Determining of atmospheric boundary layer heights and its applications to numerical weather prediction models

The Atmospheric Boundary Layer (ABL) links the free atmosphere and the earth surface (land and ocean), and plays a significant role in the initiation and development of rainfall. The ABL height is a key parameter of ABL, and usually applied to parameterizations of the ABL processes in numerical weather prediction and climate models. Obtaining accurate ABL height data can contribute to improving prediction skills of numerical weather prediction and climate models. The present paper introduces main methods in evaluating the ABL heights from a variety of profile data, such as conventional radiosonde data, satellite remote sensing data, aerosol backscattering intensity data, and global navigation satellite system (GNSS) radio occultation (RO) sounding data. Additionally, some progresses are presented. Three rules are suggested for dealing with the ABL with different ABL height estimates. Particular attention is paid to the application of the parameterization schemes of the ABL processes in numerical weather (or climate) prediction models, such as Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF), which includes application of ABL height data in solving the equation of turbulent eddy dispersion. And some prospects are presented finally.