P-3 Chief
Scientist Event/Radar Log
Flight
Number: 011218H
IMPROVE-II Flight
#8
Date: December 18, 2001 Aircraft
ID: N42RF
Chief Scientist: Bond
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Doppler Scientist: Smull Radar Tech: Nash
Cloud Physics Sci: Steed Data Tech:McMillan
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), Brad Smull (radar), Steed (cloud physics)
AOC
Crew: Taggart (P), Halverson (P), Wade (FE), Damiano (FD), Newman (N),
Rogers (tech), Lynch (data), McNamara (tech), Delgado (dropsonde), Fields
(observer), Floyd (observer)
Event
Log
|
Time (Lat, Lon), Track (deg), Static Pressure (mb), Radar
Alt (m) |
Event & Comments |
|
164021 Z (47.90018, -122.28056) 187.461°, 984.3 mb, 6728.0 m |
Scientists in seats |
|
164639 Z (47.90016, -122.28053) 189.691°, 985.1 mb, 0.0 m |
Block-out |
|
165656 Z (47.91212, -122.28571) 179.011°, 986.3 mb, 0.0 m |
Takeoff Rwy 16R |
|
170322 Z (47.68405, -122.58386) 205.962°, 722.3 mb, 2636.0 m |
Radar system up & recording |
|
172256 Z (46.69894, -122.45473) 133.855°, 567.1 mb, 3729.0 m |
Very continuous stratiform precipalong our track,
echo top ~4 km |
|
173711 Z (45.99378, -121.41220) 134.405°, 567.6 mb, 3646.0 m |
Descending for gorge run. Echo still very continuous
but weak, peaks ca. 20-25 dBZ. Beautiful cloud physics profile, rimed
stellars. |
|
174220 Z (45.98515, -121.35172) 256.281°, 747.1 mb, 1865.0 m |
Level at FL 8kft/2.5 km, approaching gorge, precip
still solid, a bit deeper than near Puget Sound, echo top ca 5 km, tracking
along gorge |
|
175002 Z (45.89145, -121.94844) 257.064°, 747.1 mb, 1892.0 m |
Nearing W exit of gorge, echoremains continuous,
tail Doppler data quality look excellent |
|
175344 Z (45.84782, -122.20552) 255.374°, 746.8 mb, 1606.0 m |
Tail radar back up after ~3min gap. Must have jinxed
it w/ last comment... |
|
175523 Z (45.82664, -122.32658) 256.754°, 747.0 mb, 2060.0 m |
Turning to track 185. Planning S-bound run to Pt F
and an abbreviated microphysics stack prior to Convair's arrival |
|
180558 Z (45.29343, -122.43539) 206.398°, 775.6 mb, 1930.0 m |
Climbing for S-bound run. |
|
181104 Z (45.16316, -122.71799) 235.741°, 640.9 mb, 3546.0 m |
Leveling at FL 120. Echo much reduced, patchy, thin
mid-level layer at/just above FL. |
|
181339 Z (45.08992, -122.87631) 236.949°, 641.3 mb, 3538.0 m |
In sunshine. S-POL reports that first band is narrow
& exiting area, however comma-cloud moving in from wst |
|
181545 Z (45.02713, -123.01631) 230.996°, 641.7 mb, 3532.0 m |
At Pt A,. LF suggests widespread precip to our W
beyond 100 km, but may be getting some sea clutter return as well. |
|
181919 Z (44.82338, -123.03435) 179.223°, 641.7 mb, 3403.0 m |
Seeing some 2nd trip return. FL wind speeds jumping
up here in clear. |
|
182056 Z (44.73415, -123.02849) 174.951°, 641.6 mb, 3534.0 m |
Radar down briefly, back up at 1822:03 |
|
182503 Z (44.50752, -123.03520) 183.449°, 641.7 mb, 3517.0 m |
Radar down again, back up at 1827:20. Echo picking
up again, but not too widespread. More structure, suggestion of fallstreaks
off RHS at 1828-29. |
|
183452 Z (43.92133, -123.03767) 177.886°, 641.7 mb, 3456.0 m |
Considering possibility of microphysical spiral (vs.
