SWIRLL Surface Measurements Platforms

Measuring high-temporal in-situ surface measurements is important to defining the boundary layer and understanding mesoscale phenomenon. To provide valuable datasets of surface measurements, SWIRLL not only has surface meteorological (surface met) towers mounted to each mobile platform, but also has one permanent surface measurements site, known as “The Berm”, and one mobile surface measurements platform.

The Berm

Located on the SWIRLL grounds, the Berm Surface site is a joint facility that holds a suite of instruments for UAH and NASA research. Inside the enclosure, instruments are in place to continuously measure both current surface observations and precipitation characteristics. The SWIRLL berm live data and archived data consists of wind measurements at 10 meters, relative humidity, temperature measurements at 0.5, 1, 2, and 10 meters, station pressure, incoming solar radiation, and rain total. Live data is published in real-time to our website. The berm includes:

  • Campbell Scientific 107 temperature probe at 0.5, 1, and 10 meters
  • Vaisala HMP-45C temperature/relative humidity probe at 2 meters
  • Vaisala PTB-210 barometer
  • RM Young 05103 Wind Monitor at 10 meters
  • Texas Instruments TR-525I rain gauge
  • Eppley Labs Pyranometer
  • OTT Hydromet Parsivel
  • Campbell Scientific CR1000 Data Logger
  • The UAH MIPS Platform that provides near continous measurements

Mobile Surface Tower

Utilizing the trailer that once held all the UAH MIPS instruments, the mobile surface measurements tower consists of a 10-meter surface tower and other surface instruments mounted to the bed of the trailer. The trailer is designed to be deployed to sites around North Alabama for long-term surface measurements. The trailer consists of:

  • 10 meter tower
  • Campbell Scientific 107 temperature probe at 10 meters
  • RM Young 05103 wind monitor at 10 meters
  • RM Young 81000 Sonic Anemometer at 4 meters
  • Vaisala HMP-45C temperature/relative humidity probe at 2 meters
  • Texas Instruments TR-525I rain gauge
  • OTT Hydromet Jenoptik CHM-15K ceilometer
  • OTT Hydromet Parsivel
  • Campbell Scientific CR1000 Data Logger