On the boundary layer structure over highly complex terrain: Key findings from MAP and related projects

Within MAP, one of the scientific projects was devoted to ‘Boundary Layers in Complex Terrain’. In a number of subprojects, boundary-layer issues were addressed and detailed high-resolution multi-sensor observations were combined with simulation by models allowing for adequate parametrization of turbulence processes. In this contribution, the projects are briefly introduced and an attempt is made to summarize their key findings and to put them into a joint perspective. Spatial variability is found to be large but strictly related to topography and therefore allowing for possible parametrization. Traditional boundary-layer scaling approaches cannot simply be applied over highly complex topography, but some of the MAP findings suggest the potential for suitable extensions of those scaling relations to cover various cases of complex terrain. The mean boundary-layer structure and thermally driven flows in narrow valleys are found not to be generally in line with previous results from larger valleys elsewhere. Furthermore, local circulations are reported to contribute considerably to exchange between valley and free troposphere. In particular, the range of their effects on the lower atmosphere seems to be larger than just turbulent transport within the planetary boundary layer would suggest. Thus in larger-scale numerical models where the topography is not resolved, possible sub-grid parametrizations for local exchange seem to be in order.