DC-8 SUCCESS flight #219 [960219] (scientists: Eric Jensen and Jim Spinhirne)
SUMMARY: The basic flight went very well. The primary task on this flight was to sample cirrus over water, with the ER-2 flying above, to calibrate the tilt-scan camera. After considerable searching, we did find and profile thin cirrus over mostly clear water off the coast of Oregon.
OPERATIONS
FLIGHT PLAN:
We will transit to the coastal region just north of the CA/OR border.
If cirrus are present with no lower clouds, we will fly a racetrack pattern,
aligned with the wind, with 5-10 min. legs. We will do several loops at
different altitudes to profile the cirrus. If mid-level clouds are present and
we are generating persistent contrails, then we will fly up and down a single
leg, aligned with the wind (250 at 80 knts.). If no cirrus or contrails are
present, then we will fly south to the warning area off Santa Barbara and
profile cirrus. On the transit home, we will do the usual MMS maneuvers (one
square box, and one set of wiggles).
TAKEOFF/LANDING
The DC-8 left Ames at 19.18 UTC (12.18 noon local time) and
returned to Ames at 00.45 UTC
FLIGHT REPORT
Based on advice from the ground, we immediately transited to a point off
the coast of central Oregon (about 45 deg. north). We had to make several
more adjustments (mostly to the south and west) to get to the region where
very few clouds were present below the cirrus. The flight path we eventually
flew was just at the eastern edge of a band of cirrus. We flew legs at 23, 24,
21, and 19 K' to profile the cirrus.
Finally, we transited back to Ames. On the
way back, we did the MMS maneuvers and a slow speed run.
METEOROLOGY-REPORT
OBSERVATIONS:
Mid-level clouds are present over most of the eastern Pacific.
The Oregon coast provided some breaks in the low-level clouds, with the
tropopause relatively low.
INSTRUMENT STATUS
All instruments required for cirrus microphysical sampling performed well.