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CLEAR SKY OVER SEA ICE AND SHEBA ICE CAMP.
NICE SEQUENCE OF ARCTIC STRATUS, SEA ICE AND OPEN WATER BETWEEN 2010 AND 2030 UTC.
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Notes from Mike King:
Author: Dr Michael King
Mission Scientist: Dr. Michael King
ER-2 Pilot: Ken Broda
Takeoff: 20May1998 1905 UTC
Landing: 21May1998 0135 UTC
Flight Duration: 6:30
Objective:
The objective of this mission was to fly the ER-2 repeatedly over the surface site at Barrow (71°19.37’N, 156°34.9’W), coordinated with the University of Washington CV-580, followed by a flight to the SHEBA ice station (76°20.31’N, 166°37.45’W) and finally to a flight track parallel to the NOAA-14 ground track.
Coordinations:
The mission was coordinated with the CV-580 between 2009 and 2202 UTC, with the ER-2 flying flight legs between single level Arctic stratus clouds over the tundra south of Barrow, to broken clouds over the ARM site, to clear sky over the ice. The entire flight track over the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas was cloud free. Other coordinations included: F-14 satellite (2121 and 2301 UTC) NOAA-14 satellite (2326 UTC) Solar noon (2301 UTC)
Key Flight Legs:
The ER-2 flew a NNE flight line from point 1 (70°17’N, 158°W) to point 2 (72°40’N, 155°W), overflying the ARM site each time, that consisted of 5 flight legs 285 km in length. Following this coordinated pattern with the CV-580, the ER-2 flew a NW flight track to point 4 (74°N, 166°37.45’W), where it turned and headed north to point 6 (77°N, 166°37.45’W), consisting of a single flight leg 333 km in length. This flight track passed over the SHEBA ice station at: 2303 UTC
Finally, the ER-2 headed SSE on a heading of 143.76°, aligned
with the NOAA-14 overpass at 2326 UTC. The AirMISR was turned on for four
acquisitions over the Barrow ARM site, one over the SHEBA ice station,
and one at the time of the NOAA-14 overpass. The AirMISR operated at the
following times:
2011-2025 UTC (ARM)
2043.75-2058 UTC (ARM)
2112.75-2125 UTC (ARM)
2145.75-2200 UTC (ARM)
2256-2308 UTC (SHEBA)
2320-2328 UTC (NOAA-14)
Pilot Report:
The ER-2 pilot reported undercast conditions over all of Alaska en route to and from Barrow, with thick Arctic stratus clouds on the south side of Barrow, with clear sky over the ice.
Meteorology:
A single layer cloud system occurred near and to the south of Barrow, with severe clear over the Beaufort Sea. A high pressure system was located just NE of the SHEBA ice station, with low stratus to the NE. This cloud was moving toward the west, but did not move over the SHEBA ice camp at any time during the mission.
Instrument Status:
AirMISR (Airborne Multi-angle Imaging Spectroradiometer): The first
two scenes collected 5 of 9 look angles (nadir and the last 3 aft
view angles not recorded); subsequent acquisitions obtained all 9 look
angles until the SHEBA acquisition when the data collection was truncated;
final data collection
sequence during the NOAA-14 overpass was not acquired
AMPR (Advanced Microwave Precipitation Radiometer): Worked well
CLS (Cloud Lidar System): Worked well
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 (8.3-14.0 µm) disconnected
for nitrogen purge
MIR (Millimeter-wave Imaging Radiometer): Worked well
SSFR (Solar Spectral Flux Radiometer): Worked well