ER-2 Flight: 96114

Date: May 8, 1996

Mission: Convective outflow microphysics with coordinated flight between ER-2 and DC-8 over the upper midwest, convection associated with Mesoscale Convective System, cold scene calibration.

Mission Objectives

DC-8 and ER-2 coordinated flight to sample cirrus outflow of MCS with DC-8 in situ and ER-2 radiometry above. T-39 sampling DC-8 contrail on transit from Salina to upper midwest and then breaking off to return to Salina. ER-2 coordinate with DC-8 for first half of flight and then break off on heading into the solar plane and observe thick cold cloud shield of MCS. ER-2 finish by flying convection on southern end of MCS.

Flight Summary

The ER-2 launched at 1700 UTC, a few minutes before DC-8 and T-39, and landed at 2210 UTC. T-39 reported flying in DC-8 contrail before breaking off to return to SLN. ER-2 coordinated with DC-8 for first half of flight (up to GRB), observing broken cirrus of varying optical depth over Wisconsin. DC-8 made microphysical measurements. Low/mid level cloud deck below cirrus. ER-2 broke off and flew into sun over portion of thick cold cirrus outflow shield before reaching transmissive cirrus scenes in NW Illinois and Iowa. Convection cells associated with MCS moved well off to east before ER-2 arrived at convective site checkpoint. ER-2 flew over immature building convective cell to SW of Salina before descending.

Highlights

ER-2 overflew DC-8 microphysical in situ about 10 minutes behind DC-8 data collection. Immature convective cell overflown at end (2129 UTC) of ER-2 flight exploded into deep convection.

Instrument Status

• MODIS Airborne Simulator (MAS): Operated. Good data collected.
• Cloud Aerosol Lidar System (CALS): Operated. Good data collected.
• High-Resolution Interferometer Sounder (HIS): Operated. Good data collected.
• Millimeter-wave Imaging Radiometer (MIR): Operated. Good data collected.
• Tilt Scan CCD Camera (TSCC): Operated continuously. Failed after 28 minutes of data collection
• Radiation Measuring System (RAMS): Operated. Good data, except S-20 (near IR) failure.
• RC-10 Camera: Operated (black and white visible film- 12 inch lens). Ran out of film at end of flight.

Additional Pilot Notes: Abundant cirrus when flying into solar plane. Growing convective cell overflown at 2128 UTC (this cell later matured into deep convective cell - ed.). DC-8 contrails observed ahead of ER-2 (~20 nm length) in first half of flight, but dissipated by the time ER-2 flew over them.