humidity and wind, in early spring 2022 concluded that the combination of measurements at the Utö observatory provides a reliable means of detecting ducting in the Archipelago Sea. The modified refractivity calculated from the vertical profiles for the 22–59 m and 32–59 m altitude layers and coastal radar over-the-horizon observations agree 77% and 85% of the time, respectively. As such, the modified refractivity gradient can be considered a good indicator for over-the-horizon detection with the Utö coastal radar over the open sea. The horizontal wind profiles also revealed a low-level jet at the radar height that often coincided with the ducting observations. To quantify the results, we created an empirical ducting index which showed that ducting is spatially variable, showing the capabilities of the Utö observatory for research oriented towards monitoring and improving maritime safety and security.
Databáze: OpenAIRE
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