Data: Clams 2001

Aircraft Flight Summary Date: 2001-07-12 Flight Time: 11:02 to 16:35 UTC Data Time: 11:18 to 16:07 UTC Aircraft Type: Convair CV-580 Flight Scientist: Prof. Peter Hobbs Flight Number: 1871 Mission Location: Atlantic Ocean Lat/Lon Coverage: 36.8-38.4N, 73.8-75.8W	Flight Track Map Larger image (new window) Image by U. Wash. Download KMZ/KML File (right click, save as) Download HDF File (right click, save as)
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Images by Dr. Charles Gatebe, NASA GSFC

Flight Direction	Flight Direction

Flight Mission Details

By Peter Hobbs

Goals of Flight:

- BRDF near COVE lighthouse
- Vertical profile, with full chemistry, over lighthouse
- Low pass over lighthouse at Terra overpass time (1554 UTC)
- BRDF near lighthouse

Accomplishments of Flight:

- Done, but under partly cloudy skies
- Done, sampled for one hour at approximately 6,000 ft and 2,400 ft
- Done, but at approximately 100 ft beneath cloud-free hole well to north of lighthouse
- Not done due to extensive cirrus cloud cover

Weather Conditions:

- Postfrontal conditions; low Aerosol Optical Depth. Cirrus and altocumulus clouds covering large regions of sky.

Instrument Problems:

- A few short periods of data loss (during runs at 2,400 ft) due to inverter failure

Additional Comments:

- Coordinated flight with ER-2, Proteus, and OV-10.
- Communication problems within aircraft and from air to ground (encountered on first flight) solved. Aircraft cabin air conditioner now working.
- Filter for PIXIE measurements integrated over flight

Flight Path, Timing, and Measurements

1102: Engines on

1110: Take off

1115: At 6,000 ft heading from Wallops to COVE lighthouse

1134: Over lighthouse at 6,000 ft

1134-1203: Descend at 2,000 ft/min over lighthouse

1203-1217: Level runs for TANS "lockon" and set up for BRDF circles

1217-1225: Four circles for BRDF measurements of ocean at 36 degrees 57.2 minutes N and 75 degrees 37.5 minutes west (about 2 nm NE of lighthouse). Cloudy.

1225-1240: Ascend over lighthouse to 10,000 ft

1240-1250: Descend near lighthouse at 500 ft/min to 6,000 ft

1250-1348: Horizontal legs across wind at 6,000 ft over lighthouse for first set of filter measurements via baghouse

1348-1357: Descend over lighthouse at 500 ft/min to 2,400 ft

1357-1534: Horizontal legs across wind at 2,400 ft over lighthouse. During latter portion of these legs occasionally intercepted black smoke from fire on land; descended to 1,500 ft in attempt to avoid intercepting this smoke. Smoke should not have affected the ionic/carbonaceous fiters, since these came from intermittent bag house samples, but may have affected the continuous PIXIE filters and may show up on the Goddard aerosol spectroreflectometer. Other plumes from ships and land intercepted (see neph and CN measurements) at this low altitude. Couple of short computer outages during these legs.

1534-1538: Descend to 100 ft beneath fairly large hole in cirrus.

1538-1600: Horizontal leg at about 100 ft above ocean beneath hole in cirrus. AOD only about 0.1. Terra satellite overpass at 1554 UTC, at this time aircraft was at about 38 degrees 20.71 minutes N and 74 degrees 16.25 minutes W

1600-1605: Climb to 2, 000 ft

1605-1635: Return to Wallops at 2,000 ft

1635: Touchdown

1635: Engines off

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