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Notes from Mike King:
ER-2 Flight Log
Author: Dr Michael King
Mission Scientist: Dr. Michael King
ER-2 Pilot: Jim Barrilleaux
Takeoff: 18May1998 1940 UTC
Landing: 19May1998 0140 UTC
Flight Duration: 6:00
Objective:
The objective of this mission was to fly the ER-2 over surface sites at Barrow (71°19.37’N, 156°34.9’W) and the SHEBA ice station (76°18.7’N, 166°7.1’W), then to fly a repeated E-W and N-S cross pattern over SHEBA.
Coordinations:
The mission was coordinated with the C-130Q at 2300 (local noon), with the ER-2 flying north over the SHEBA ice station while the C-130Q was within the mid-tropospheric cloud layer for 50 km on a southbound leg. Other coordinations included: F-14 satellite (2145 and 2326 UTC) NOAA-14 satellite (2207 UTC) Solar noon (2300 UTC)
Key Flight Legs:
The ER-2 overflew the SHEBA ice station (point 1) during an E-W grid from point 2 (76°18.7’N, 167°45’W) to/from point 3 (76°10’N, 157°W) that consisted of 2 flight legs 284 km in length, followed by a N-S grid from point 4 (74°18.7’N, 166°7.1’W) to/from point 5 (77°12.7’N, 166°7.1’W) that consisted of 2.4 flight legs 285 km in length. These flight tracks passed over the SHEBA ice station at: 2137, 2222, 2234.5, 2259, and 2322 UTC
The AirMISR was turned on for two acquisitions over the Barrow ARM
site (en route and return) and 3 acquisitions over the SHEBA ice
station, and operated at the following times:
2042.5-2057 UTC (ARM)
2216.5-2230 UTC (SHEBA)
2253.5-2306.5 UTC (SHEBA)
2316.25-2331.25 UTC (SHEBA)
0009.75-0026 UTC (ARM)
Pilot Report:
The ER-2 pilot reported 98% low cloud cover (undercast) starting
approximately 200 nautical miles (nm) north of Fairbanks. Very few
breaks in the clouds were observed.
Meteorology:
A multilayer cloud system consisting of low stratus, mid-level
altocumulus (3-4.5 km) and upper level cirrus (7.25-8 km) reported
at the SHEBA ice station. A dry layer was seen in the sounding from the
ice station between 900 and 650 mb. The satellite imagery showed
a low level cloud to the south of SHEBA and a multi-layer cloud at SHEBA
at 1415 UTC, with temperature inversions at 0.5, 3.2, and 4.2 km.
Winds were from 65° (ENE) at a speed of 21 kts.
Instrument Status:
AirMISR (Airborne Multi-angle Imaging Spectroradiometer): No aft
camera viewing (C&D camera positions) and log files not written
AMPR (Advanced Microwave Precipitation Radiometer): Worked well
CLS (Cloud Lidar System): Lidar worked properly, but navigation
data not recorded
HIS (High-resolution Interferometer Sounder): Worked from take-off
to near SHEBA the first overpass (~1.5 hr) and then failed; cause not determined
MAS (MODIS Airborne Simulator): Port 4 bands (8.3-14.0 µm)
noisy and unsatisfactory; will be taken off
MAS for next 5 days to purge with nitrogen to evaporate ice
MIR (Millimeter-wave Imaging Radiometer): Worked well
SSFR (Solar Spectral Flux Radiometer): Worked well