P-3 Orion - WFF 10/05/18

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Aircraft: 
P-3 Orion - WFF (See full schedule)
Flight Number: 
ORACLES Science Flight #5
Payload Configuration: 
ORACLES
Nav Data Collected: 
No
Archive Data: 
20181005 (128 binary files; 26 archive (plain-text) files; 39 image files)
Total Flight Time: 
9 hours
Submitted by: 
Mike Cropper on 10/05/18
Flight Segments: 
From:FPSTTo:FPST
Start:10/05/18 04:55 Z Finish:10/05/18 13:55 Z
Flight Time:9 hours
Log Number:19P018PI:Jens Redemann
Funding Source:Hal Maring - NASA - SMD - ESD Radiation Science Program
Purpose of Flight:Science
Miles Flown:2000 miles
Flight Hour Summary: 
18P00419P018
Flight Hours Approved in SOFRS188.5
Flight Hours Previously Approved 144
Total Used44.5110
Total Remaining 34
19P018 Flight Reports
Date Flt # Purpose of Flight Duration Running Total Hours Remaining Miles Flown
10/02/18ORACLES Science Flight #3Science8.58.5135.51940
10/03/18ORACLES Science Flight #4Science8.5171271970
10/05/18ORACLES Science Flight #5Science9261182000
10/07/18ORACLES Science Flight #6Science8.434.4109.62000
10/10/18ORACLES Science Flight #7Science8.342.7101.31970
10/12/18ORACLES Science Flight #8Science5.34896800
10/15/18ORACLES Science Flight #9Science7.855.888.21700
10/17/18ORACLES Science Flight #10Science8.564.379.72000
10/19/18ORACLES Science Flight #11Science872.371.71800
10/21/18ORACLES Science Flight #12Science8.280.563.51800
10/23/18ORACLES Science Flight #13Science8.188.655.41800
10/25/18ORACLES Transit #1Transit7.896.447.62009
10/26/18ORACLES Transit #2Transit7103.440.62100
10/27/18ORACLES Transit #3Transit5.8109.234.81692
10/27/18ORACLES Transit #4Transit0.81103472
18P004 Flight Reports
Date Flt # Purpose of Flight Duration Running Total Hours Remaining Miles Flown
09/17/18ORACLES ATFCheck1.31.3187.20
09/19/18ORACLES PTFCheck3.75183.50
09/21/18ORACLES Transit #1Transit6.311.3177.21716
09/22/18ORACLES Transit #2Transit8.219.51692131
09/24/18ORACLES Transit #3/Science FlightTransit9.328.8159.72500
09/27/18ORACLES Science Flight #1Science836.8151.71875
09/30/18ORACLES Science Flight #2Science7.744.51442400

Flight Reports began being entered into this system as of 2012 flights. If there were flights flown under an earlier log number the flight reports are not available online.

Related Science Report: 

ORACLES - P-3 Orion - WFF 10/05/18 Science Report

Mission: 
ORACLES
Mission Summary: 

Transited on 5E to 9.0S, then headed east to find low-cloud-fraction region. At ~7E went south to 9.5S, then headed west. 
Did a radiation wall between approx. 5.5E and 7W on 9.5S. This included, in order:

  • High-altitude overpass of line where we’ll do radiation wall
  • Square spiral from ~6km to surface in mostly-cloudy conditions toward east end of wall (~6.6E)
  • Above-cloud leg
  • In-cloud leg
  • Below-cloud leg
  • Brief 2ndabove-cloud leg for AOD measurement
  • 3 vertically-stacked legs in the plume for aerosol in-situ measurements
  • 2ndhigh-altitude overpass of radiation wall line
  • Square spiral from ~6km to surface in clear conditions (a “hole” in the cloud cover), towards west end of wall (~5.9E)
  • Short below-cloud leg, in-cloud legs and above-cloud legs in transit back to 5E line
  • Short in-situ aerosol leg in-transit back along 5E line

Boundary layer was the most polluted we’ve seen so far in ORACLES 2018. Cloud droplet number concentrations were accordingly elevated, in both the satellite retrievals and in the P3 cloud probe measurements. Based on chemical ratios from the aerosol in-situ measurements it also appeared to be a more aged plume than on other days in ORACLES 2018.
This will make a very good case for radiative closure, given the two square spirals in different conditions, the full radiation wall, and the moderate RH in the plume (which makes it easier to estimate the ambient-RH aerosol extinction from the low-RH in-situ scattering and absorption measurements).

SPECIAL NOTES:

  • Preliminary analysis indicates the aerosol measured on this flight was more aged than on other flights.
  • Observed Kelvin-Helmholtz waves in top of aerosol layer on HSRL (e.g. see ~09:23-09:25UTC). Could also see this in 4STAR AOD variations.
File: 
PDF icon PRF05Y18_20181005_P3_ScienceReport.pdf
Submitted by: 
Sarah Doherty on 10/22/18