Ben B. Balsley
Ph.D. University of Colorado, 1967
Research Professor
Electrical and Computer Engineering
E-mail: balsley@cires.colorado.edu
Office: CIRES 341
Phone: 303-492-1055
Web: Balsley Research Group
Research Interests
Balsley’s research in the past few years has centered on the small-scale dynamics of the nocturnal boundary layer and the free atmosphere using remote and in situ instruments and devices. In cooperation with other scientists, he has developed—or is developing- a series of new technologies for the above research areas, including the Tethered Lifting Systems (TLS) technology, the Slow Ascent-rate Meter-scale Sampling (SAMS) technique. In addition, he is beginning the development of an inexpensive, GPS-controlled, reusable, mini-glider (Databird) for atmospheric sampling between the surface and 11 km altitude. Extensive studies using the results of these measurements have been published in peer-reviewed journals, often in concert with modeling studies. His other responsibilities include the supervision of Research Associates, Post Doctoral Associates, and Graduate Students, as well as interactions with other CIRES members (Fellows and RAs) to encourage interdisciplinary research. Other activities include hosting 'Visiting Scientists' for cooperative research activities and extending the use of the above technologies to other research areas (e.g., the feeding patterns aloft of echo-locating bats).
Current Projects
Develop in situ observing techniques to sample small-scale details of atmospheric dynamic processes using slow-rise-rate balloons and GPS-controlled mini-gliders; Use these new techniques for first-time measurements of fine-scale winds and temperature fluctuations within radar beams, and the relationship between these fluctuations and observed radar echoes; Develop an understanding of observed small-scale atmospheric structure and the DNS modeling results of such structures that have been based on the same observations; Expand on research into the ubiquity of turbulence in the atmosphere and the relationships between this turbulence and atmospheric gravity waves and potential temperature overturns using both observations and fine-scale modeling techniques.
Selected Publications
Balsley, BB; Svensson, G; Tjernstrom, M, 2008: On the scale-dependence of the gradient Richardson number in the residual layer. Bound.-Layer Meteor., 127 ( 1 ) , 57-72, doi: 10.1007/s10546-007-9251-0, issn: 0006-8314, ids: 267QN, APR 2008.
Tjernstrom, M; Balsley, BB; Svensson, G; Nappo, CJ, 2008: The Effects of Critical Layers on Residual Layer Turbulence. J. Atmos. Sci., 66 ( 2 ) , 468-480, doi: 10.1175/2008JAS2729.1, issn: 0022-4928, ids: 415LZ, FEB 2008.
Sorbjan, Z; Balsley, BB, 2008: Microstructure of turbulence in the stably stratified boundary layer. Bound.-Layer Meteor., 129 ( 2 ) , 191-210, doi: 10.1007/s10546-008-9310-1, issn: 0006-8314, ids: 357PW, NOV 2008.
Balsley, BB, 2008: The CIRES Tethered Lifting System: a survey of the system, past results and future capabilities. Acta Geophys., 56 ( 1 ) , 21-57, doi: 10.2478/s11600-007-0045-z, issn: 1895-6572, ids: 247TZ, MAR 2008.
McCracken, GF; Gillam, EH; Westbrook, JK; Lee, YF; Jensen, ML; Balsley, BB, 2008: Brazilian free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis : Molossidae, Chiroptera) at high altitude: links to migratory insect populations. Integr. Comp. Biol., 48 ( 1 ) , 107-118, doi: 10.1093/icb/icn033, issn: 1540-7063, ids: 325GS, JUL 2008.
Balsley, B., G. Svensson, and M. Tjernstrom, 2009: Small-scale turbulence characteristics of the nighttime lower atmsophere. Submitted to Geophys. Res. Lett.
Balsley, B., L. Kantha, and W. Colgan, 2009: Slow Ascent Rate Sampling (SAMS) Radiosondes for High Vertical Resolution Measurements in the Free Atmosphere. Submitted to J. Oceanic and Atmospheric Technology.
Honors and Awards
- Doctor Honoris Causa (Honorary PhD), Universidad de Piura, Piura, Peru, 1994
- Distinguished Engineering Alumnus, University of Colorado, 2002
Professor Balsley is a CIRES Teaching Faculty.
