Interdepartmental Hurricane ConferenceCharleston, SCTuesday, March 4, 2008

Hurricane and Severe Storm Sentinel (HS3)

Scott Braun (GSFC)Paul Newman (GSFC)Michael Craig (AMES)

NASA Hurricane Research Focus Areas

Satellite remote sensing

Field campaigns Numerical modeling

Sensor development

NASA Field Programs

Program Manager: Ramesh KakarField programs coordinated with NOAA/Hurricane Research Division

1998 2001 2005

2006

NASA DC-8

NASA ER-2

Global Hawk

NASA has acquired two Global Hawks, based at Dryden

Hurricane Science Questions

• Can we predict hurricane intensity, structure, and rainfall and what are the limits on predictability?

• What are the key processes involved in hurricane genesis and development?

• What are the mechanisms for rapid intensity change?

• What is the role of the Saharan Air Layer?

• How do storms change as they undergo extratropical transition?

Often underlying these questions is a focus on distribution of water in all of its phases

Science Traceability Matrix

Science Objectives

Can we predict track, intensity, structure, surge and rainfall of landfalling tropical cyclones?

Do we understand hurricane genesis and deveopment?

Do we understand the rapid intensity changes?

What is the role of the SAL?

Do we understand the extratropical transition?

Mission Functional Requirements

10-20 h on station

60-65 k ft altitude

Real-time downlink

Measurement Requirements

3-d wind structure

2-d, 3-d precipitation structure

Tropospheric wind profiles

Temperature profiles

Surface wind measurements

Cloud structure

Aerosol profiles

Humidity profiles

Wave heights

Instrument Functional Requirements

Precipitation radar • Scanning Doppler

• 1-2 km horiz. resolution

Wind lidar • Tropospheric profiles

• 20-30 km horiz.

resolution

Dropsonde

Cloud physics lidar

Scanning radar altimeter

Multispectral imagery

Radiometer

Microwave sounder

0

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000

70000

80000

0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Endurance (hours)

ER-2

WB-57

S-3BB-200

DC-8

P-3B

Lear 23

Caravan

J-31

Ikhana

Global Hawk

Aerosonde

G-III

NASA Airborne Science Aircraft

Sierra

NASA Global Hawk Overview

•The transfer of two Global Hawk aircraft from the USAF to NASA Dryden has been finalized.

•Both aircraft have all the required equipment for flight, and Northrop Grumman is currently performing inspections on the aircraft under a contract with NASA.

•FY08 is the project stand-up year, and the initial operating capability will be in early FY09.

Bay B

Bay A

Bay C

D E F Bay J

I

G H

Initial hurricane development

30 hour Global Hawk flights from Dryden22.5 hour loiter

15.0 hour loiter

Out & BackNo loiter

Nearly all Atlantic, East Pacific, and Central Pacific hurricanes are within range

Measurement Technologies

• Wind lidar technologies

• Scanning Doppler radar (HIWRAP)

• Imaging radiometer (HIRAD)

• Microwave sounder

• Cloud physics radar

• Cloud/aerosol lidar

• Dropsondes

Hurricane Eyewall

Snow/ice

RainCld-free

0 km

16 km

surface winds

3D horiz. windsin precip and cld

Ku & Ka BandKu & Ka Band

HIWRAP Concept

Timeline

Mission definition phase• Hurricane Science & Forecasting workshop: June

2008• White paper completed: Aug. 2008

Mission implementation (depending on funding)• Payload selection - Spring-Summer 2009• Instrument test flights on WB-57f, ER-2, & GH

Test flights on GH - 2009-2010Aug.-Sep. 2010 - deployment 1Aug.-Sep. 2011 - deployment 2

Hurricane and Severe Storm Sentinel

Science Goal:

To understand hurricane genesis, intensification, and tracks, and the implications of a warming climate.

Key Science Questions:• Can we improve prediction of track, intensity, structure, surge

and rainfall for landfalling tropical cyclones?• How do hurricanes form and intensify?• What causes rapid intensity changes?• What’s the role of the Saharan Air Layer?• How do storms change as they undergo extratropical transition?

Science Goal:

To understand hurricane genesis, intensification, and tracks, and the implications of a warming climate.

