Subject: COAST Flight Report - May 16
Two COAST flights were conducted on May 16, 2001 with the University of
North Carolina Piper Seneca research aircraft. Both flights originated
and terminated at the Corvallis airport (CVO). The pattern covered was
the Big Box; all eight lines were flown. The southern four lines (5
through 8) were flown between 1200 and 1400 PDT, and the northern four
lines (4 through 1) were flown between 1600 and 1800 PDT. Skies were
clear and winds at the flight level of 300m were low, mostly westerly at
about 5 knots. Data collected include: Ocean surface temperature
(remotely sensed SST) and subsurface temperature (with AXBTs); horizontal
wind, air temperature, humidity and pressure, all at flight level (i.e.
the position of the aircraft). We ran the new hyperspectral ocean color
radiometers to test their functioning, but we did not collect useful,
calibrated data on these flights.
A total of 49 AXBTs were deployed; 47 provided useful data and 2 were
failures (i.e. no data transmission was received aboard the
aircraft). The spatial coverage was from the 50m isobath on each line
westward to at least 125W. The three southernmost lines extended a bit
farther to the west, following the Big Box pattern. The only AXBT station
at which we did not get data was at the 50m isobath on Line 4, just
northwest of the Yaquina River mouth. The number of successful AXBTs
deployed on each line is as follows:
Line 1: 6
Line 2: 6
Line 3: 6
Line 4: 5 (out of six stations)
Line 5: 7
Line 6: 7
Line 7: 5
Line 8: 5
Four vertical profiles of atmospheric variables were measured from 60m to
at least 800m altitude. Two of these were near 125W and two were near the
coastline. No atmospheric temperature inversion was seen.
Some photography with a hand-held digital camera (2 megapixel images) was
done. Pictures of the sea surface, the coastline and the R/V Thompson at
the dock were taken.
Data products will be available from
http://www.marine.unc.edu/cool/COAST
or they may be retrieved from the real-time results area. Both of these are buttons off of
the main COAST site.
Submitted by:
John Bane
May 17, 2001
