Al Cooper

Jeff Stith

Earth Observing Laboratory (EOL)

HIAPER Debrief

9 November 2005

Ongoing Development and Support: EOL Plans for

Deployment of HIAPER in Support of Environmental

Research

Scientific Opportunities

• Climate and climate change• Atmospheric chemistry, esp. at the interface

between the troposphere and the stratosphere• Weather research, with global coverage and ability

to cover large weather systems• Global cycles of water, carbon, nitrogen, and energy• Aerosols• Studies of clouds• Interpretation and extrapolation of observations

from satellites

Important Measurements• Climate and climate change:

– Radiative transfer in the atmosphere– Radiative effects of clouds– Nature of convective structures and circulations– Concentrations of water vapor and other trace gases– Measurements on spatial scales comparable to those of

climate models– Measurements that support interpretation of observations

from satellites• Atmospheric chemistry:

– Measurement of the concentrations of trace gases and of the radiative fluxes that drive photochemistry

– Emphasis on the upper troposphere / lower stratosphere– Measurements of the chemical composition of aerosols– Characterization of transport over large distances

Important Measurements (2)• Weather research:

– Dropsonde capability for targeted observations covering large areas and released from high levels

– Temperature and water vapor profiles– Measurements of precipitable water– Characterization of hydrometeors and precipitation– Mesoscale characterization of air motions and

thermodynamic structure;• Global cycles of water, carbon, nitrogen, and energy:

– Extensive coverage of the troposphere– Ability to measure fluxes and transport of these key

atmospheric constituents

The “Style” of Support

• We provide measurement capabilities to scientists, and try to anticipate and address their needs.

• These vary from project to project, so the instrumentation, flight plans, locations, etc., change with each project.

• Our mission is more than flight operations:– Instrumentation and measurement science– Assistance with project design and implementation– Installation of instrumentation, and assistance with design to

meet standards– Training of investigators in preparation for missions– Delivery, archival, and interpretation of data

• Flexibility and versatility are important to our style of support.

A >35 Year History of Flight Operations

In addition to the C-130 and Electra shown here:Buffalo

SabrelinerKing Air

Queen AirsSailplane

Critical Aspects of Support

• Planning and preparation for projects• Providing suitable instruments and assistance

with their use and interpretation• Development of instruments and capabilities • Flight operations• Data handling• Other tools for supported investigators• Maintenance, certification, and other aspects of

safe and reliable operation

Planning and Preparation for Projects

• Interactions with scientists during planning• Assessment of feasibility• Assistance and guidance with design,

construction, and certification of instruments• Plans for operations• Preparation for field operations• Installation of user-supplied equipment and

provision for instrument complements tailored to the scientific needs

This installation, from a C-130project, shows an example ofthe kind of instruments thatwe install and fly. This rackcontains instruments for themeasurement of ozone andcarbon monoxide. A payloadfor a chemistry project mighthave ten or more racks like this on the aircraft.

Providing Suitable Instruments

• Maintain a set of standard instruments (to measure temperature, wind, etc.)

• Make available a set of special-use instruments that meet needs of anticipated experiments

• Conduct studies of the performance of sensors and document their characteristics

• Anticipate future needs and promote development projects to address them.

Continued Development of Instruments and Capabilities

• HAIS instruments provide a superb core set of measurement capabilities. Assuming responsibility for these is a major challenge for EOL.

• The development effort has also made it possible to fill some of the gaps left by that set, esp. in wind measurement, aerosol characterization, and other basic capabilities

• There are opportunities to augment measurement capabilities, esp. in regard to long-wave radiation, some chemistry needs, remote-sensing capabilities, and some aspects of aerosol and cloud physics.

Field Operations

• Field programs often require 12-20 weeks:– Research lasts 4-8 weeks– 6-8 weeks typical for installation of specialized instruments– 2-4 weeks for removal and necessary maintenance

• Expect to be able to support two full projects per year (with additional small-project and test periods)

• Plans are based on a long-term goal of 400 flight hours per year, after completion of the instrumentation tasks

• Crew (for both aircraft, cross-trained): four pilots, 6 mechanics, 7 technicians, 3 project managers, 2 engineers, 3 software engineers, 2 aeronautical engineers, and additional scientists devoted to other support

The Flight and Support CrewsFour pilots:•Extensive experience with research projects (20 y typical)•Key participants in project planning, feasibility, and safety

Mechanics, technicians, project managers and scientists with experience supporting researchprojects and making airborne measurements

Data Handling

• Quality Control, Documentation, and Education– In-the-field quality checks (including automated

checks)– Characterization of data quality before final release of

the data– Formal, documented uncertainty characterization for

all measurements!– Ready access via the NCAR Community Data Portal,

via integrated data sets– Continued support via interactions with users– A special role in regard to education of potential users

Other Tools for Support of Investigators

• The “Virtual Operations Center” will feature:– Telemetry to and from the aircraft, with the

ability for investigators with internet access to participate “virtually” in experiments and even control their instruments remotely

– Remote participation of investigators in daily planning and operational decisions

– Education and outreach opportunities– New software tools for analysis of data

Maintenance, Certification, and Other Aspects of Safe and Reliable

Operation• Factory-trained mechanics and adherence to a required

maintenance schedule• Starting from an aircraft certificated in the standard

transport category, with modifications to accommodate the flexible installation of instruments

• Compliance with FAA standards for safety of instrumentation, aircraft modifications, and other aspects of research operations

• Other contributions: UCAR Safety Office, RAF Safety Committee, safety officer program, training program for mission scientists, etc.

Challenges:

• Assumption of responsibility for instruments developed by others

• Finding ways to continue development of instruments for HIAPER, following the HAIS model

• Certification: A new mode of operation for most of the community

• Expansion to communities of users outside those traditionally supported