P-3 Chief
Scientist Event/Radar Log
Flight
Number: 011128H
IMPROVE-II Flight
#01
Date: November 28, 2001 Aircraft
ID: N42RF
Chief Scientist: Bond
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Doppler Scientist: Smull Radar Tech: McMillan
Cloud Physics Sci: Steed Data Tech: Roles
Radar parameters: PRF1 = PRF2 = 1600, 0.50 pulse
Setup file = IMPR1
Pulses/sample = 32
Threshold on REF
Alternate Setup = PRF1/PRF2
3200/2133, 0.25 microsecond pulse
Setup file = MPRS1 (aka IMPR2)
Mission
Description: Support of UW Convair
operations (SW-NEtransect) over S-POL & Santiam Pass in Oregon Cascades
during cold frontal passage.
AOC
Crew: Taggart (AC), Halverson/Tennesen (P), Floyd/Bast (FE), Damiano (FD),
Rogers/Roles (tech) w/ Roles also serving as Program Manager
Event
Log
|
Time (Lat, Lon), Track (deg), Static Pressure (mb), Radar
Alt (m) |
Event & Comments |
|
|
Scientists arrived ~14 UTC; AC covered with
accumulating snow. Planned T/O of 16 UTC scrubbed owing accumulating snow
& lack of deice capabilities here at PAE. Sfc temp hovering near 0°C with
TAF calling for S-->R switch by 18 UTC. Changeover observed ~1830. Crew swept wings/tail.
Ladder-up 1928. |
|
193613 Z (47.90024, -122.28056) .755°, 965.6 mb, 3.0 m |
Engine Start |
|
194312 Z (47.90022, -122.28049) 5.593°, 965.0 mb, 3.0 m |
Block Out. Taxi to 16R |
|
195517 Z (47.90895, -122.28560) 179.130°, 968.6 mb, 5349.0 m |
Takeoff |
|
195859 Z (47.77825, -122.42265) 260.415°, 884.1 mb, 901.0 m |
Cloud physics system up but with some initialization
problems. |
|
200534 Z (47.53393, -122.76604) 181.575°, 689.7 mb, 2593.0 m |
Radar system up, recording on DR1. Slewable (AOC)
antenna. LF at 2 RPM. |
|
201207 Z (47.20762, -122.95032) 205.434°, 574.3 mb, 4289.0 m |
Tech swapping cards on precip/cloud probes to get
data into proper size range. Echo tops near 6km. |
|
201939 Z (46.76801, -123.12292) 181.582°, 554.9 mb, 4436.0 m |
PMS data looked good as we came through echo last
few min; now in clear. ETA Pt A is 2047Z. Echoes thinning out here. |
|
203124 Z (46.07021, -123.10075) 175.955°, 556.5 mb, 4275.0 m |
Crossing Columia; echoes picking up, esp.E of track |
|
204001 Z (45.53973, -123.02272) 175.024°, 561.6 mb, 4428.0 m |
Descending to 7kft, requesting 6kft. Echoes not too
horizontally extensive, a little spotty, shallow. |
|
204407 Z (45.29348, -123.01978) 183.274°, 745.8 mb, 2191.0 m |
Tech bringing cloudphysics back online. Top of BB
near 2km. |
|
204853 Z (45.01687, -123.03389) 180.966°, 794.4 mb, 1774.0 m |
At Pt A, tracking 180. On tail view (outonly to 40km
range), echo genly more extensive W of track, tho some stuff hanging over
Cascades to E. |
|
205138 Z (44.86903, -123.03319) 180.763°, 792.6 mb, 1691.0 m |
Passing over SLE; out of echo, grnd visible thru bkn
clouds. LF suggests echo picking up just beyond 100 km, some intermittent
NNE-SSW banded structures beyond that, but nothing too noteworthy. |
|
205603 Z (44.61491, -123.03305) 180.067°, 795.4 mb, 1733.0 m |
Echo picking up slightly to W of track. |
|
210014 Z (44.37672, -123.03346) 180.964°, 795.7 mb, 1719.0 m |
Some orographic enhancement/echo slant suggested on
LHS. Cloud & precip probe data continue tolook high quality. Melting
aggregates, clusters of needles. |
|
210737 Z (43.97016, -123.03192) 179.703°, 795.6 mb, 1640.0 m |
Precip picking up as we |
|
210917 Z (43.87938, -123.03072) 178.763°, 795.4 mb, 1651.0 m |
Cold-frontal typeshear (w/ suggestion of head
structure) between 10-20 km range on LHS; some precip enhancement, but
certainly no strong NCFR signature |
|
211025 Z (43.81692, -123.03029) 180.692°, 795.7 mb, 1625.0 m |
At Pt F, turning E, climbingto 9kft.Top of solid
echos 3-3.5 km;top of BB near 2 km (round numbers) |
|
211431 Z (43.76334, -122.62691) 88.611°, 736.9 mb, 1098.0 m |
At Pt G, turning to track 360.Nice fallstreaks
originating near 4-5 km. |
|
211821 Z (44.03061, -122.56519) .182°, 736.8 mb, 1827.0 m |
Continued fallstreaks w/evidence of generating cells |
|
212338 Z (44.43035, -122.56558) 359.102°, 736.6 mb, 1867.0 m |
Vr data show continued suggestion of cold frontal
type shear, immed W of our track. Still no hint of NCFR enhancement however.
