Research Summaries

Back NPS/CIRPAS Support of ONR Airborne Research Objectives

Fiscal Year 2013
Division Research & Sponsored Programs
Department Center for Interdisciplinary Remotely-Piloted Aircraft Studies
Investigator(s) Bluth, Robert T.
Jonsson, Haflidi H.
Sponsor Office of Naval Research (Navy)
Summary 1. Aircraft Observations for Improved Physical Parameterization for Seasonal Prediction: The question of how to couple boundary layer processes to the dynamics of the free troposphere still poses a major challenge to Atmospheric modelers. A part of this problem is the lack of adequately accurate characterization of the boundary layer processes. In recent developments, use of probability distribution functions (PDF) to characterize the properties of the boundary layer have gained popularity, but observations needed to establish such distribution functions are lacking. The purpose of this project is to use aerosol, cloud and dynamics payloads on the CIRPAS Twin Otter to obtain the much needed data to accomplish this. Especially needed are measurements near the sea surface and for this the newly acquired controlled towed vehicle (CTV) capable of flux measurements as little as 10 m above the air/sea interface is particularly useful. A second approach uses the Eddy-Diffusivity-Mass-Flux (EDMF) approach, better capable of including effects of quasi-organized structures such as rolls and streaks in shear-dominant boundary layer. The project proposed to use the CIRPAS wind LiDAR, complemented by on-board wind measurements in the coastal zone where land influences on flow may be important. The project is led by Dr. David Emmitt of Simpson Weather Associates. 2. Radiometer measurements in the marine layer. Measurements of radiation from aircraft have proven difficult because of the constant movement of the platform. The constant pitch- and roll-angle changes require that sometimes uncertain corrections be done to measurements based on separate measurements of platform attitude. The CIRPAS Twin Otter is requested to support a short mission with two objectives.
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Publications Publications, theses (not shown) and data repositories will be added to the portal record when information is available in FAIRS and brought back to the portal
Data Publications, theses (not shown) and data repositories will be added to the portal record when information is available in FAIRS and brought back to the portal