From: | FPST | To: | FPST | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Start: | 10/17/18 07:45 Z | Finish: | 10/17/18 16:15 Z | ||
Flight Time: | 8.5 hours | ||||
Log Number: | 19P018 | PI: | Jens Redemann | ||
Funding Source: | Hal Maring - NASA - SMD - ESD Radiation Science Program | ||||
Purpose of Flight: | Science | ||||
Miles Flown: | 2000 miles |
18P004 | 19P018 | |
---|---|---|
Flight Hours Approved in SOFRS | 188.5 | |
Flight Hours Previously Approved | 144 | |
Total Used | 44.5 | 110 |
Total Remaining | 34 |
19P018 Flight Reports | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date | Flt # | Purpose of Flight | Duration | Running Total | Hours Remaining | Miles Flown |
10/02/18 | ORACLES Science Flight #3 | Science | 8.5 | 8.5 | 135.5 | 1940 |
10/03/18 | ORACLES Science Flight #4 | Science | 8.5 | 17 | 127 | 1970 |
10/05/18 | ORACLES Science Flight #5 | Science | 9 | 26 | 118 | 2000 |
10/07/18 | ORACLES Science Flight #6 | Science | 8.4 | 34.4 | 109.6 | 2000 |
10/10/18 | ORACLES Science Flight #7 | Science | 8.3 | 42.7 | 101.3 | 1970 |
10/12/18 | ORACLES Science Flight #8 | Science | 5.3 | 48 | 96 | 800 |
10/15/18 | ORACLES Science Flight #9 | Science | 7.8 | 55.8 | 88.2 | 1700 |
10/17/18 | ORACLES Science Flight #10 | Science | 8.5 | 64.3 | 79.7 | 2000 |
10/19/18 | ORACLES Science Flight #11 | Science | 8 | 72.3 | 71.7 | 1800 |
10/21/18 | ORACLES Science Flight #12 | Science | 8.2 | 80.5 | 63.5 | 1800 |
10/23/18 | ORACLES Science Flight #13 | Science | 8.1 | 88.6 | 55.4 | 1800 |
10/25/18 | ORACLES Transit #1 | Transit | 7.8 | 96.4 | 47.6 | 2009 |
10/26/18 | ORACLES Transit #2 | Transit | 7 | 103.4 | 40.6 | 2100 |
10/27/18 | ORACLES Transit #3 | Transit | 5.8 | 109.2 | 34.8 | 1692 |
10/27/18 | ORACLES Transit #4 | Transit | 0.8 | 110 | 34 | 72 |
18P004 Flight Reports | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date | Flt # | Purpose of Flight | Duration | Running Total | Hours Remaining | Miles Flown |
09/17/18 | ORACLES ATF | Check | 1.3 | 1.3 | 187.2 | 0 |
09/19/18 | ORACLES PTF | Check | 3.7 | 5 | 183.5 | 0 |
09/21/18 | ORACLES Transit #1 | Transit | 6.3 | 11.3 | 177.2 | 1716 |
09/22/18 | ORACLES Transit #2 | Transit | 8.2 | 19.5 | 169 | 2131 |
09/24/18 | ORACLES Transit #3/Science Flight | Transit | 9.3 | 28.8 | 159.7 | 2500 |
09/27/18 | ORACLES Science Flight #1 | Science | 8 | 36.8 | 151.7 | 1875 |
09/30/18 | ORACLES Science Flight #2 | Science | 7.7 | 44.5 | 144 | 2400 |
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.
This was a Target of Opportunity flight aimed at sampling younger aerosol off the coast of Angola. The first priority was intensive in-situ aerosol sampling; if possible, the hope was to also get a radiation wall / square spiral out of it for SSFR/4STAR retrieval of spectral absorption and single scatter albedo. The flight plan, which we largely followed, was to transit south on 7E to 7S; then go east-bound to 10.5E. There, do the radiation wall along a north-south line ~7.0-7.6E. Then transit from 7S, 10.5E west to 7S, 5E and transit back to STM on 5E, with some in-situ sampling along the way if time/fuel permits.
We encountered significant mid-level clouds on the south- and east- bound transit legs to the work area, requiring us to adjust alitude frequently to keep below the mid-level clouds (thereby allowing for HSRL retrievals). When we arrived at the work area there were still mid-level clouds, so we changed the usual order of the radiation wall and instead stepped down from high altitude, doing in-situ aerosol legs on the way down; then did the below-cloud, in-cloud and above-cloud legs before doing a square spiral back up to altitude. Unfortunately mid-level clouds interfered with the square spiral SSFR/4STAR measurements. We were able to do some more in-situ sampling on the leg back to STM on 5E.
This flight was most notable for the extremely high concentrations of aerosol on the 7-7.6S, 10.5E line at ~5-7,000' altitude. This was the most concentrated aerosol seen yet in ORACLES. In addition, based on preliminary in-flight observations, it was younger than other aerosol sampled during ORACLES.