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At least 253 records · Page 14

A numerical model simulation of the regional air pollution meteorology of the greater Chesapeake Bay area - Summer day case study

The mesoscale numerical model of the University of Virginia (UVMM), has been applied to the greater Chesapeake Bay area in order to provide a detailed description of the air pollution meteorology during a typical summer day. This model provides state of the art simulations for land-sea thermally induced circulations. The model-predicted results agree favorably with available observed data. The effects of synoptic flow and sea breeze coupling on air pollution meteorological characteristics in this region, are demonstrated by a spatial and temporal presentation of various model predicted fields. A transport analysis based on predicted wind velocities indicated possible recirculation of pollutants back onto the Atlantic coast due to the sea breeze circulation.

Segal, M.↗

Wind estimation using air data probe measurements to evaluate meteorological measurements made during Space Shuttle entries

Deterministic and weighted least squares methods for obtaining estimates of the horizontal winds encountered during the Shuttle entry phase are described. The estimates are based on in situ Air Data System (ADS) measurements of angle-of-attack, side-slip angle and true airspeed, in conjunction with inertial trajectory parameters obtained from the post flight trajectory reconstruction. Accuracies in the wind estimates obtained from each method are assessed using both theoretical arguments and flight results. Comparisons of derived winds with meteorological measurements taken during the first three Shuttle entries have demonstrated: (1) the usefulness of the wind estimators for evaluating meteorological measurements below 50 kft, and (2) the potential for adequate wind determinations in the absence of independent wind measurements. Comparisons of STS-3 flight-derived L/D versus predicted values from the LaRC aerodynamic data base are presented from 50 kft to touchdown. These results exemplify the importance of such determinations to enhance the ongoing Shuttle aerodynamic and aerothermodynamic research.

Kelly, G. M.↗

High resolution marine meteorological analysis utilizing Seasat data

Seasat scatterometer (SASS) wind data was combined with surface meteorological readings to generate maps of lows, highs, ridges, and fronts. The SASS microwave radar permits all-weather surface wind observations with a 50 km resolution to within 2 m/sec or 10%. The scan area comprised the northern Pacific off the west coast of North America and southward from Alaska. Emphasis was placed on surface pressure analyses alone and in combination with the SASS data. Standard modeling of the existing weather systems was found to be unaltered by addition of the SASS data, although improvements were evident in the accuracy of delineating significant meteorological features and quantifying pressure gradients. Scale eddies and circulations were defined and cols were identified (by low wind speeds).

Peteherych, S.↗

A comparison of measured and estimated meteorological data for use in crop growth modeling

Gridded spatial estimates of maximum temperature, minimum temperature, precipitation, and solar radiation, prepared for agricultural use from World Meteorological Organization surface reports and enhanced by polar orbiting satellites were compared with daily meteorological data measured at various agricultural research facilities across the United States to determine their level of accuracy. Preliminary results indicate that daily maximum temperature can be determined to within 9.1 degrees Celsius with ninety percent confidence. With similar levels of confidence, daily minimum temperature can be determined to within 6.7 degrees Celsius, daily solar radiation to within 231.2 cal/sq cm min, and daily precipitation to within 9.7 millimeters.

Perry, C. R., Jr.↗

Inherent uncertainties in meteorological parameters for wind turbine design

Major difficulties associated with meteorological measurments such as the inability to duplicate the experimental conditions from one day to the next are discussed. This lack of consistency is compounded by the stochastic nature of many of the meteorological variables of interest. Moreover, simple relationships derived in one location may be significantly altered by topographical or synoptic differences encountered at another. The effect of such factors is a degree of inherent uncertainty if an attempt is made to describe the atmosphere in terms of universal laws. Some of these uncertainties and their causes are examined, examples are presented and some implications for wind turbine design are suggested.

Doran, J. C.↗

Some potential research applications of GOES/VAS data in meteorology

The understanding and utilization of radiance data from the VAS instrument for meteorological purposes which requires an extensive and organized research plan whose ultimate goal is to provide quantitative measurements of the structure/dynamics of the atmosphere is outlined. The unique multispectral VAS data are potentially useful in almost all aspects of meteorology but have immediate applications in the mesoscale and severe storm research area since measurements are available over regional areas at time intervals of less than 1 hour. The higher priority research applications of VAS data pertaining to the interpretation and utilization of the passive VAS radiance measurements for mesoscale and severe-storm research are reviewed.

