Microscale meteorology is the study of short-lived
atmospheric phenomena smaller than
mesoscale, about 1 km or less. These two branches of
meteorology are sometimes grouped together as "mesoscale and microscale meteorology" (MMM) and together study all phenomena smaller than
synoptic scale; that is they study features generally too small to be depicted on a
weather map. These include small and generally fleeting cloud "puffs" and other small cloud features. Microscale meteorology controls the most important mixing and dilution processes in the atmosphere. Important topics in microscale meteorology include
heat transfer and
gas exchange between soil, vegetation, and/or surface water and the atmosphere caused by near-ground
turbulence. Measuring these transport processes involves use of micrometeorological (or flux) towers. Variables often measured or derived include net
radiation,
sensible heat flux,
latent heat flux, ground heat storage, and fluxes of
trace gases important to the
atmosphere,
biosphere, and
hydrosphere.