Air turbulence data over the Barrow Environmental Observatory, Alaska, 2016

It is well known that halogen chemistry in polar regions is unique and has a very consequential impact on the composition and chemistry of the lower atmosphere. Understanding this rare halogen chemistry and composition is necessary as rapid environmental changes in the Arctic have an impact globally. Typically to characterize the large-scale impact of atmospheric processes, 1-D and 3-D models are tested with known chemistry and meteorology. To enable the pursuit of such models, a 12-m tower was erected at the Barrow Environmental Observatory during March to May 2016. During the Photochemical Halogen and Ozone eXchange: a Meterological Experiment on Layered Turbulence (PHOXMELT), the project team measured halogen fluxes and vertical mixing to constrain a 1-D (vertical scale) numerical model to investigate the impact of the surface fluxes, and how this might change as the surface is altered by climate change. Turbulence data are used to study the attributes of the Arctic atmospheric surface layer during the spring time period. Eight levels of Campbell Scientific CSAT3D sonic anemometers were placed on a 12-m tower above the snow.