Guided Observations of Dynamic Shear Instability Layers Over Antarctica (GODSILA) Field Campaign

Abstract The Guided Observations of Dynamic Shear Instability Layers over Antarctica (GODSILA) field observation program was designed to investigate the vertical structure and variability of atmospheric turbulence and its associated sources over the Japanese Syowa research station in Antarctica . GODSILA was carried out between 25 December 2023 and 6 February 2024 as part of the 65th Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition. Fine‐scale turbulence and standard atmospheric parameters were measured using lightweight balloon‐borne turbulence measurement system called HYFLITS (HYpersonic FLIght in the Turbulent Stratosphere), the PANSY radar (Program of the ANtarctic SYowa), and Meisei meteorological radiosondes. Forty HYFLITS instruments were launched to measure the troposphere and lower stratosphere (TLS) up to the altitude of . The PANSY radar was operated near‐continuously to monitor winds, turbulence, and gravity wave activity. HYFLITS detected 170 turbulent layers with depths of and kinetic energy dissipation rates of , consistently located at , , and . Outside of these turbulent regions, most of the polar TLS column remained stable throughout the campaign. Preliminary data analyses have identified katabatic winds, the polar jet stream, atmospheric gravity waves, cloud‐top convective instabilities, and shear instabilities as sources of the enhanced turbulence. These observations form a basis for validating parameterizations in high‐resolution atmospheric modeling studies to characterize turbulence in the polar TLS. The GODSILA data products have been archived at the United States Antarctic Program data center for use by the broader research community.