Synonyms: 
B200 - AFRC
B200 - AFRC (TN 801)
B200 - AFRC (#801)
B200 - AFRC (#801) - AFRC
B-200 (#801) - AFRC
B-200 (A)
Associated content: 

James Less (AFRC), Alex Wineteeer (JPL), Federica Polverari (JPL), and Wayne Ringelberg (AFRC) [12.06.19]

Tracy Phelps (AFRC), Hernan Posada (AFRC), Fabien Nicaise (JPL), and Hector Torres (JPL) [12.11.19]

NASA 801 taxiing at ARC [12.05.19]

Jeff Borton (AFRC), Scott Howe (AFRC), and Alex Wineteer (JPL) [12.05.19]

Jeff Borton (AFRC) and NASA 801 at ARC [08.22.19]

Multiscale Observing System of the Ocean Surface

The Multiscale Observing System of the Ocean Surface (MOSES) is an aerial observing system that was developed jointly at UCLA and Ifremer (France). It is a relatively low-cost package that includes off-the-shelf cameras, combined with accurate Applanix IMU/GPS to provide geo-referenced observations of the ocean surface. The primary camera in the system is a FLIR A6751 SLS longwave infrared camera, providing measurements of sea surface temperature at a resolution of several meters.

Instrument Type: 
Point(s) of Contact: 

Doppler Scatterometry

NASA’s DopplerScatt instrument (Rodriguez et al., 2018) provides simultaneous measurements of ocean vector winds and surface currents estimates over a 24-km swath. The surface currents are used to compute surface convergence and vorticity. Winds are used to investigate air-sea interaction and to estimate the wind-driven current component.

DopplerScatt uses a pencil-beam mechanically scanning antenna that measures surface radar cross sections and radial Doppler velocities that are processed to estimate ocean vector winds and currents concurrently. The instrument operates at Ka-band (35.75 GHz), allowing for a compact antenna accommodation using waveguide slot array technology (22 cm diameter) protected by the RF-transparent radome (Fig. 3.1). The antenna rotation enables wide swath coverage (24 km when flying at 28 kft) as well as looks in multiple azimuth directions allowing the recovery of vector winds and surface currents at 200 m spatial resolution. Unlike traditional scatterometers, the radar operates coherently allowing for Doppler measurements of the relative velocity between the platform and the surface. DopplerScatt includes a precision Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) coupled with the Applanix GPS receiver which enables accurate motion compensation and removal of the platform velocity for retrieval of the surface velocity component.

DopplerScatt was developed under NASA Earth Science and Technology Office (ESTO) Instrument Incubator Program (IIP) and NASA AITT.

Instrument Type: 
Measurements: 
Point(s) of Contact: 

B200 (#801) - AFRC

Owner/Operator: 
NASA Armstrong (Dryden) Flight Research Center
Type: 
Beechcraft Super King Air B200
Duration: 
6.0 hours (payload and weather dependent)
Useful Payload: 
1 850 lbs
Gross Take-off Weight: 
13 420 lbs
Onboard Operators: 
2
Max Altitude: 
35,000 ft. MSL (restricted airspace), 28,000 ft. MSL (national airspace)
Air Speed: 
280 knots
Range: 
1 300 Nmi
Power: 
28VDC, 235A
Point(s) of Contact: 

Tim Krall

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