P-3 Orion - WFF 10/17/18
From: | FPST | To: | FPST | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Start: | 10/17/18 07:45 Z | Finish: | 10/17/18 16:15 Z | ||
Flight Time: | 8.5 hours | ||||
Log Number: | 19P018 | PI: | Jens Redemann | ||
Funding Source: | Hal Maring - NASA - SMD - ESD Radiation Science Program | ||||
Purpose of Flight: | Science | ||||
Miles Flown: | 2000 miles |
18P004 | 19P018 | |
---|---|---|
Flight Hours Approved in SOFRS | 188.5 | |
Flight Hours Previously Approved | 144 | |
Total Used | 44.5 | 110 |
Total Remaining | 34 |
19P018 Flight Reports | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date | Flt # | Purpose of Flight | Duration | Running Total | Hours Remaining | Miles Flown |
10/02/18 | ORACLES Science Flight #3 | Science | 8.5 | 8.5 | 135.5 | 1940 |
10/03/18 | ORACLES Science Flight #4 | Science | 8.5 | 17 | 127 | 1970 |
10/05/18 | ORACLES Science Flight #5 | Science | 9 | 26 | 118 | 2000 |
10/07/18 | ORACLES Science Flight #6 | Science | 8.4 | 34.4 | 109.6 | 2000 |
10/10/18 | ORACLES Science Flight #7 | Science | 8.3 | 42.7 | 101.3 | 1970 |
10/12/18 | ORACLES Science Flight #8 | Science | 5.3 | 48 | 96 | 800 |
10/15/18 | ORACLES Science Flight #9 | Science | 7.8 | 55.8 | 88.2 | 1700 |
10/17/18 | ORACLES Science Flight #10 | Science | 8.5 | 64.3 | 79.7 | 2000 |
10/19/18 | ORACLES Science Flight #11 | Science | 8 | 72.3 | 71.7 | 1800 |
10/21/18 | ORACLES Science Flight #12 | Science | 8.2 | 80.5 | 63.5 | 1800 |
10/23/18 | ORACLES Science Flight #13 | Science | 8.1 | 88.6 | 55.4 | 1800 |
10/25/18 | ORACLES Transit #1 | Transit | 7.8 | 96.4 | 47.6 | 2009 |
10/26/18 | ORACLES Transit #2 | Transit | 7 | 103.4 | 40.6 | 2100 |
10/27/18 | ORACLES Transit #3 | Transit | 5.8 | 109.2 | 34.8 | 1692 |
10/27/18 | ORACLES Transit #4 | Transit | 0.8 | 110 | 34 | 72 |
18P004 Flight Reports | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date | Flt # | Purpose of Flight | Duration | Running Total | Hours Remaining | Miles Flown |
09/17/18 | ORACLES ATF | Check | 1.3 | 1.3 | 187.2 | 0 |
09/19/18 | ORACLES PTF | Check | 3.7 | 5 | 183.5 | 0 |
09/21/18 | ORACLES Transit #1 | Transit | 6.3 | 11.3 | 177.2 | 1716 |
09/22/18 | ORACLES Transit #2 | Transit | 8.2 | 19.5 | 169 | 2131 |
09/24/18 | ORACLES Transit #3/Science Flight | Transit | 9.3 | 28.8 | 159.7 | 2500 |
09/27/18 | ORACLES Science Flight #1 | Science | 8 | 36.8 | 151.7 | 1875 |
09/30/18 | ORACLES Science Flight #2 | Science | 7.7 | 44.5 | 144 | 2400 |
Flight Reports began being entered into this system as of 2012 flights. If there were flights flown under an earlier log number the flight reports are not available online.
ORACLES - P-3 Orion - WFF 10/17/18 Science Report
This was a Target of Opportunity flight aimed at sampling younger aerosol off the coast of Angola. The first priority was intensive in-situ aerosol sampling; if possible, the hope was to also get a radiation wall / square spiral out of it for SSFR/4STAR retrieval of spectral absorption and single scatter albedo. The flight plan, which we largely followed, was to transit south on 7E to 7S; then go east-bound to 10.5E. There, do the radiation wall along a north-south line ~7.0-7.6E. Then transit from 7S, 10.5E west to 7S, 5E and transit back to STM on 5E, with some in-situ sampling along the way if time/fuel permits.
We encountered significant mid-level clouds on the south- and east- bound transit legs to the work area, requiring us to adjust alitude frequently to keep below the mid-level clouds (thereby allowing for HSRL retrievals). When we arrived at the work area there were still mid-level clouds, so we changed the usual order of the radiation wall and instead stepped down from high altitude, doing in-situ aerosol legs on the way down; then did the below-cloud, in-cloud and above-cloud legs before doing a square spiral back up to altitude. Unfortunately mid-level clouds interfered with the square spiral SSFR/4STAR measurements. We were able to do some more in-situ sampling on the leg back to STM on 5E.
This flight was most notable for the extremely high concentrations of aerosol on the 7-7.6S, 10.5E line at ~5-7,000' altitude. This was the most concentrated aerosol seen yet in ORACLES. In addition, based on preliminary in-flight observations, it was younger than other aerosol sampled during ORACLES.