WB57 Midlatitude Cirrus Experiment WB MidCiX

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WB57 Midlatitude Cirrus Experiment (WB
MidCiX) Aircrew Briefing
Overall Science Objectives Characterize the
properties of midlatitude cirrus (primarily non
convective) with a very unique payload (particles
number and area distribution, mass, extinction,
dynamics) Characterize the current suite of
condensed water probes Why? Improve our ability
to retrieve cloud properties from NASA
satellites Improve our confidence in probes for
upcoming tropical cirrus missions Improve our
understanding of cirrus
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WB57 Midlatitude Cirrus Experiment (WB MidCiX)
Aircrew Briefing

• Specifics basic missions..
• Cirrus over the DOE Atmospheric Radiation
  Measurement (ARM) site in North-central Oklahoma
• Cirrus along the flight track of the Terra and
  Aqua satellites (1030 and 1330 local time)
• Cirrus
• Clouds formed in mountain waves

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WB57 Midlatitude Cirrus Experiment (WB MidCiX)
Aircrew Briefing

• Intend to fly every other day weather dependent
• Nominal Day
• Previous Afternoon (1400) Determine Primary
  and secondary objectives for following day
• 0600 Update objectives. Hands on instruments
• 0830 Brief aircrew
• 1000 Take off
• 1600 Land
• 1630 Debrief

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WB57 Midlatitude Cirrus Experiment (WB MidCiX)
Aircrew Briefing
Cirrus over the ARM site ARM site has a
substantial suite of ground based remote sensors
including lidars (eyesafe) and cloud radars that
mimic closely the NASA A-Train sensors Cloudsat
and Calipso. Goal Characterize the cirrus
passing over these instruments. Flight Plan
Site is an anchor point (36o 36.36, 97o 29.10)
and wind at cloud level provides a vector. B57
arrives at cloud top, flies 75 mile along wind
leg with site at center of leg. 90-270 at leg
end and descend 1000 feet. Repeat until cloud
base is reached. Spiral up to cloud top.
Repeat. Radio Contact on the ground will provide
cloud base and top information (123.12
MHz) Primary requirement Multiple in cloud
overflights of ground instruments. Minimum
Mission (CAPS or CPI) (SPP or VIPS) (1 of
CSI, CLH, Harvard Total Water) (JLH or Harvard
water vapor) Issues Clouds disappear, get
thick, convection, rain on the ground, others?
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WB57 Midlatitude Cirrus Experiment (WB MidCiX)
Aircrew Briefing
Cirrus Along Terra or Aqua Track Goal Observe
the cirrus that will be imaged by
MODIS/MISR/CERES Important validation
opportunity. Plan Fly parallel to track at
small view zenith. Intersect the track 15
minutes prior to overpass and fly 15 minutes
beyond overpass time. We provide lat/lon and
heading and time to begin track. We will attempt
to combine this mission with other
objectives. Primary Requirement Maximum In
Cirrus time. Deviate from track to accomplish
this requirement. Clear air serves no purpose.
Attempt to fly in that part of the layer that
appears visually thickest or where the blue sky
above gets significantly attenuated which ever
happens first. Minimum Mission (CAPS) (SPP or
VIPS) (2 of CSI, CLH, Harvard total water)
(JLH or Harvard vapor) Issues Aircrew will
need to identify most reasonable flight level.
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WB57 Midlatitude Cirrus Experiment (WB MidCiX)
Aircrew Briefing
Cirrus (not ARM or Satellite) Goal
Characterize the properties of Mid Lat
Cirrus. Plan Fly along-wind racetracks. We
provide endpoints. Ideally profile the layer
with long level legs that step through the layer
at 1000 foot increments. Primary Requirement
Maximum In Cirrus time. Deviate from briefed
points to accomplish this requirement. Clear air
serves no purpose. Of interest Cloud top and
that part of the layer that appears visually
thickest or where the blue sky above gets
significantly attenuated which ever happens
first. Minimum Mission (CAPS), (SPP or VIPS),
(2 of CSI, CLH, Harvard total water), (JLH or
Harvard vapor) Issues Aircrew will need to
identify most reasonable flight level. Cloud
top is of interest. Long level legs are optimal
after the altitude is determined.
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Wave Cloud Ice Studies

• 1989, 1990 NCAR Sabreliner, King Air
• --Numerous flights
• March 2000 (with Rogers, DeMott)
• --9 flights, cloud temperatures -3 to -40C
• vertical motion 10 to -9 m s-1
• 1996 DC8 SUCCESS two flights
• --cold, warm

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Stair-Step in thicker clouds
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Downwind Edge of Cloud 4
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March 17 Flight
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WB57 Midlatitude Cirrus Experiment (WB MidCiX)
Aircrew Briefing
Mountain wave clouds Purpose compare condensed
water measurements Flight Plan As shown. We
provide lat/lon and heading. Perhaps coordinate
with SPEC Lear (they scout the clouds and
coordinate) Minimum Mission (VIPS or SPP)
(CAPS or CPI) (CSI 2 other total water probes)
(JLH or Harvard vapor) Issues No Clouds.
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WB57 Midlatitude Cirrus Experiment (WB MidCiX)
Aircrew Briefing
Issues What to watch for and write down or
note Cloud boundaries, optical effects (halos
sundogs, etc) Special requests Transit in
stratosphere (under 50k) Water cloud sampling MMS
calibration exercises