Date: March 29, 1999
Mission: NOAA-15 underflight. IPO Bkn low clouds, CO retrieval. ER-2 instrument calibration.
Mission Objectives
Underfly NOAA-15 in clear sky conditions over Lake Michigan for calibration comparisons between ER-2 and NOAA-15 instruments (AERIbago at L. Michigan lakeshore). Test NAST-I atmospheric retrievals in broken low cloud conditions with radiosonde network aloft. Test MODIS cloud detection in low light conditions. Overfly MKE for DNR CO monitoring measurements. Compare ER-2 based instrument calibration over L. Michigan. Overfly SSEC for HSRL, AERI comparisons to ER-2 instruments.
Flight Summary
Take-off was at 2300 UTC. ER-2 landed at 0245 UTC (99089).
ER-2 spiraled up from Truax and flew south towards N. Indiana (40n, 86:52w) to overfly boundary layer cu which formed in daytime solar heating. Cu was rapidly dissipating before ER-2 arrived so only sct to few cu remaining when ER-2 overflew. Then flew from N. Indiana to SE corner of L. Michigan racetrack. Eastern line (42:08n 86:50w to 43:44n 87:25w) of racetrack went over buoy 87007 and western leg was about 36km (19nm) west and parallel. Skies all clear during 3 orbits of racetrack. ER-2 met NOAA-15 (6:52pm CST; 0052 UTC) on 2nd orbit at end of eastern leg. AERIbago making measurements during entire time at its position on high cliff in Sheboygan overlooking L. Michigan. Classonde launched at 6:15pm from AERIbago site. After 3rd orbit, ER-2 flew in clear skies from central L. Michigan over MKE and on past MSN in darkness. HSRL operating, AERIbago operating, AERI on roof.
Highlights
Clear skies over L. Michigan with NOAA-15 overhead. SCT low cu in low light conditions near synoptic radiosonde time. Clear scenes over MKE CO measurements at night.
Instrument Status