P-3 Chief
Scientist Event/Radar Log
Flight
Number: 011216H
IMPROVE-II Flight
#7
Date: December 16, 2001 Aircraft
ID: N42RF
Chief Scientist: Bond
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Doppler Scientist: Eckel Radar Tech: McMillan
Cloud Physics Sci: XXX Data Tech: XXX
Radar parameters: PRF1=PRF2
=1600, 0.50 microsecond pulse
Setup file = IMPR1
Pulses/sample = 32
Threshold on REF
Alternate Setup = IMPR2
Mission
Description:
Scientific
Crew: Nick Bond (PI), Eric Grimit (radar), ??? (cloud physics)
AOC
Crew: Taggart (P), Halverson (P), Wade (FE), Damiano (FD), Newman (N),
Rogers (tech), Lynch (data), McNamara (tech), Delgado (dropsonde)
Event
Log
|
Time (Lat, Lon), Track (deg), Static Pressure (mb), Radar
Alt (m) |
Event & Comments |
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021911 Z (43.70715, -123.58115) 328.251°, 500.6 mb, 5162.0 m |
starting over; at turn for start of SW-NE transect |
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022435 Z (43.95130, -122.96837) 62.599°, 500.4 mb, 5316.0 m |
Can see hint of front about 40-50km west. Denser precip and horizontal shear are
evident. Storm is definitely picking up. We are at ~15000ft
and still seeing lots of crystals. |
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031924 Z (43.98421, -122.86287) 237.677°, 580.1 mb, 4024.0 m |
Belly radar shows clear line of heavier precip still
offshore with NNE tilt. About 75km to
the west. |
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032536 Z (43.95229, -123.13086) 73.074°, 591.2 mb, 3836.0 m |
Just went through a dry spot. Are we near cloud top here? |
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032930 Z (44.08142, -122.65938) 63.323°, 590.6 mb, 3586.0 m |
Keep going in and out of regions of crystals, maybe
some weak imbedded convction here. |
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034714 Z (44.33244, -122.03671) 240.765°, 608.4 mb, 2935.0 m |
Having radar troubles. I think tech guy is trying to reset it. |
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040608 Z (44.12375, -122.67017) 75.041°, 640.1 mb, 3180.0 m |
Lost front in clutter of coastal range so it must be
on shore now. |
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041138 Z (44.35647, -122.02489) 57.504°, 639.9 mb, 2572.0 m |
icing looks to be picking up. Big sticky conglomerate globs of precip
are building upon the wing. |
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042715 Z (44.35844, -121.99722) 240.281°, 662.1 mb, 2350.0 m |
light-mod chop.
Must be because we are low enough (11000ft) to feel terrain effects. |
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044240 Z (44.12762, -122.67867) 73.919°, 691.9 mb, 2654.0 m |
interesting mix of needles and conglomerates. |
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044710 Z (44.29021, -122.16708) 56.875°, 691.6 mb, 2080.0 m |
Tail radar stopped scanning so is being reset. |
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044903 Z (44.38328, -121.96968) 59.209°, 691.6 mb, 1893.0 m |
Getting rougher.
Steady mod chop with some roller coasters.We are at 10000ft and really
feeling it. Seeing large conglomerates again. |
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|
045910 Z (44.48248, -121.67690) 240.882°, 691.9 mb, 2128.0 m |
ice appears to have cleared the wing. Probably got shaken off! We are still rockin and rollin. |
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051037 Z (44.22898, -122.34285) 244.039°, 749.8 mb, 1138.0 mA |
At 8000ft now on leg of the stack. Catching some
good up and down drafts. |
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|
051853 Z (44.01534, -122.80423) 220.703°, 806.1 mb, 1305.0 m |
closing in on the cold front. Intense echos to our NW so as we make the
turn to the north to start the lawn mower we will go right though it. |
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052202 Z (43.89362, -122.93988) 217.630°, 807.0 mb, 1532.0 m |
Radar glitch...reset OK. |
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053222 Z (44.03786, -123.01271) .102°, 806.4 mb, 1644.0 m |
at 6000ft headed N into front and near cloud
base (can see lights below off and
on). Steady light chop with
occasional mod. |
|
|
053606 Z (44.29504, -123.01321) 358.893°, 806.2 mb, 1722.0 m |
Here it comes...nose radar shows narrow, intense
band of precip oriented SW to NE. |
|
053805 Z (44.43284, -123.01038) 2.134°, 805.5 mb, 1751.0 m |
That was cool!
Why did the wind shift from 260 to 220? Also decreased in speed from 50 to 30 kt Nick's theory is we flew through divergence above a
shallow cold front |
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|
060550 Z (44.07926, -122.57018) 180.315°, 745.6 mb, 1344.0 m |
Radar Glitch.
Tech guy is on it... |
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|
061607 Z (43.80743, -122.06879) 357.591°, 663.0 mb, 2036.0 m |
Heading N on H to C leg. Can see good orographic effects with tail rader...that just
went out again...just another reset. |
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|
070235 Z (44.39352, -122.14847) 86.741°, 748.1 mb, 1145.0 m |
Going through the front again. Not as well defined as before but still
holding together. |
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071458 Z (45.20436, -122.07608) 1.648°, 648.4 mb, 2423.0 m |
exiting study area |
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