Flight Summary
Mission: 5
Flight Scientists: S. Platnick, P. Newman
Sortie: 02-950
Date: Saturday, 13 July 2002
Pilot: K. Broda
Takeoff: 1300 EDT (1700 UTC)
Landing: 1915 EDT (2315 UTC)
Duration: 6:15
Objectives
Thin / sub-visual cirrus expected throughout the operating region. Southwest flow at lower levels expected to initiate convection over eastern part of the peninsula by mid afternoon. NE winds aloft expected to advect anvils to southwest.
ER-2 proceeded to waypoint A1 (24° 40´ N, 83° 20´ W) for WB-57 wingtip flight at 50 kft, along a northwest heading. The beginning of the coordination included several circular orbits by the ER-2 as the WB-57 maneuvered into position. Aircraft were in clear air and level, straight flight for approximately 15-18 minutes of flight.
The ER-2 then went to altitude heading to waypoint A2 (26° 00´ N, 83° 00´ W). The ER2 and WB-57 then began a series of east-west legs overflying both ground sites and extending out over the water (designated waypoints B (26° 04´ N, 82° 19´ W) and E (25° 31´ N, 79° 48´ W): same waypoints as flight on July 3). The aircraft attempted to stay coordinated by slight modification of leg lengths.
Redirection from NPOL placed the ER-2 off the peninsula for several legs, and eventually over cells developing in the Miami area. The expected wide spread convection did not occur.
Satellite and fixed site coordination
Satellite: (relative to ER-2 track)
Aqua - 1910 UTC, VZA = 48°
(Terra - 1629 UTC, VZA = 20°: before launch of aircraft.)
Western Ground Site
PARSL, Everglades National Park, Gulf Coast Visitor's Center
25° 50.0´ N , 81° 23.´4 W (25.83°, -81.39°)
ER-2 overpasses of Western Site
Multiple overpasses of western ground site during east-west legs.
Eastern Ground Site
Kendall-Tamiami Airport
25° 39.3´ N, 80° 25.9´ W (25.66°, -80.43°)
Overpasses of Eastern Site
Multiple overpasses of eastern ground site during east-west legs.
Aircraft coordination
Nominal take off times (local): WB-57 (1305), Proteus (~1230).
WB-57: Wingtip coordination at 50 kft during ER-2 ascent. In situ sampling of thin / sub-visual cirrus along ER-2 track early in flight (east-west legs). ER2/WB-57 will attempt to stay coordinated during these legs to the extent possible. Anvil sampling later in flight limited to edges of cells that developed late in the Miami area.
Proteus: Fly along ER-2/WB-57 east-west legs. Overflight of clear sky and western site during Aqua overpass. Fly along ER-2 legs as much as possible during redirected parts of mission.
Brief: successfully stayed with ER-2 and WB-57 through most of the flight.
Twin Otter: Underfly ER-2 during thin cirrus and anvil legs, concentrating on the western site and gulf region.
Aircraft issues
none
Summary and Highlights
* Wingtip flying between WB-57 and ER-2 for cross-comparison of JLH, MMS, MTP, and RAMS instruments.
* Dropsondes: 4 sondes dropped.
#1: 1620 UTC, 25° 14´ N, 81° 33´ W
#2: 1826 UTC, 25° N, 81° 17´ W
#3: 1936 UTC, 25° 14´ N, 81° 19´ W
#4: 1940 UTC, 25° N, 81° 49´ W
ER-2 science instrument payload and status
| Instrument | Status | Notes |
|---|
CoSSIR
Conical Scanning Sub-mm wave Imaging Radiometer | F | Failure at / near turn on. |
CPL
Cloud Physics Lidar | G | |
CRS
Cloud Radar System | G | |
EDOP
ER-2 Doppler Radar | G | |
JLH
JPL Laser Hygrometer | P | Some intermittent missing data (~ 30% during wingtip flying), other data of good quality. |
MAS
MODIS Airborne Simulator | G | |
MMS
Meteor. Meas. System | - | |
MTP
Microwave Temperature Profiler | - | |
RAMS
Radiation Meas. System | - | |
SSFR
Solar Spectral Flux Radiometer | G | |
| Vaisala Dropsonde | - | Bad elect. card found after landing, instrument pulled. |
G = good; P = partial data collected; F = failure, no data
