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FIRE-ACE ER-2 FLIGHT LOG |
| Author (Mission Scientist): Platnick, Steve Date: 1998052919 Submitted at: Sun May 31 18:48:06 UT 1998 |
Mission 7 ER-2 Sortie 98-070 Friday, May 29, 1998 Steve Platnick: Flight Scientist |
Objectives: Overfly SHEBA ice camp (76 deg. 40' N, 168 deg. 09' W coordination with University of Washington CV-580 for remote sensing validation and cloud masking.
Thick low clouds with scattered higher level clouds were expected over the SHEBA site during the mission. The ER-2 flew a repeated cross pattern, with flight legs of about 260 km in length, oriented perpendicular and parallel to the solar azimuth, while CV-580 attempted above and below-cloud bidirectional reflectance measurements and in situ profiles through the cloud. Take off was delayed by 30 minutes in order to match the NOAA-14 SHEBA overpass at the end of the flight pattern. Outgoing and return flights were made over the ARM site.
Coordinations included:
After overflying the ARM site, the ER-2 flew a NW flight line toward the SHEBA ice station to begin the cross pattern with legs of about 260 km in length. One- and-a-half flight legs were flown in a NW-SE orientation, followed by one-and-a- half flight legs in a perpendicular direction chosen such that the imaging instruments would be scanning into the solar plane. The ER-2 pilot had wings level during the F-14 overpass. The last leg over the ice station was at the time and heading of the NOAA-14 overpass. The return leg overflew the ARM site en route back to Ft. Wainwright.
The AirMISR was turned on for 6 acquisitions: twice over the ARM site, three times over SHEBA, and once along the NOAA-14 flight leg. The AirMISR operated at the following times:
The ER-2 pilot reported undercast conditions everywhere between Barrow and the ice station, and also throughout the ice station legs. Clear over Barrow on return leg.
SHEBA: The ice camp reported rain, temperatures around freezing, and winds southeasterly at 8-12 kts. A variety of clouds were reported from the surface up to 3.5 km on the radar. Sounding and satellite images indicated moisture and cloud layers up to 7 km. All cloud layers were broken including the boundary layer stratus with bases of 100, 250, and 500 meters on the ceilometer. Forecast: It was expected that upper level clouds might begin to dissipate by mission time with lower level clouds remaining. Some clearing possible during the day.
The CV-580 reported extensive low stratus between Barrow and the SHEBA ice camp on both outgoing and returning transits, with clear skies above. Higher level stratus observed at SHEBA.
