Mixing layer height and meteorological measurements in Hefei China during the total solar eclipse of 22 July, 2009

Mixing layer height measurements with an elastic-backscattered lidar were carried out in Hefei, China, during the total solar eclipse of 22 July, 2009. The mixing layer height evolution is studied with the observation of changes in near-ground temperature, relative humidity and wind speed. The lidar emits the laser at the wavelengths of 532 and 355 nm, respectively, and obtains the backscattered signal with the resolution of 10 m. The whole eclipse witnessed the mixing layer change similar to that occurring during sunset. The results also show the mixing layer height decreased to 287 m rapidly during the total eclipse within only more than 1 min from the initial 354 m. The entrainment thickness reached the minimum of 43 m in the eclipse, indicating the weakening of the penetrative convection. Thereafter the thickness kept a constant value of 180 m. The temperature in the whole eclipse is uptrend, increasing only by 0.5 °C as a whole. The wind speed decreased and simultaneously the wind direction changed. The wind speed reached its minimum of 2 m/s at the end of the eclipse.