ACSYS 2003 - Arctic Atmospheric Boundary Layer and Sea Ice Interaction Study north of Spitsbergen: meteorological measurements of the research aircraft Falcon, 11 autonomous ice buoys and radiosoundings at the research vessels Aranda and Polarstern
Project: Field Data of the Meteorological Institute, University of Hamburg - The Physical Meteorology Division of the Meteorological Institute is regularly conducting or taking part in field experiments with strong focus on high latitudes. Measurements are performed by aircraft, radiosondes or buoys and at land, ship and ice stations. Published data sets incorporate aircraft measurements of turbulent fluxes and standard meteorological parameters of high temporal and spatial resolution. These measurements are supported by frequent radiosonde ascents and station and ship data in the according region. Another group of data sets consists of measurements by autonomous buoys of different complexity on sea ice and ocean. Summary: From 26 March to 22 April 2003, Germany and Finland carried out a joint expedition (ABSIS - Arctic Atmospheric Boundary Layer and Sea Ice Interaction Study) to test and improve the description of the ocean-ice-atmosphere interaction processes. ABSIS was part of the German ACSYS (Arctic Climate System Study) contribution supported by the Ministry of Education and Research and was connected with the RV Polarstern Winter Arctic Polynia Study expedition. The main objectives of ABSIS were to collect data sets to quantify and study: (a) the thermodynamic and dynamic interaction processes at the ice-atmosphere interface and (b) the vertical structure of the atmospheric boundary layer, particularly the Arctic inversion. The latter is a nearly permanent feature over the sea ice. The Arctic inversion is particularly low and strong in winter and effects the exchange between the boundary layer and the free atmosphere as well as the interaction processes at the ice surface. To achieve the above-mentioned objectives various platforms were applied and placed within a 200 km2 area north of Spitsbergen during the expedition period 26 March to 22 April 2003: RV Polarstern and RV Aranda, a research aircraft (Falcon-20 of the German Aerospace Center), 11 automatic ice buoys, and one ice camp station close to RV Polarstern (8-18 April 2003 only). In addition to the published datasets several other measurements were performed during the experiment. Corresonding datasets will be published in the near future and are available on request. Details about all used platforms and sensors and all performed measurements are listed in the fieldreport. The following datasets are available on request: ground data at RV Aranda, ground data at RV Polarstern, ice station near RV Polarstern