Wilson, G. S.↗

Proceedings: Sixth Annual Workshop on Meteorological and Environmental Inputs to Aviation Systems

The proceedings of a workshop on meteorological and environmental inputs to aviation systems held at The University of Tennessee Space Institute, Tullahoma, Tennessee. October 26 - 28, 1982, are reported. The workshop, jointly sponsored by NASA, NOAA, and FAA, brought together many disciplines of the aviation communities in round table discussions. The major objectives of the workshop are to satisfy such needs of the sponsoring agencies as the expansion of our understanding and knowledge of the interaction of the atmosphere with aviation systems, the better definition and implementation of services to operators, and the collection and interpretation of data for establishing operational criteria relating the total meteorological inputs from the atmospheric sciences to the needs of aviation communities. The unique aspects of the workshop were the diversity of the participants and the achievement of communication across the interface of the boundaries between pilots, meteorologists, training personnel, accident investigators, traffic controllers, flight operation personnel from military, civil, general aviation, and commercial interests alike. Representatives were in attendance from government, airlines, private agencies, aircraft manufacturers, Department of Defense, industries, research institutes, and universities.

Walter Frost↗

Satellite sensing capabilities for surface temperature and meteorological parameters over the ocean

Remote meteorological measurements over the oceans have been used extensively for weather forecasting, ship safety, and global-scale studies of climate and sea conditions. A review is conducted regarding the satellite-sensing capabilities for sea-surface temperature and tropospheric marine meteorological mesurements. The tropospheric measurements are concerned with vertical temperature profiles, integrated water vapor and liquid water, rain, aerosols and surface winds. Attention is also given to several environmental-monitoring applications where satellite sensed synoptic data might be combined with ground and airborne chemical measurements to provide improved assessments of regional and global ennvironmental quality and climatology. Special emphasis is given to current satellite measurement accuracies (errors) and to programs involving U.S. technology. Aspects of sea-surface temperature are treated in detail in connection with extensive studies concentrated in this area.

Darnell, W. L.↗

Sixth Annual Workshop on Meteorological and Environmental Inputs to Aviation Systems, 26-28 October 1982, Tullahoma, Tenn

The six workshops whose proceedings are presently reported considered the subject of meteorological and environmental information inputs to aviation, in order to satisfy workshop-sponsoring agencies' requirements for (1) greater knowledge of the interaction of the atmosphere with aircraft and airport operators, (2) a better definition and implementation of meteorological services to operators, and (3) the collection and interpretation of data useful in establishing operational criteria that relate the atmospheric science input to aviation community operations. Workshop topics included equipment and instrumentation, forecasts and information updates, training and simulation facilities, and severe weather, icing and wind shear.

Camp, D. W.↗

Airline meteorological requirements

A brief review of airline meteorological/flight planning is presented. The effects of variations in meteorological parameters upon flight and operational costs are reviewed. Flight path planning through the use of meteorological information is briefly discussed.

Chandler, C. L.↗

Corporate/commuter airlines meteorological requirements

The meteorological information requirements of corporate and commuter airlines are reviewed. The skill level and needs of this class of aviator were assessed. An overview of the methodology by which meteorological data is communicated to these users is presented.

Olcott, J. W.↗

A design study for a three-dimensional display computer terminal for meteorological information

The software developed on this project in FY-84 was put into final form and documented for McIDAS user access. The various users have been asked to utilize the techniques and to provide feedback to the developers. Researchers have received limited feedback to date, but nearly all has been helpful and generally favorable. The stereo display has been used by most of the operational users of McIDAS or its progenies. Specifically, the National Hurricane Center, the National Severe Storm Forecast Center, the National Meteorological Center, and the Cape Canaveral Forecast Facility have all made use of the 4-D display techniques to help evaluate meteorological situations on various occasions.

Suomi, V. E.↗

Computer-generated imagery for 4-D meteorological data

The University of Wisconsin-Madison Space Science and Engineering Center is developing animated stereo display terminals for use with McIDAS (Man-computer Interactive Data Access System). This paper describes image-generation techniques which have been developed to take maximum advantage of these terminals, integrating large quantities of four-dimensional meteorological data from balloon and satellite soundings, satellite images, Doppler and volumetric radar, and conventional surface observations. The images have been designed to use perspective, shading, hidden-surface removal, and transparency to augment the animation and stereo-display geometry. They create an illusion of a moving three-dimensional model of the atmosphere. This paper describes the design of these images and a number of rules of thumb for generating four-dimensional meteorological displays.

