Date: Nov 24, 2002

Mission: Terra MODIS Cloud Product validation.

Mission Objectives

Collect data of single and multilayer (ice over water) cirrus cloud for validating MODIS Cloud Top heights and Cloud Phase using CPL depolarization data.  Collect data of very thin cirrus for MODIS Cloud Mask thin cirrus bit validation.

Flight Summary

Take-off was at 1530 UTC.  ER-2 landed at 1905 UTC.

ER-2 flew towards eastern TX where it picked up a line parallel to the Terra MODIS orbital track (23 deg view from MODIS) and flew this line towards SW Missouri, meeting the Terra MODIS overpass (1702 UTC) near the northern extent.  Total length of this line was about 70 minutes.  All along this line was single layer cirrus of varying thickness, and some cases of single layer cirrus over scattered or broken stratus.  At the Terra overpass, the ER-2 was observing cirrus with spotty strato-cu (sct) below.  Pilot then reversed course and flew the same line back to SE TX where he got off this line and returned to SAT.

Highlights

Abundant cirrus in single layer and multi-layer (ice over water) scenes w/Terra overpass.

Instrument Status

• Modis Airborne Simulator (MAS): Operated. Good data.
• NPOESS Atmospheric Sounder Testbed (NAST-I): Problems with signal level in all bands.
• Cloud Physics Lidar (CPL): Operated. Good data.
• Scanner High-Resolution Interferometer Sounder (S-HIS): Good data.
• VIS video camera: Operated.  Good video collected.
• M/VIS mini video camera: Operated.  Good video collected.
• RC-10 Cameras: Operated 6" (b/w) camera for 5 minutes surrounding Terra overpass time  (1659 - 1704 UTC)

Additional Pilot Notes: Could see surface through clouds about 70% of time.  Low stratus deck under cirrus at Terra overpass time.