Stack) through band to expedite sampling before it exits study area. Echo
tops now 5-7 km. |
|
183823 Z (43.73472, -123.08307) 304.192°, 640.8 mb, 3200.0 m |
At Pt F, tracking toward N. |
|
185220 Z (44.44820, -121.78845) 79.123°, 514.1 mb, 4008.0 m |
Turning planning 200 ft/min from 17.5 to 15 kft for
"short-stack" leg back to SW. Mass says comma is moving in quickly,
makes for excellent/unique mission objective, so we'll expedite stack in
order to be back in lawn-mower pattern for comma cloud arrival. |
|
190720 Z (44.23783, -122.37680) 67.458°, 568.9 mb, 3681.0 m |
Echo remains solid
Now tracking NE |
|
191404 Z (44.39368, -121.78415) 253.015°, 579.5 mb, 3087.0 m |
Turning to track SW, descending on this leg. LF is
showing signs of distinct N-S band |
|
192306 Z (44.16237, -122.43259) 288.319°, 628.9 mb, 2950.0 m |
Turning to track NE at 10 kft. |
|
192733 Z (44.33087, -122.06317) 56.763°, 629.4 mb, 2496.0 m |
Track adjustment. Coastal range terrain & lower
altitude partially blocking LF view of approaching band (comma cloud?) but |
|
193255 Z (44.48905, -121.56305) 221.065°, 629.5 mb, 2545.0 m |
Turning to track SW |
|
194013 Z (44.31584, -122.04581) 239.107°, 679.8 mb, 2340.0 m |
Re-booting radar system. Recording back on at 1941. |
|
194434 Z (44.20309, -122.32155) 241.280°, 694.5 mb, 2095.0 m |
Seeing echo enhancement over sloped terrain on RHS. |
|
194641 Z (44.21304, -122.42740) 30.452°, 695.0 mb, 2189.0 m |
Turning to track NW. Echo fell off rapidly neat this
end of stack, clouds looked more convective w/ blue sky surrounding. Bond
notes that liquid water concentrations bumped up to 0.4-0.5 g/kg near SW end
of track; picked up a lot of rime ice |
|
195537 Z (44.49869, -121.56516) 196.384°, 695.0 mb, 1776.0 m |
Turning to track SW, descending slowly to 6kf if
possiblet. Ultimately climb to 17.5 kft and track to Point F (or location
identical to IP) |
|
200331 Z (44.31933, -122.06152) 239.638°, 707.3 mb, 1680.0 m |
Nearing SW point, again more convective character
visually |
|
200922 Z (44.17089, -122.41576) 216.541°, 751.6 mb, 1654.0 m |
At SW point, taildown at 20:09:30, re-booting. Back
up & recording 20:11. Continued eidence of orographic enhancement NW of
our track. Descending to 6 kft as we near Pt F. |
|
202402 Z (44.06465, -123.03087) 2.049°, 812.0 mb, 1661.0 m |
On N-bound track F--->A. S+ at flight level. King
probe continues to show appreciable liquid water (ca. 0.5 g/kg) yet tail
radar indicates only stratiform structure. |
|
202755 Z (44.32046, -123.01698) .582°, 812.0 mb, 1526.0 m |
Echo weakening. But thereafter quite cellular in
patches |
|
203743 Z (44.97674, -123.02823) 11.706°, 811.9 mb, 1725.0 m |
At Pt A, re-booting radar at 2039; back up at |
|
204447 Z (44.84671, -122.55753) 184.552°, 750.6 mb, 1617.0 m |
Tracking B-->G at 8 kft. |
|
205318 Z (44.34588, -122.55576) 178.095°, 750.1 mb, 1638.0 m |
Echo filling in as we approach N edge of band. Good
orographic enhancement on LHS. |
|
205921 Z (43.98380, -122.56822) 179.863°, 750.7 mb, 1843.0 m |
King-probe liquid water has again increased to ca.
0.5 g/m**3. Cloud physics data shows nice riming. Tail Doppler shows only
moderately deep (4 km) but solid radar echo. |
|
210338 Z (43.73866, -122.57130) 234.492°, 750.3 mb, 1617.0 m |
Turning at Pt G to track north to intercept track
for microphysics stack |
|
211007 Z (44.10764, -122.71889) 251.578°, 562.0 mb, 4092.0 m |
Climbing to 17.5 kft. |
|
211442 Z (44.20441, -122.34384) 55.765°, 514.7 mb, 4175.0 m |
Out of ice, terminating climb |
|
213303 Z (44.15630, -122.52612) 171.907°, 590.8 mb, 3866.0 m |
Back in seat after taking multiple photos of
mod/severe rime ice accumulations on windscreen, spinners. Present FL is near
echo top. Approaching SW point. |
|
213439 Z (44.15184, -122.38374) 50.417°, 591.2 mb, 3529.0 m |
Turning to track 050 at FL 11 kft |
|
214110 Z (44.45158, -121.75676) 117.525°, 591.6 mb, 2990.0 m |
At Santiam Pass, turning to track 240. |
|
215026 Z (44.19232, -122.33676) 247.228°, 668.2 mb, 2454.0 m |
Finally lost precip probe (iced up) at 2245. Plan is
to descend at SW point to drop off appreciable ice load. Aircraft is
shimmying,lots of banging as ice breaks off and hits
fuselage/windows.Contemplating quick run to ocean to descend and melt off
this crap. Radar continues to work well. |
|
220322 Z (43.79528, -123.31104) 240.508°, 841.8 mb, 1308.0 m |
At 5 kft over Wilammette, nice cellular (presumably
open-cellular post-frontal) convection, anvil structures. All ice has been
shed from airframe. Climbing to 12 kft & reversing course at 2208. Cloud
& precip probes both working well again. |
|
221505 Z (43.97646, -122.95691) 64.999°, 645.0 mb, 3416.0 m |
Cruising through tops of convection at FL 12kft.
