NASA DC-8, NOAA WP-3D AIRCRAFT - HIGH-RESOLUTION AIRCRAFT DROPSONDE DATA J. Moore (UCAR/OFPS, USA)
D. Lauritsen (NCAR/ATD, USA)
E. Miller (NCAR/ATD, USA)
Announced availability:1 August 1993
Data Access NASA DC-8 and NOAA WP-3D (P3) high-resolution dropsonde data are available from the UCAR/Office of Field Project Support (OFPS) via the WWW/CODIAC interface (http://www.ofps.ucar.edu/codiac/codiac-www.html) or via telnet to 128.117.90.53, using "storm" for the login and "research" as password.
Background Instrument Information
Four NCAR Lightweight Omega Digital Dropsonde (LOD2) data systems were installed on COARE aircraft, two each on the NASA DC-8 and on one of the P3 aircraft. A total of 110 dropsondes were deployed, 30 from the P3 and 80 from the DC-8. The NCAR LOD2 contains an Omega receiver, a 400-MHz transmitter and a microprocessor which processes and formats thermodynamic data from sensors for transmission to aircraft. The aircraft portion of the dropsonde system consists of a 400-MHz telemetry receiver, a thermodynamic data processor, an onboard 486 PC, and a Trimble Mini Omega (TMO) Model 8402 navigator. The dropsonde system measures thermodynamic parameters such as pressure, temperature, humidity, horizontal wind, and position.
Summary of Dropsonde Flights
(Number of LOD2 soundings in parentheses)
NOAA WP3 NASA DC-8
06 Nov (2) 06 Jan (1)
14 Nov (1) 11 Jan (2)
19 Nov (3) 12 Jan (3)
12 Dec (1) 18 Jan (4)
13 Dec (3) 19 Jan (5)
15 Dec (1) 26 Jan (4)
06 Feb (4) 01 Feb (3)
09 Feb (1) 04 Feb (14)
19 Feb (2) 06 Feb (11)
21 Feb (1) 08 Feb (5)
23 Feb (2) 10 Feb (5)
17 Feb (6)
20 Feb (4)
21 Feb (1)
22 Feb (4)
23 Feb (4)
24 Feb (1)
Data File Information For each individual drop, three different ASCII files were produced. Each file has a header section identifying the data file type as "raw thermodynamic data", "ten-second" data and "interpolated data". The header section also provides information regarding the particular drop and its processing.
The file names of these three files are identical with the exception of the first character:
i = interpolated data
m = raw thermodynamic data
x = ten-second data
m = one-number digit for month (1=Jan, 2=Feb, a=Oct, b=Nov, c=Dec)
hh = hour
mm = minutes past the hour
xxx = project id
- p3a P3 system a
- p3b P3 system b
- d8a DC8 system a
- d8b DC8 system b
Data Example
Project ID: TOGA/COARE -- NOAA P3 (LOD2 "B")
Aircraft Type/Aircraft ID: LOCKHEED WP-3D, P3B
Launch Location (lon,lat,alt): 160 03.30'E, 01 58.30'S, 160.055, -1.97167, 6021
GMT Launch Time (y,m,d,h,m,s): 1992, 12, 12, 16:41:44
Sonde Type/ID/Sensor ID/Tx Freq: NCAR LOD2 (OMEGA) 294, 125, 401.025
Met Processor/Met Smoothing: NCAR PTH PROCESSOR, 0 SECONDS
Winds Type/Processor/Smoothing: OMEGA, TRIMBLE MINI-OMEGA, 240 SECONDS
Pre-launch Met Obs Source: NOAA P3 RAMS
System Operator/Comments: JAMES BARR/CHRIS LUCAS, (REPROCESSED),DATA LOOK OKAY FROM FLIGHT. A COUPLE OF TURNS DURING THE FLIGHT
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Time Press Temp Dewpt RH Uwind Vwind Wspd Dir dZ Lon Lat Rng Ang Alt Qp Qt Qh Qu Qv Quv
sec mb C C % m/s m/s m/s deg m/s deg deg km deg m mb C % m/s m/s m/s
------ ------ ----- ----- ----- ------ ------ ----- ----- ----- -------- ------- ----- ----- ------- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
-5.0 483.7 -6.3 -19.7 34.3 -10.5 -2.7 10.8 83.0 0.0 160.055 -1.972 0.0 0.0 6021.0 77.0 77.0 77.0 77.0 77.0 77.0
10.0 486.0 2.9 999.0 999.0 999.0 999.0 999.0 999.0 -3.8 160.030 -1.953 3.5 307.3 5982.9 77.0 77.0 99.0 99.0 99.0 99.0
20.0 500.1 -5.2 999.0 999.0 999.0 999.0 999.0 999.0 -22.9 160.029 -1.953 3.6 306.0 5754.2 77.0 77.0 99.0 99.0 99.0 99.0
30.0 505.6 -5.1 999.0 999.0 999.0 999.0 999.0 999.0 -8.5 160.028 -1.953 3.7 304.9 5669.3 77.0 77.0 99.0 99.0 99.0 99.0
40.0 515.1 -4.6 999.0 999.0 -11.5 0.8 11.5 94.0 -14.7 160.027 -1.953 3.8 304.0 5522.0 77.0 77.0 99.0 88.0 88.0 88.0
For a detailed description of the instrument and the data processing procedures, request the hardcopy report "TOGA COARE Dropsonde Data Report" from UCAR Communications (P.O. Box 3000, Boulder, CO 80307, USA).
For more information, please contact:
Dean Lauritsen
NCAR/ATD
P.O. Box 3000
Boulder, CO 80307
USA
email: lauritse@ncar.ucar.edu
Phone: (303) 497-8772
FAX: (303) 497-8770
or
Erik Miller
NCAR/ATD
P.O. Box 3000
Boulder, CO 80307
USA
email: erik@stout.atd.ucar.edu
Phone: (303) 497-8748
FAX: (303) 497-8770
For data archival information, please contact:
James Moore
UCAR/OFPS
P.O. Box 3000
Boulder, CO 80307
USA
email: moore@ofps.ucar.edu
Phone: (303) 497-8635
FAX: (303) 497-8158
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