Surface energy fluxes during the total solar eclipse over Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, on 20 March 2015


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alexander.schulz [ at ] awi.de

Abstract

On 20 March 2015, a total solar eclipse occurred over Ny-ålesund (78.9°N, 11.9°E), Svalbard, under ideal conditions with clear sky. The cycle of the radiation fluxes is comparable with other experiments during eclipses, with even the upward longwave radiation showing significant changes, with a delay to the shortwave radiation and a slowly linear increase after the totality. Also, under polar conditions, an increase of the wind velocity before and a decrease after the totality was found, which is an indicator of the generation of an "Eclipse cyclone". This change of the wind direction generated a local wind system with a near-surface-layer katabatic flow. During the eclipse, a remarkably large sensible heat flux was observed. The turbulent fluxes were analysed using a wavelet technique with 1-minute time resolution, which is the ideal method for investigating these highly non-steady conditions. No influences on the boundary layer structure as measured with radiosondes were found, with the exception of a wind direction change during the eclipse cyclone below the shallow inversion layer.



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Eprint ID
45245
DOI https://www.doi.org/10.1127/metz/2017/0846

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Schulz, A. , Schaller, C. , Maturilli, M. , Boike, J. , Ritter, C. and Foken, T. (2017): Surface energy fluxes during the total solar eclipse over Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, on 20 March 2015 , Meteorologische Zeitschrift, 26 (4), pp. 431-440 . doi: https://www.doi.org/10.1127/metz/2017/0846


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