Tail radar velocities have been somewhat noisier. Will try re- setting COHO. |
|
224212 Z (44.17358, -122.44063) 321.275°, 696.0 mb, 2460.0 m |
At far NE point in stack @ 10 kft, echo very
shallow, not much in way of in situ microphysics data for much of this leg,
though tail Doppler shows evidence of *shallow* orographic enhancement. |
|
225518 Z (44.50709, -121.50473) 264.558°, 673.2 mb, 2214.0 m |
Tail down. Back up at 2257. Echo has been on
wane.Some light shallow stuff over hills |
|
231356 Z (44.19987, -122.82361) 299.588°, 575.1 mb, 4231.0 m |
At end of leg. Heading NW to pick up E-W
track.Planning three legs: 15, 12.5 & 10 kft |
|
232254 Z (44.45208, -123.40541) 85.435°, 571.8 mb, 4351.0 m |
In solid echo |
|
232632 Z (44.44413, -122.97610) 91.872°, 571.4 mb, 4170.0 m |
Echo reduced, but still observed in patches. |
|
233540 Z (44.36935, -122.11624) 269.865°, 578.6 mb, 3018.0 m |
Briefly considered moving this stack W to coastal
range where yet another band is approaching, but as echo has picked up
somewhat have elected to remain close to S-POL. |
|
233929 Z (44.36725, -122.43269) 268.906°, 588.5 mb, 3544.0 m |
Some 2nd trip even in single-PRF. Planning to run
dual-PRF next leg. Return leg will be at 12.5 kft |
|
235052 Z (44.36387, -123.41676) 269.137°, 630.3 mb, 3610.0 m |
Turning to track 090. Switching radar to MEAPRS1
dual-PRF setup (3200/2133). |
|
000733 Z (44.44151, -121.78403) 115.379°, 630.7 mb, 2440.0 m |
Turning to track 270, will do slow descent to 10kft.
Opting to stay in dual-PRF |
|
001940 Z (44.38986, -122.70425) 268.589°, 676.3 mb, 3025.0 m |
Cutting thru tops of weakcells. Considerable 2nd
trip contamination, esp. On RHS. Completing our slow descent to 10 kft. |
|
002426 Z (44.39230, -123.10486) 269.924°, 694.5 mb, 2935.0 m |
Turning to track 092 at 10 kft. |
|
003746 Z (44.43443, -121.82796) 91.989°, 694.8 mb, 1505.0 m |
Turning for final W-bound leg (track 271); will
maintain minimum possible altitude this run. Next lower will be 8 kft. |
|
004511 Z (44.38008, -122.27180) 271.143°, 722.0 mb, 1420.0 m |
Descending to 8 kft. Have been punchingsome reasonably well-defined cells, but
nothing too rough turbulence wise yet. |
|
004717 Z (44.38010, -122.44267) 269.811°, 737.4 mb, 1940.0 m |
Out of 8.5 kft for 7kft. Continued cellular
enhancement of terrain-hugging ~stratiform echoes, only ~2 km deep. Cleared to 6kft, out of 7.2 kft at 0050. |
|
005427 Z (44.50030, -122.91034) 356.165°, 727.2 mb, 2550.0 m |
Completed leg. Climbing/turning for ferry home to
KPAE. |
|
013620 Z (47.94588, -122.41412) 8.407°, 874.8 mb, 1067.0 m |
Radar system secured. |
|
015047 Z (47.91921, -122.28581) 180.372°, 990.2 mb, 2.0 m |
Landed 16R |
|
015623 Z (47.90021, -122.28062) 256.952°, 988.2 mb, 1.0 m |
Block-in. Block-to-block duration 9.2 h |
|
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