Hibbard, William L.↗

Near-real-time TOMS, telecommunications and meteorological support for the 1987 Airborne Antarctic Ozone Experiment

The goal of the 1987 Airborne Antarctic Ozone Experiment was to improve the understanding of the mechanisms involved in the formation of the Antarctic ozone hole. Total ozone data taken by the Nimbus-7 Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) played a central role in the successful outcome of the experiment. During the experiment, the near-real-time TOMS total ozone observations were supplied within hours of real time to the operations center in Punta Arenas, Chile. The final report summarizes the role which Research and Data Systems (RDS) Corporation played in the support of the experiment. The RDS provided telecommunications to support the science and operations efforts for the Airborne Antarctic Ozone Experiment, and supplied near real-time weather information to ensure flight and crew safety; designed and installed the telecommunications network to link NASA-GSFC, the United Kingdom Meteorological Office (UKMO), Palmer Station, the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) to the operation at Punta Arenas; engineered and installed stations and other stand-alone systems to collect data from designated low-orbiting polar satellites and beacons; provided analyses of Nimbus-7 TOMS data and backup data products to Punta Arenas; and provided synoptic meteorological data analysis and reduction.

Ardanuy, P.↗

Meteorological and Environmental Inputs to Aviation Systems

Reports on aviation meteorology, most of them informal, are presented by representatives of the National Weather Service, the Bracknell (England) Meteorological Office, the NOAA Wave Propagation Lab., the Fleet Numerical Oceanography Center, and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. Additional presentations are included on aircraft/lidar turbulence comparison, lightning detection and locating systems, objective detection and forecasting of clear air turbulence, comparative verification between the Generalized Exponential Markov (GEM) Model and official aviation terminal forecasts, the evaluation of the Prototype Regional Observation and Forecast System (PROFS) mesoscale weather products, and the FAA/MIT Lincoln Lab. Doppler Weather Radar Program.

Camp, Dennis W.↗

Meteorological atlas of the Southern Hemisphere lower stratosphere for August and September 1987

Southern Hemisphere meteorological data for the months of August and September 1987 in the lower stratosphere are shown. National Meteorological Center (NMC) data, Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) data, and Goddard Laboratory for Atmospheres (GLA) data are used to display polar stereographic projections of 200 to 100 mb vertical mean temperatures, 100 mb zonal mean geopotential height perturbations, total ozone, Ertel's potential vorticity (Epv), and 50 to 30 mb vertical mean temperatures. In addition, latitude height cross sections at 65 W of potential temperature, Epv, geostrophic isotachs, and temperature are also shown. Finally, a longitude height cross section at 65 S of temperature and geostrophic wind vectors is also shown.

Newman, P. A.↗

Meteorological satellite products support for project COHMEX

The first year effort focussed on real-time support and satellite data collection during the field phase of COHMEX. Work efforts following the field phase of COHMEX concentrated on post-processing of the real-time data sets, and generation of enhanced, research-quality satellite data sets for selected COHMEX core days. These satellite-derived data sets will augment the special COHMEX conventional data base with high horizontal and temporal resolution information. The data sets will be examined for their usefulness in delineating important elements in the meteorological environment leading to convective activity. In addition, a limited research effort was conducted using the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS) 4-d data assimilation system in conjunction with evaluating VISSR Atmospheric Sounder (VAS) and His-resolution Interferometer Sounder (HIS) data. The need to address the characteristics of the data types, and the problems they introduce into 4-d assimilation procedures is evident. The HIS instrument was flown aboard an ER-2 aircraft on several occasions during COHMEX. One of the flights was chosen for further study. Processed VAS soundings and COHMEX radiosonde data were also collected for this day. The case study included an evaluation of the HIS and VAS data and an impact study of the data on the assimilation system analysis.

Velden, Christopher S.↗

Meteorological Sensor Calibration Facility

The meteorological sensor calibration facility is designed to test and assess radiosonde measurement quality through actual flights in the atmosphere. United States radiosonde temperature measurements are deficient in that they require correction for errors introduced by long- and short-wave radiation. The effect of not applying corrections results in a large bias between day time and night time measurements. This day/night bias has serious implications for users of radiosonde data, of which NASA is one. The derivation of corrections for the U.S. radiosonde is quite important. Determination of corrections depends on solving the heat transfer equation of the thermistor using laboratory measurements of the emissivity and absorptivity of the thermistor coating. The U.S. radiosonde observations from the World Meteorological Organization International Radiosonde Intercomparison were used as the data base to test whether the day/night height bias can be removed. Twenty-five noon time and 26 night time observations were used. Corrected temperatures were used to calculate new geopotentials. Day/night bias in the geopotentials decreased significantly when corrections were introduced. Some testing of thermal lag attendant with the standard carbon hygristor took place. Two radiosondes with small bead thermistors imbedded in the hygristor were flown. Detailed analysis was not accomplished; however, cursory examination of the data showed that the hygristor is at a higher temperature than the external thermistor indicates.

Schmidlin, F. J.↗