HR: 1340h
AN: B53A-0976 [Abstracts]
TI: Application of wireless sensor networks to study flow over heterogeneous surfaces: flow over an
isolated mountain in the marine atmosphere
AU: * Kleissl, J
EM: kleissl@mtu.edu
AF: Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Michigan Technological University, 1400 Townsend Dr.,
Houghton, MI 49931
United States
AU: Dziobak, M P
EM: mdziobak@mtu.edu
AF: Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Michigan Technological University, 1400 Townsend Dr.,
Houghton, MI 49931
United States
AU: Honrath, R E
EM: reh@mtu.edu
AF: Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Michigan Technological University, 1400 Townsend Dr.,
Houghton, MI 49931
United States
AB:
A combination of standard meteorological equipment (3d sonic anemometer, energy balance sensors) and Crossbow MPR400 (Mica2)
wireless motes and sensorboards were deployed along the slope of Pico mountain in the Azores, Portugal, between z = 1200 m
and z = 2300 m MSL. The isolated location and uniform, conic shape make Pico mountain an ideal location to study orographic
effects. This experiment focuses on upslope and downslope flow.
Cost effective wireless sensor technology allows for high density of observations in time and space as necessary for
characterization of flows over heterogeneous surfaces. Thus the features of upslope and downslope flows (speed, location and
duration) and their effect on atmospheric physics
and chemistry (temperature, relative humidity) can be studied in great detail. Synchronous measurements of O3, CO, NOx, NOy
and NMHC at the PICO-NARE observatory (Honrath et al. 2004) situated at the mountaintop give further clues on airmass origin
and dispersion.
Findings regarding the occurrence and impacts of upslope and downslope flow and the advantages and disadvantages of wireless
sensors relative to standard meteorological instruments will be presented. In particular, practical issues of wireless sensor
deployment, such as durability in harsh conditions, power management, accuracy, and cost will be discussed.
DE: 3322 Land/atmosphere interactions
DE: 3394 Instruments and techniques
DE: 0400 Biogeosciences
SC: Biogeosciences [B]
MN: 2004 AGU Fall Meeting