SUCCESS 04/26/96 Mission Daily Schedule

The T-39 and ER-2 flew separate missions. The T-39 sampled the emissions of commercial airliners (B757 and B727) at cruise altitudes of approximately 35kft. The ER-2 observed cirrus and contrails over Kansas and made coordinated measurements with the NOAA-14 satellite overpass at 1958 UTC.

Highlights

Flight Reports

ER-2 Flight: 96108

Date: April 26, 1996

Mission: Coordinated flight between ER-2 and NOAA-14 satellite.

Mission Objectives

Observe cirrus and contrails during overpass of the NOAA-14 satellite to assist in the development of satellite remote sensing techniques.

 

Flight Track

Flight Summary

Take-off time was 1730 UTC with landing at 2100 UTC. ER-2 flew NW to altitude and returned to vicinity of Salina. Lee wave mission was cancelled. ER-2 mission was adjusted accordingly. Pilot was to visually locate and fly over contrails. ER-2 flew into the solar principle plane during the NOAA-14 satellite overpass.

Highlights

Obtained coincident data with NOAA-14.

Instrument Status

  • MODIS Airborne Simulator (MAS): Operated. Good data collected.
  • Cloud Aerosol Lidar System (CALS): Operated. Good data collected.
  • High-Resolution Interferometer Sounder (HIS): Operated. Good data collected.
  • Millimeter-wave Imaging Radiometer(MIR): Operated. Good data collected.
  • Tilt Scan CCD Camera (TSCC): Operated. Problems encountered.
  • Radiation Measuring System (RAMS): Operated. Good data collected.
  • RC-10 Camera: Operated (black and white visible film- 6 inch lens).

Additional Pilot Notes: During the 1831 to 1834 UTC leg the ER-2 overflew a fresh contrail (the commercial aircraft pilot could visually see the ER-2). Flew into the solar plane during the leg 38:00N 9610:W and 36:20N 98:10W (1956 and 2009 UTC). A good contrail was observed around 1847. During the leg between 1841 and 1855 UTC pilot observed 7 to 10 contrails. Also overflew a contrail on the 1952 to 1954 UTC leg. Contrails appeared to be below the cirrus.

 

Mission Objective

T-39 Flight 08

  • To conduct sampling of the emissions of commercial airliners at cruise altitudes.

 

Flight Log

TAKEOFF/LANDING:
The T-39 departed SLN at 1834UTC and returned at 2100UTC

FLIGHT REPORT:
The T-39 departed SLN and climbed to 35 kft and flew a loitering pattern beside a jetway emanating from Kansas City. ATC then vectored the aircraft to fly behind a B757 and later a B727.

METEOROLOGY-REPORT:

INSTRUMENT STATUS:

  • CIMS - mass spec - Electronic problems
  • MS - Met/Nav system - WORKED (lost GPS in flight)
  • AMS - Air Motion Sensor - WORKED
  • NDIR - CO2 - WORKED
  • 3760 - fine CN - WORKED
  • 3025 - ultra fine CN - WORKED
  • FSSP - 0.3-20um aerosols - Software problem
  • PCASP - 0.1-3um aerosols - WORKED

 

Highlights

 

  • Obtained aerosol emission indices for B757 and B727 aircraft

 

96/04/26 CART site activity

 

Meteorology at the Central Facility

Weather Conditions from Site Operators Log

 

Visiting Instruments at Central Facilities

 

 

 

CART Instrument Operations at Central Facilities

Key: O = operational, X = down or degraded

  • RASS, 50 MHz, (hourly): X
  • RASS, 915 MHz, (hourly): O
  • BSRN: X
  • SIROS: X
  • SMOS, (24 hrs): O
  • SWATS (24 hrs): O
  • EBBR, (24 hrs): O
  • WSI, (every 10 min.) X
  • MWR, (24 hrs): O
  • IRT: X
  • MPL, (24 hrs): X
  • BLC, (24 hrs): O
  • AERI, (24 hrs): O
  • SORTI, (daytime, sunny): O
  • Raman Lidar (daytime): X
  • 60M Temperature and Humidity: O
  • 25M Temperature and Humidity: O
  • 25M IRT: O
  • 25M MultiFilter Radiometer: O
  • 25M Upwelling IR: O
  • 25M Upwelling Solar: O
  • 10M IRT: O
  • 10M MultiFilter Radiometer: O
  • Aerosol System: X
  • Radiosondes, (Every 3 hrs, from 1:30 UTC): O

 

CART Instrument Operations at Boundary Facilities

There are four staffed Boundary Facilities, each having Balloon Borne Sounding Systems (BBSS) and MicroWave Radiometers (MWR). During the IOP period, sondes are launched every three hours round the clock, starting at 5:30 GMT (12:30 CST). The sites are listed below. Times listed following a site indicate questionable data or failed sonde launches. Weather conditions are recorded in the Boundary Facilities Site Operator's Log.

  • Hillsboro, KS (BF-1): Okay
  • Vici, OK (BF-4): Okay
  • Morris, OK (BF-5): Okay
  • Purcell, OK (BF-6): Okay

 

CART Instrumentation at Extended Facilities

There are numerous unstaffed Extended Facilities. The specific instrumentation at the extended facilities varies from site to site, but generally includes a flux station (either an Energy Balance Bowen Ration (EBBR) system or an Eddy Correlation (ECOR) system), a Solar and InfraRed Observing System (SIROS), and a Standard Meteorology Observing Station (SMOS). For the locations of the Extended Facilities, and their suite of instrumentation, see the table and map of the Extended CART site. The comments below indicate specific data streams with identified problems.

  • Problem at Extended Facility:
  • E1: ECOR
  • E2: SIROS
  • E3: SIROS
  • E7: SIROS
  • E10: SIROS
  • E16: ECOR

 

Key Comments/Observations related to flights

Good cirrus and contrails, but scattered low cumulus made ground-based remote sensing intermittent.