BUBBLE – an Urban Boundary Layer Meteorology Project

• DOI: 10.1007/s00704-004-0117-9
• Publication Date: 2005-03-25T09:12:06Z
• Authors: M. W. Rotach; R. Vogt; C. Bernhofer; E. Batchvarova; A. Christen; A. Clappier; B. Feddersen; S.-E. Gryning; G. Martucci; H. Mayer; V. Mitev; T. R. Oke; E. Parlow; H. Richner; M. Roth; Y.-A. Roulet; D. Ruffieux; J. A. Salmond; M. Schatzmann; J. A. Voogt
• Keywords: [SDU.OCEAN]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Ocean, Atmosphere; Geography; 550; [SDU.OCEAN] Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Ocean, Atmosphere; 13. Climate action; BUBBLE; 11. Sustainability; Urban Boundary Layer Meteorology; Oceanography and Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology; 01 natural sciences; 0105 earth and related environmental sciences

The Basel UrBan Boundary Layer Experiment (BUBBLE) was a year-long experimental effort to investigate in detail the boundary layer structure in the City of Basel, Switzerland. At several sites over different surface types (urban, sub-urban and rural reference) towers up to at least twice the main obstacle height provided turbulence observations at many levels. In addition, a Wind Profiler and a Lidar near the city center were profiling the entire lower troposphere. During an intensive observation period (IOP) of one month duration, several sub-studies on street canyon energetics and satellite ground truth, as well as on urban turbulence and profiling (sodar, RASS, tethered balloon) were performed. Also tracer experiments with near-roof-level release and sampling were performed. In parallel to the experimental activities within BUBBLE, a meso-scale numerical atmospheric model, which contains a surface exchange parameterization, especially designed for urban areas was evaluated and further developed. Finally, the area of the full-scale tracer experiment which also contains several sites of other special projects during the IOP (street canyon energetics, satellite ground truth) is modeled using a very detailed physical scale-model in a wind tunnel. In the present paper details of all these activities are presented together with first results.