Key Science Questions:• Can we improve prediction of track, intensity, structure, surge

and rainfall for landfalling tropical cyclones?• How do hurricanes form and intensify?• What causes rapid intensity changes?• What’s the role of the Saharan Air Layer?• How do storms change as they undergo extratropical transition?

Science Objectives:

Demonstrate unique expertise in• Long-term duration with Earth Science surveillance• Providing 3-D observations of the wind field both within

tropical cyclones and in the environment• Measuring moisture fields, clouds, aerosols, and

precipitation• Observing the genesis of tropical cyclones and the

intensification from a tropical storm to a hurricane over an extended period - surveillance rather than reconnaissance

• Develop infrastructure to enable all Earth Science Focus Areas

Science Objectives:

Demonstrate unique expertise in• Long-term duration with Earth Science surveillance• Providing 3-D observations of the wind field both within

tropical cyclones and in the environment• Measuring moisture fields, clouds, aerosols, and

precipitation• Observing the genesis of tropical cyclones and the

intensification from a tropical storm to a hurricane over an extended period - surveillance rather than reconnaissance

• Develop infrastructure to enable all Earth Science Focus Areas

Mission Platform:• Unmanned Airborne System (UAS)

Northrop Grumman Global Hawk• 2000 lb. payload• >30 hour endurance• 65,000 ft. altitude

Mission Platform:• Unmanned Airborne System (UAS)

Northrop Grumman Global Hawk• 2000 lb. payload• >30 hour endurance• 65,000 ft. altitude

22 hr. loiter15 hr.

Out & Back

Hurricane Genesis Locations

HS3

Mission requirements:• Surveillance capability on developing tropical systems:

> 12 hours• Surveillance from above hurricanes: >60,000 feet• Real-time downlinking of observations• High vert. and horiz. resolution obs. (in and out of precipitation)

of: winds, precip, temp, humidity, aerosols, and cloud structure.

Mission requirements:• Surveillance capability on developing tropical systems:

> 12 hours• Surveillance from above hurricanes: >60,000 feet• Real-time downlinking of observations• High vert. and horiz. resolution obs. (in and out of precipitation)

of: winds, precip, temp, humidity, aerosols, and cloud structure.

Hurricane and Severe Storm Sentinel HS3

A Proposed Application of the Global Hawk for Hurricane Studies

UASs and the Decadal Survey

Oct. 2006: Decadal Survey Subcommittee Report has a specific comment with respect to UASs: “We recommend that ESD appoint a Working Group for Suborbital Science to assist in the development of a strategy for new technology infusion and long-term planning in the Suborbital Science Program.”

June 2007: Richard A. Anthes, Decadal Survey Co-Chair before the House Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics Committee on Science and Technology: “… NASA should increase its suborbital capabilities. NASA’s airborne programs have suffered substantial diminution and should be restored. In addition, NASA should lead in exploiting unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV/ technology). Both conventional and UAV aircraft are needed for instrument development, and hence risk reduction and technology advancement, and for their direct contribution to Earth observations. Increment needed beyond President’s Request in FY08: $10 million.”

July 2007: The Senate Appropriations Committee recommended a NASA budget of $17.5B, an increase of 7.2 percent or $1.2B. In that Senate Subcommittee report they stated, "Unmanned Aerial Vehicles [UAV] in Support of Earth Science Objectives. - The Committee initiated a program in fiscal year 2006 utilizing the unique location and assets of the Wallops Flight Facility to begin a program where UAVs would be utilized to achieve key objectives emerging out of the Earth Science Decadal Survey. The Committee strongly encourages NASA to continue this effort in fiscal year 2008.”

July 2007: The House Appropriations Committee recommended $17.6B, an increase of 8.2 percent or $1.3B. “The Committee also notes that that National Academies' Earth Science decadal survey urges the use of unmanned aircraft systems (UASs) in essentially all Earth science areas as part of a balanced portfolio. The report states '. . . UAVs have the potential to revolutionize suborbital remote and in situ sensing with their increased range and loiter time, and their ability to penetrate hazardous environments' as compared to conventional aircraft. The Committee urges NASA to build upon its' existing program and should continue this effort with industry. The Committee expects this issue to be addressed in the Agency's FY 2008 operating plan.