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26 July 2001 (Flight #1878)
Aircraft Flight Summary
Date: 26 July 2001
Time (Flight): 15:28 to 19:09 UTC
Time (Data): 15:44 to 18:17 UTC
Aircraft Type: Convair CV-580
Aircraft Flight Scientist: Prof. Peter Hobbs
Aircraft Flight Number: 1878
Mission Location: Atlantic Ocean
Lat/Lon Coverage: 36.3-37.9N, 74.2-75.7W
Navigation Statistics: versus Time
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Flight Track Map
Map by U.Wash.
CAR Data Summary
Principal Investigator: Dr. Michael King
Co-PI: Dr. Charles Gatebe
Spectral Bands: Configuration
Calibration Type: Final
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MODIS Image (direct broadcast)
MODIS 7/26/2001 15:59 UTC
Images by SSEC UW-Madison
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GOES-8 Images (satellite loop)
GOES-8 7/26/2001 15:45 to 18:15 UTC
Images by NASA LaRC
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CAR - (quicklook)
Imagery from CAR Instrument
(RGB = 1.04, 0.87, 0.47 microns)
Click browse image thumbnail to load more detailed version
Images by Jason Li
Flight (Mission) Detail by Peter Hobbs
Goals of Flight:
- Low-level run in cloudless conditions beneath Terra satellite overpass at 1607 UTC
- Slow climb to 10, 000 ft over buoy 44014 (36 deg 34.98 min/74 deg 50.16 min)
- Fast descent to 600 ft over buoy
- BRDF at buoy 44014 in cloud-free conditions
- AOD at 100 ft
- Chemical characterization of aerosol
Accomplishments of Flight:
- Goal #1 achieved with 100 ft run between COVE lighthouse and buoy 44014 from 1556-1612 UTC
- Goal # 2 done
- Goal #3 done, with descent to 100 ft over buoy 44014
- Goal #4 done near buoy 44014
- Goal #5 done
- Goal #6 partly achieved with filters, for chemical characterization, at 2200 ft (obtained in triangular pattern centered on buoy 44014 to explore spatial variations) and at lower levels.
Weather Conditions:
Overcast to west, but generally clear from COVE lighthouse eastwards
Instrument Problems:
- Goddard aerosol spectroreflectometer did not work properly in slow ascent and stopped working after slow ascent.
Additional Comments:
CV-580 flight cut short by CLAMS Control due to deteriorating weather at Wallops and return to base of "communication" aircraft required by Langley for low-level flights.
Photographs From Aircraft Vantage
Digitized Photographs
Click photograph thumbnail to load more detailed version
15:57 Ship |
16:00 Terra Underflight |
16:02 Terra Underflight |
16:03 White Caps |
16:26 Atlantic |
16:36 Buoy #44014 |
17:52 White Caps |
17:52 White Caps |
17:56 Atlantic |
17:57 Distant StratoCu |
17:58 Ocean Sunglint |
17:59 BRDF Site |
18:02 White Caps |
18:03 Few Cu |
18:36 Inside Prec.Clds. |
18:40 Inside Prec.Clds. |
18:48 Jason Li |
18:50 CV-580 Engineer |
19:03 Land/Water |
19:03 Land/Water |
19:03 Land/Water |
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Images by Jason Li
Instrument Log by Jason Li
| CAR Instrument Log |
| Time (UTC) |
Activity |
| 15:35 |
Take-off, heading towards COVE lighthouse. The first order of the business is to coordinate with Terra overpass. It is predicted to take place around 16:07 UTC. |
| 15:44 |
Start recording CAR data. Filterwheel is locked on 1.56 µm, as requested by Tom. We see cloud edges near the lighthouse. |
| 15:52 |
Begin waggling the wing (left to right in a continuous motion). This experiment is cut short because of higher priority: Terra underflight. |
| 15:56 |
Made a very steep left turn. Check quicklook image for verification. |
| 15:59 |
Rotate CAR to downward imaging mode for Terra validation. We are 125 feet above the ocean surface. |
| 16:09 |
Rotate the CAR into starboard viewing mode. |
| 16:14 |
Spiral up with large right bank. Photographed (frames 3) cloud edge near the buoy #44014. |
| 16:49 |
TANS altimeter has not been working for a while now |
| 16:58 |
