SUCCESS 04/10/96 Mission Daily Schedule

The DC-8 transited from Ames to Salina, KS., performing instrument tests inflight. Scattered cirrus was observed over Ames, were absent over Oregon and northern CA. with marine stratus observed elsewhere. While in restricted air space, the DC-8 produced non persistent contrails at altitudes ranging from 4kft to 35kft. Although, the contrails were too short lived to reenter, the DC-8 did make multiple crossings of its own exhaust plume.

Highlights

Flight Reports

April 10, 1996

 

Mission Objective

DC-8 TEST-FLIGHT

  • test the various instruments over as wide a range of conditions as possible
  • calibrate the MMS (meteorological system) without the impactors on the nose of the aircraft

Flight Track

 

Flight Log

OPERATIONS
FLIGHT PLAN
Takeoff was delayed one hour due to the butanol spill.
1. Take off: 2:00 LT (2100 UT).
2. Flight legs 1-6. These legs are generally from Ames to the North ending in the middle of Oregon. We have requested an altitude of 37 kft on this leg so that we are at maximum altitude, without crossing the tropopause. Our goal on these flight legs is to fly through cirrus as much as possible. We plan to operate the SRI lidar on these legs in a vertical position. However, we will shut the lidar off when we enter Seattle air traffic control since we are having difficulty with this center getting approval to operate the lidar.
3. At way point 6 we plan a set of three circular turns with a 30 o bank angle. Each turn will be 100 feet lower than the previous turn. Our desire is to cross our own contrail several times on these turns.
4. From way point 6 to 9 we would like to fly as high as possible. Our goal is to enter the lower stratosphere, and also to fly as high as possible to check for any instrument problems at altitude.
5. At way point 9-14 we will be in a restricted air space. We have three goals in this region. (1) we wish to operate the lidar in a forward scanning mode so that we can determine if the bearings are operating properly. (2) we plan to perform calibration maneuvers for the MMS system (at this time Stu Bowen will be in the jump seat so that he can advise the pilots on the desired maneuvers. These consist of various yaw, roll and porpoise maneuvers.) (3) we wish to perform another set of 30o banking turns to cross our own exhaust when we are not laying a contrail. We will make one large circle through this region at maximum altitude which we hope will be in the stratosphere. We will repeat this process at about 20kft, for the MMS. We will then do a short turning maneuver near 5kft also for MMS.

TAKEOFF/LANDING
The DC-8 left Ames at 21.00 UTC (2pm local time) and returned at 1.20 UTC

FLIGHT REPORT
Flight at 37 kft in northern CA was in lower stratosphere. Descended to 35 kft to get to the upper troposphere, continued descending as the aircarft turned north to 31 kft and held this altititude until the restricted area was reached. In restricted area descended to 4kft so that we could see some marine stratus. DC-8 did lay contrail at 3-35kft in restricted area, but it was not persistent enough to enter on a circle. As we approached the restricted area, we descended to 4 kft to get into stratus clouds. Executed box, and then 2 360 deg. turns to sample exhaust. Then we ascended to 35 kft and did multiple turns. Attempted many different altitude levels, but were not able to make a persistent contrail. However, we did cross our plume multiple times and say NOy. The MMS calibration was not a complete success. The pilots were not willing to make maneuvers because of the butanol moving around in Hudson's instrument.

METEOROLOGY-REPORT
At take off broken fair weather cumulus were present with scattered cirrus over Ames. Local cirrus were not predicted earlier. Cirrus were not present over Oregon, or Northern California. The trop was also significantly lower than expected, so part of the flight to the north was in the stratosphere. We requested a descent into a low cloud deck, probably around 20 kft on the south bound leg toward the restricted area.

INSTRUMENT STATUS

  • BALLENTHIN: Power supply failed. so no data taken.
  • BAUMGARDNER: no problems
  • BRUNE: Center body failed to move forward in flight.
  • CHAN: One pressure sensor failed. Also could not get good calibrations without aircraft maneuvers.
  • COGGIOLA: Heater filament burned out after two hours. Otherwise worked well.
  • COOPER: CCN worked reasonably well. CN ok
  • DADS: No problems
  • FERRY: No problems
  • GARY: Reported instrument failure at about 15:40, due to overheating
  • GERBER: No problems reported
  • HAGEN: Had a hot pump, otherwise ok.
  • HALLET: No problems
  • HEYMSFIELD: Cryogenic hygrometer failed before takeoff due to broken cable. Apparently this was fixed in flight.
    VIPS is ok.
    Rosemont probe worked fine.
    UV hygrometer worked fine.
  • HUDSON: Not allowed to operate due to butanol spill before take off.
  • LAWSON: Operational, might be some triggering on noise.
  • RODGERS: Possible air leak, otherwise ran fine.
  • SACHSE: Instrument functioned well.

 

CART site activity

 

Meteorology at the Central Facility

Weather Conditions from Site Operators Log
Clear until 12:00 UTC followed by morning fog or haze, some low Cumulus humilis or Cumulus fractus giving way to Altocumulus translucidus after 14:00 UTC. Light winds from the south and east.

 

Visiting Instruments at Central Facilities

 

 

 

CART Instrument Operations at Central Facilities

Key: O = operational, X = down or degraded

  • RASS, 50 MHz, (hourly): O
  • RASS, 915 MHz, (hourly): O
  • BSRN: 0
  • SIROS: O
  • SMOS, (24 hrs): O
  • SWATS (24 hrs): O
  • EBBR, (24 hrs): O
  • WSI, (every 10 min.) O
  • MWR, (24 hrs): O
  • IRT: X
  • MPL, (24 hrs): X
  • BLC, (24 hrs): O
  • AERI, (24 hrs): X
  • SORTI, (daytime, sunny): O
  • Raman Lidar (daytime): X
  • 60M Temperature and Humidity: O
  • 25M Temperature and Humidity: O
  • 25M MultiFilter Radiometer: O
  • 25M Upwelling IR: O
  • 25M Upwelling Solar: 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) tower. 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
  • E4, SIROS
  • E12, SIROS
  • E14, ECOR
  • E20: SMOS, EBBR, SIROS
  • E22: EBBR, SIROS
  • E24: SIROS

 

Key Comments/Observations related to flights