The SODAR (Sound Detection And Ranging) is an active remote sensing sensor that uses the interaction of acoustic waves with the atmosphere to study the thermal structure and dynamics of the low atmosphere, the height of the mixing layer and the estimation of turbulent heat flows. Entirely developed by ISAC, this instrument is currently available in seral versions with different spatial and temporal resolutions, dedicated to the investigation of the atmospheric boundary layer. It has been installed at CIRAS since 1999.
Measured quantities: vertical profiles of the three-dimensional wind field, height of the atmospheric boundary layer, estimation of turbulent flows, thermal structure of the atmosphere.
Applications: study of different aspects of the atmospheric boundary layer and atmospheric circulation, such as the evolution and dynamics of the boundary layer, gravity waves, forced convection, breeze regimes, low level jet currents, etc.