2200 ft at the apex of the L-shaped flight patter to follow. We are near the buoy. Rapid descends right away (1000ft per minute). |
| 17:12 |
Resume servo control test by waggling the wing. From the CAR monitor, we already noticed that the horizon line does not stay steady indicating the servo control is not working too well in this situation. More improvements are needed in the future. Current altitude is 7600 ft. |
| 17:17 |
Done with servo control test. |
| 17:27-17:38 |
Switch to downward viewing mode. Sweeping the area. This is done to get nadir viewing measurements. Due to flight dynamics of the CV-580, it is not possible to hold the plane with 0-degree pitch for long. Rotate the CAR back to BRDF mode. The area had been cloud free. OV-10 arrived the scene late, we had to wait for it to do its thing. When it is our turn, we saw scattered clouds creeping into the area. Moving away from the cloud as far as possible. The BRDF is done a short distance SouthEast of the buoy. |
| 17:48 |
Start the BRDF run over the ocean surface with near constant 20-degree bank. Drift with the wind is not a problem. We are trying to minimize drastic roll angle change. |
| 18:07 |
Done with BRDF circles. Rotate the CAR viewing mode to downward, sweep the area again to get nadir measurements. |
| 18:09 |
100 feet above the ocean surface did optical depth measurements. Turn the CAR viewing mode upward. |
| 18:16 |
Close the CAR door. Heading home early due to weather report at the base - possible thunderstorms in Chincoteagure. Concluded CAR1878A.BIN file. |
| 18:20 |
Start a new file, CAR1878B.BIN. Turn the servo control off for the rest of the flight. Waggle the wing again until 18:28 UTC. Filterwheel channel stays on 2.3 µm. |
| 18:58 |
Save file and shutdown instrument. |
| 19:04 |
Land. |
Flight Log by Peter Hobbs
| CV-580 Flight Log |
| Time (UTC) |
Activity |
| 1528 |
Engines on |
| 1535 |
Take off |
| 1535-1556 |
Rapid transit to COVE lighthouse at cruise speed. |
| 1556-1612 |
Descend to 100 ft. Head east from lighthouse to buoy 44014 with clear skies above. Terra satellite overpass at 1607 UTC. Surface wind estimated to be 20 to 25 knots. |
| 1612-1643 |
Climb to 10,000 ft at 300 ft/min over buoy 44014 with cloudless skies |
| 1643-1655 |
Descend at 1,000 ft/min to 100 ft over buoy 44014. |
| 1655-1700 |
Ascend to 2, 200 ft. |
| 1700-1739 |
Flew triangular pattern centered on buoy to explore (considerable) spatial variations in aerosol: AOD=0.15-0.4. Filters for chemical characterization at this level (also exposed another set of filters at lower levels). |
| 1739-1746 |
Descend to 600 ft over buoy 44014 and searched to SE for best cloudless region for BRDF. |
| 1746-1807 |
6-8 circles for BRDF SE of buoy 44014 in cloudless region. |
| 1807-1811 |
Descend to 100 ft for last low-level run under cloudless sky for AOD. |
| 1811-1815 |
Climb to 2200 ft over buoy. |
| 1815-1904 |
Return to Wallops at 2200 ft then 1100 ft. Exposed same filters previously exposed at 2200 ft to more aerosol during this period. |
| 1904 |
Touchdown at Wallops |
| 1909 |
Engines off |
Weather Summary by Fred Rose
CREATION DATE: Thursday, 26 July 2001 13:14:21 UTC
FORECAST: Mostly Cloudy with showers and thunderstorms through Friday (South). Clearing possible around Wallops on Friday especially in the afternoon. Highs: Mid 80's. Lows: low 70's (South), upper 60's (North).
GENERAL OVERVIEW: Cold Front to the north slowly moves south into the Clams area. Vorticity max associated with old tropical low has widespread shower and thunderstorm activity.
DISCUSSION: Vorticity maximum moves to the north and east over CLAMS area. Showers and thunderstorms will affect much of the area today. Cold front slowly moves south over tidewater by evening and stalls over North Carolina.
Level-1B HDF Data Distribution Facility
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