Bulk of steady precip appears to be ahead of cold-frontal wind transition. |
|
212718 Z (44.71851, -122.56601) 1.039°, 736.7 mb, 2004.0 m |
Echoes again on the wane; perhaps general decrease
of precip intensity toN, or alt. Tendency for SW-NE cold frontal orientation
putting best echoes farther E at N end of pattern. |
|
213056 Z (44.99189, -122.55467) 40.073°, 725.5 mb, 2200.0 m |
At Pt B, turning E & climbing to 11kft |
|
213503 Z (45.01260, -122.11125) 115.543°, 656.1 mb, 2077.0 m |
At Pt C, turning to track 180. Echo coverage more
extensive to E of track. |
|
213710 Z (44.89366, -122.08392) 181.803°, 656.6 mb, 1972.0 m |
Some evidence of orographic enhancement (sharp W
edge of heavier precip) 5-10 km W of our track. Tech took brief MPEG movie of
tail showing frontal-like shear and associated W edge of frontal and/or
orographic precip enhancement. |
|
214242 Z (44.54816, -122.08353) 179.451°, 656.2 mb, 2152.0 m |
Suggestion of KH waves at echo top to W of tracklast
few min. More gen cells on RHS 2143-44. Some perturbations on J-W liquid
water 2145-46. |
|
215055 Z (44.07003, -122.08437) 181.335°, 656.6 mb, 1670.0 m |
Picking up some sig rime ice on wings, J-W reaching
~0.5 g/kg |
|
215303 Z (43.94911, -122.08315) 179.848°, 656.5 mb, 2403.0 m |
Radar down at 2148:17. Lost de-ice on Prop #2, need
to climb. |
|
215510 Z (43.82835, -122.08342) 181.248°, 656.4 mb, 2046.0 m |
Radar back up & recordingon DR1. Convair will be
at 14.5, so we are requesting 16kft. At Pt H, turning E. |
|
215937 Z (43.77388, -121.64743) 89.487°, 572.1 mb, 3064.0 m |
At I. Executing outside turn to track 360. Out of
cloud. Will maintain FL 16kft |
|
220753 Z (44.18489, -121.61774) .023°, 537.2 mb, 3475.0 m |
Nice visualization of precip spillover on crest to
LHS. Echo dissipates totally 10-20 kn E of our track. |
|
221729 Z (45.00552, -121.61293) 28.210°, 542.6 mb, 3719.0 m |
At Pt D. More precip extending E of our track here
at N end, so will proceed with last leg (E-J). |
|
222503 Z (44.81872, -121.13411) 180.539°, 682.9 mb, 2419.0 m |
Now S-bound on E-J. Still at -6.1, so not much hope
of getting rid of ice. Fairly smooth even here in lee. |
|
223217 Z (44.36913, -121.13553) 179.246°, 682.9 mb, 2174.0 m |
Some echo on thisleg, but not much, principally W of
track, desert in view below. Planning J-K-G. |
|
223621 Z (44.11808, -121.12251) 179.916°, 682.8 mb, 2040.0 m |
Running out of echo, 5 min from turn. Shedding some
ice here at -5. Planning 10 kft J-K. Then climb to >13kft. |
|
224244 Z (43.74215, -121.11388) 123.986°, 682.9 mb, 1258.0 m |
At Pt J. Convair preparing to land for refueling;
they had major icing issues, unsure if they want to execute 2nd pattern. |
|
225306 Z (44.26260, -121.47310) 322.695°, 683.2 mb, 2079.0 m |
Plan climb to FL 130 at K. Once again nice spillover
comingoff crest LHS |
|
225459 Z (44.36508, -121.55649) 356.377°, 654.3 mb, 2370.0 m |
At K, spiraling up. Consulted w/ Roles; suspended
