Musil, D. J. | Search NASA

NASA NTRS1986

Analysis of spatial inhomogeneities in cumulus clouds using high spatial resolution Landsat data

Aircraft observations and high resolution Landsat MSS digital data are used to determine the sizes of spatial inhomogeneities ('holes') in cumulus clouds. The majority of holes are found near cloud edges, but the larger holes tend to be found in cloud interiors. Aircraft measurements show these cloud spatial inhomogeneities in the range of 100 to 500 m, while Landsat data show them in the range of 100 m to 3 km. The number of holes per cloud decreases exponentially with increasing hole diameter. Small clouds not only have smaller holes, but also fewer holes than large clouds. Large clouds have large holes in them, as well as large numbers of the smaller holes. The total cloud area occupied by holes increases with increasing cloud size.

Parker, Lindsay↗

NASA NTRS1980

Direct effects of lightning on an aircraft during intentional penetrations of thunderstorms

An armored T-28 aircraft was struck by lightning on two different days while participating in the 1979 severe environmental storm and mesoscale experiment in Oklahoma. The T-28, which is specially armored and instrumented, was making intentional penetrations of thunderstorms and was struck twice on 30 May and once on 5 June. Various degrees of damage, mainly in the form of large burn spots and holes, resulted to the aircraft.

Musil, D. J.↗