Anthony Guillory, DC-8 Chief Scientist
Peter Hobbs, Convair 580 Chief Scientist
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DC-8 Chief Scientist Summary
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DC-8 Mission Scientist Report for 25 August 1999 (Julian Day 237) UTC.
The DC-8 took off at 0356 UTC on a 3 aircraft mission with the UND Citation and UW Convair 580. The aircraft were intially lined up on the back side of a line of convective cells to the SW of the Namu atoll. These cells were worked for the duration of the mission. The lines were moved to the west as the system propagated. One final leg was flown by the DC-8 along from NE to SW.
During the flight much ARMAR reported mostly light or moderate precipitation. While AMPR observed some very strong scattering in the 85 GHz channel on several passes, with brightness temperatures below 120K on one leg. AMPR also obeserved some moderate rain in the 10 GHz band on many of the legs. The CPP and CPI probes observed good and fairly large particles and concentrations on most legs.
All instruments on the DC-8 worked well on today's mission. The only failure was the FSSP probe, which failed early into the flight. However, the 2D-P probe data was intermittent. Also, the 2D-P data from a interesting segment near 0529 UTC where it detected particles ranging from 2-3 mm in size was somehow not recorded.
The DC-8 landed at 0647 UTC approx. using 2.9 flight hours leaving 61.4 hours for research use.
Mission Scientist: Anthony Guillory
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Convair Chief Scientist Summary
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UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON FLIGHT FOR KWAJEX
DATE: 25 Aug 1999
UW FLIGHT : 1795
Goals of Flight: Coordinated flight of CV-580 with Citation and DC-8
Accomplishments : Goals achieved in several convective bands. But no data from
SPEC instruments on CV-580
Period of flight: 1550-1847
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Approx: Local Time (UTC=local time minus 12 hours) |
Activity |
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LINE 1 A = 07 deg 53 min / 167 deg 14 min B = 07 deg 18 min / 167 deg 55 min |
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|
1600 |
Takeoff |
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1602-1617 |
Climb to 15,000 ft heading for A |
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1617-1638 |
A -> B at 15,000 ft. Growing convection. Good example of "building block" for larger systems |
|
LINE 2 A = 07 deg 30 min / 168 deg 42 min B = 07 deg 45 min / 168 deg 12 min |
|
|
1638-1652 |
To line 2 climbing to 18,000 ft |
|
1652-1701 |
A -> B at 18,000 ft |
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1705-1713 |
B -> A at 15,000 ft |
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1717-1724 |
A -> near B at 12,000 ft |
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1729-1735 |
B -> A at 16,500 ft (lightning strike to radar dome). Line 2 was a mature to decaying convective band. |
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LINE 3 A = 07 deg 36 min / 168 deg 23 min B = 07 deg 48 min / 168 deg 05 min "Backside of heavy precip" (TRMM) |
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|
1738 |
Heading to A climbing to 18, 000 ft |
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1740-1746 |
A -> B at 18, 000 ft |
|
1748-1750 |
B -> A at 15, 000 ft |
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LINE 4 A = 07 deg 38 min / 168 deg 01 min B = 07 deg 32 min / 168 min 17 min Little activity |
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|
1751-1757 |
Procced to new A at 15,000 ft |
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1801-1808 |
A -> B plus at 15, 000 ft |
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1813-1815 |
B -> A at 13, 000 ft |
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1815- |
Return to base. |
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1829 |
Good convective cell. |
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1830 |
Cumulus congestus |
Instrument malfunctions:
1) SPEC CPI not aboard: being worked on by SPECPeter Hobbs