recording of Spectal Width and saved to IMPR1; according to Roles this will
improve radar system stability (and save tape ;) Mix of pristine crystals (needles, dendrites) and amorphous
forms as we climb. |
|
230621 Z (44.13600, -121.88629) 233.935°, 606.1 mb, 2316.0 m |
LF suggests increasing post-frontal activity
(NNE-SSW bands?) immediately offfshore. Some discussionof sticking with
today's situation (vs. A separate flight tomorrow) to do post-frontal work. |
|
231008 Z (44.01292, -122.12607) 234.278°, 606.0 mb, 2636.0 m |
Elevated "secondary BB" feature exhibits
top near our FL |
|
232200 Z (43.73032, -122.49013) 339.262°, 724.1 mb, 1865.0 m |
At Pt G. Turning to track 360. Dynamic slip pressure
is iced up, so winds messed up, but can be corrected post-flight. |
|
233106 Z (44.37158, -122.57019) 1.593°, 735.5 mb, 2025.0 m |
Further suggestion of echo"plumes" coming
off sloped terrain features to E (RHS) of our track past few min. However
echo definitely on wane as we proceed N abeam of less impressive terrain.
Temps on thisleg are running 3 °C cooler than 1st iteration. |
|
234008 Z (45.04402, -122.55222) 34.309°, 719.1 mb, 2224.0 m |
At Pt B, climbing to 11kft. Minimal shallow echoes
here. |
|
234417 Z (45.09106, -122.12123) 103.131°, 655.0 mb, 2111.0 m |
At Pt C, turning to track 180. |
|
000625 Z (43.79105, -122.03868) 163.161°, 651.1 mb, 1831.0 m |
At Pt H, climbing to 13 kft. Precip once again
picked up toward S end of pattern abeam of higher terrain |
|
000950 Z (43.71880, -121.70859) 87.814°, 606.4 mb, 2634.0 m |
At Pt I, turning to track 360. LF continues to
suggest NNE-SSW banded structures--one roughly through our present location,
and another more closely tied to coastal range, perhaps additional band(s)
=100 km offshore |
|
001656 Z (44.26968, -121.61063) 1.643°, 606.2 mb, 2874.0 m |
Just went through biggest bump of day, though
nothing obvious on radar. |
|
002258 Z (44.75838, -121.61922) 359.929°, 606.3 mb, 2829.0 m |
Still has been suggestionof nice sloped (hydraulic
jump?) type flow transition coming off crest on LHS |
|
|
Will ferry PAE via OLM at FL 140 |
|
002620 Z (45.03315, -121.62498) 358.606°, 604.8 mb, 2752.0 m |
At Pt. D. Beginning ferry home. |
|
002926 Z (45.23274, -121.73640) 334.783°, 537.3 mb, 3658.0 m |
Switched to dual-PRF (3200/2133, Nyquist of +/- 48)
for ferry. Setup file is MPRS1.
Evidence of contaminated 1st trip echo (by 2nd trip) at 0034 etc etc. |
|
004957 Z (46.79881, -122.78369) 332.549°, 537.1 mb, 4679.0 m |
Radar system temporarily offline |
|
010138 Z (47.64162, -122.55238) 352.935°, 851.3 mb, 1146.0 m |
Back in echo, but no sign of 2nd trip, likely owing
to low FL & absence of nearby terrain. Expecting 16R. |
|
010848 Z (48.11996, -122.34639) 67.652°, 884.8 mb, 779.0 m |
Secured radar system |
|
011521 Z (47.91954, -122.28584) 179.790°, 968.5 mb, 1.0 m |
Landed |
|
012220 Z (47.90024, -122.28052) 272.893°, 965.6 mb, 1.0 m |
Block-in. Block-to-block duration 5.6 h |