Journal Article

Characterizing the Impacts of 2024 Total Solar Eclipse Using New York State Mesonet Data

Wang, Junhong, Bain, Nathan, Shrestha, Bhupal, McGuinnes, D. J., Yu, Chau‐Lam, Dai, Aiguo

2024

Overview

On 8 April 2024, a rare total solar eclipse (TSE) passed over western New York State (NYS), the first since 1925 and the last one until 2079. The NYS Mesonet (NYSM) consisting of 126 weather stations with 55 on the totality path provides unprecedented surface, profile, and flux data and camera images during the TSE. Here we use NYSM observations to characterize the TSE's impacts at the surface, in the planetary boundary layer (PBL), and on surface fluxes and CO2 concentrations. The TSE‐induced peak surface cooling occurs 17 min after the totality and is 2.8°C on average with a maximum of 6.8°C. It results in night‐like surface inversion, calm winds, and reduced vertical motion and mixing, leading to the shallowing of the PBL and its moistening. Surface sensible, latent and ground heat fluxes all decrease whereas near‐surface CO2 concentration rises as photosynthesis slows down. Plain Language Summary On 8 April 2024, a rare total solar eclipse (TSE) passed over western New York State (NYS), the first one since 1925 and the last one until 2079. The entire NYS witnessed at least 88% obscuration at the peak of the eclipse. It provides an excellent opportunity to study the impacts of the TSE. The NYS Mesonet (NYSM), an advanced statewide weather network, has 55 stations on the totality path and provides unprecedented measurements of surface meteorological variables, atmospheric vertical profiles, the heat exchange between the atmosphere and the surface and carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration. It enables one to study the TSE in greater details on a regional scale for the first time. This study found that the moon shadow cools the surface by as much as 6.8°C and creates a surface inversion layer. The cooling calms down winds and vertical mixing, leading to less escape of the water vapor and moistening of the air. It also reduces the heat exchange between the surface and the air. Without sunlight, the photosynthesis shuts down, causing a robust rise in near‐surface CO2 concentration. One‐minute camera images provide a fantastic view of the darkening of the sky during the TSE. Key Points The New York State Mesonet provided unprecedented surface, profile, flux and image data during the 8 April 2024 total solar eclipse across New York State The eclipse resulted in significant cooling and moistening near the surface and in the boundary layer, leading to a surface inversion layer It also weakened surface winds, turbulent mixing, heat fluxes, but caused a robust rise in near‐surface CO2 concentrations

• Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Inc,John Wiley and Sons Inc
• Subject: Abrupt/Rapid Climate Change / Air/Sea Constituent Fluxes / Air/Sea Interactions / Atmospheric / Atmospheric Composition and Structure / Atmospheric Effects / Atmospheric Processes / Atmospheric Science / Avalanches / Benefit‐cost Analysis / Biogeosciences / boundary layer / Boundary Layer Processes / Boundary layers / Cameras / Carbon dioxide / Carbon dioxide concentration / Climate and Interannual Variability / Climate Change and Variability / Climate Dynamics / Climate Impact / Climate Impacts / Climate Variability / Climatology / Computational Geophysics / Cooling / Cryosphere / Decadal Ocean Variability / Disaster Risk Analysis and Assessment / Earth System Modeling / Earthquake Ground Motions and Engineering Seismology / eclipse impacts / Effusive Volcanism / Explosive Volcanism / General Circulation / Geodesy and Gravity / Geological / Global Change / Global Change from Geodesy / Gravity and Isostasy / Heat / Heat exchange / Heat flux / Heat transfer / Hydrological Cycles and Budgets / Hydrology / Impacts of Global Change / Informatics / Land/Atmosphere Interactions / Lunar surface / Marine Geology and Geophysics / Mass Balance / Mesoscale Meteorology / Modeling / Mud Volcanism / Natural Hazards / New York State Mesonet / Numerical Modeling / Numerical Solutions / Ocean influence of Earth rotation / Ocean Monitoring with Geodetic Techniques / Ocean/Atmosphere Interactions / Ocean/Earth/atmosphere/hydrosphere/cryosphere interactions / Oceanic / Oceanography: General / Oceanography: Physical / Oceans / Paleoceanography / Photosynthesis / Physical Modeling / Planetary boundary layer / Policy Sciences / Radio Oceanography / Radio Science / Regional Climate Change / Regional Modeling / Research Letter / Risk / Sea Level Change / Sea Level: Variations and Mean / Seismology / Solar eclipses / Solar Effects / Solid Earth / Space Weather / Sunlight / Surface cooling / Surface fluxes / Surface Waves and Tides / Theoretical Modeling / total solar eclipse / Tsunamis and Storm Surges / Vertical mixing / Vertical motion / Vertical profiles / Volcanic Effects / Volcanic Hazards and Risks / Volcano Monitoring / Volcano Seismology / Volcano/Climate Interactions / Volcanology / Water Cycles / Water vapor / Water vapour / Weather / Weather stations / Wetting / Winds