Flight Report

September 18, 2014

Summary

1. Flight Report - G1 Flight#8 and HALO AC12 ......................................................................... 2

1.1 Flight Strategy ..................................................................................................................... 2

1.2 Weather Conditions Before the Flight................................................................................. 3

1.3 Conditions During the Flight ............................................................................................... 5

1.4 G1 Team Summary ........................................................................................................... 12

1.5 G1 Quick-look ................................................................................................................... 13

1.5 HALO Team Summary ..................................................................................................... 15

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1. Flight Report - G1 Flight#8 and HALO AC12

1.1 Flight Strategy

In the September 18, 2014 occurred the eighth G1 flight (Flight#8) and the twelfth

HALO (AC12) flight in ACRIDICON-CHUVA campaign. The G1 aircraft flew

between 14:43 and 17:24 UTC and had the objective of aerosol characterization and

cloud profiling and clear-sky radiation leg. The first leg was VFR at 1500’. The aircraft

done spiral to cloud top at point B18 and change to IFR. The aircraft done spiral down

to some point in the clouds and reverse the course back towards Manaus. The Fig. 1.1

shows the G1 flight path realized. The HALO aircraft flew between 14:52 and 20:52

UTC and had the objective of the study polluted cloud. The flight path focused in

vertical profiles to Alta Floresta region, cloud profiling in region south of Alta Floresta,

sampling of old outflows from Alta Floresta to Manaus and radiation measurements

along flight track. The Fig. 1.2 shows the HALO flight path realized.

Figure 1.1 - Flight path of G1 (Flight#8) aircraft in September 18, 2014.

Source: G1 Team/IARA project.

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Figure 1.2 - Flight path of HALO (AC12) aircraft in September 18, 2014.

Source: http://sigma.cptec.inpe.br/sosmanaus/#.

1.2 Weather Conditions Before the Flight

The Fig. 1.3 shows the infrared image at 13:00 UTC (around 1 hour and 40 minutes

before the flight), fire spots (dark red dots) and lightning from STARNET network.

Before the both flight (G1 and HALO) just shallow clouds was observed close to

Manaus city. We can see deeps clouds just in the north of Roraima state and the

Maranhão and Tocantis state, which lightning was associated too. Fire spots were

predominantly in the north of Mato do Grosso, Maranhão and Tocantins.

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Figure 1.3 - Weather conditions before (around 1 hour and 40 min before the flight) of the

eighth G1 flight (Flight#8) and the twelfth HALO (AC12) flight at around 13:00 UTC

(09:00 Local Time) in September 18, 2014. It is showed the infrared GOES-13 image, fire

spots (dark red dots) and lightning from STARNET (colored dots). Source:

http://sigma.cptec.inpe.br/sosmanaus/#

The Fig.1.4 shows the radiosonde for Ponta Pelada site in September 18, 2014 at 12

UTC (almost 3 hours before the flight) (a) skew-t and (b) trajectory. The results

suggested a wet environmental (Fig. 1.4a) from surface until 500 mb, with dry layer

between 500 and 350 mb. The CAPE and CINE had values of 820 J/kg and 10 J/kg,

respectively. The trajectory balloon (Fig. 1.4b) showed winds predominant from east

until 15 km altitude, with exchange from west between 20 and 25 km and from east

again above this level.

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(a)

(b)

Figure 1.4 - Ponta Pelada radiosonde in September 18, 2014 at 12 UTC. (a) skew-t and (b)

balloon trajectory. Source: CHUVA/GoAmazon.

1.3 Conditions During the Flight

The Fig. 1.5 shows the weather conditions (satellite images and fire spots) during the

flight and the flight path of G1 (blue balloons) and HALO (green triangles). During the

first minutes of both flights just cirrus clouds was observed close to Manaus airport.

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After that the HALO followed in direction to Alta Floresta (north of Mato Grosso),

where larges storms in the north of Amazon state and southeast of Pará state states was

observed. The lower figure shows the weather conditions after the G1 landing. Somes

large storms occurred in east side of Manaus.

Figure 1.5 - Weather conditions (from satellite image, fires spots and precipitation)

during of the eighth G1 flight (Flight#8, blue balloons) and the twelfth HALO (AC12,

green triangles) flight in September 18, 2014. Source:

http://sigma.cptec.inpe.br/sosmanaus/#.

The Fig. 1.6 shows images in infrared (T Enhanced) channel from GOES-13 since 13

until 22 UTC. At departure of flight just shallow clouds occurred close to Manaus.

During the flight (after 15 UTC) some deep clouds appeared in the northeast of Amazon

state, reaching Manaus around 19:30 UTC with temperatures around -60oC. After the

landing (in this case of HALO) close to 22:00 UTC the clouds has tops warms than

before close to Manaus.

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Figure 1.6 - Infrared (T Enhanced) image from GOES-13 satellite from 13:00 until

22:00 UTC in September 18, 2014.

The Fig. 1.7 shows the CAPPI of reflectivity in 3.1 km altitude from SIPAM Radar in

Manaus in September 18, 2014 from 13:00 to 22:00 UTC. Before the flight (G1 and

HALO) few weaker precipitation cells was noted in the north and south of Manaus.

After that time (during the flight, after 16 UTC) several local precipitation cells

occurred around the radar. After the landing (> 21 UTC) large precipitation cells in the

north and southwest side of radar was identified.

Figure 1.7 - CAPPI of reflectivity in 3.1 km altitude from SIPAM Radar in Manaus in

September 18, 2014 from 13:00 to 22:00 UTC.

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The Fig. 1.8 shows the CAPPI in 2 km altitude from X-Band radar in September 18,

2014 at 18:30 UTC of (a) reflectivity and (b) radial velocity. Local convection occurred

until 80 km far from radar concentrated in northwest and east side, with maximum

reflectivity around 54 dBZ. The Fig. 1.8b suggested a displacement from east to west of

precipitation cells, with maximum velocity around 15 m/s.

Figure 1.8 - CAPPI in 2 km altitude from X-Band radar in September 18, 2014 at 18:30

UTC of (a) reflectivity and (b) radial velocity.

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The Fig. 1.9 shows the RHI in 200o

azimuth from X-Band radar in September 18, 2014

at 19:06 UTC of (a) reflectivity, (b) differential reflectivity and (c) radial velocity. That

represents the most significant cases occurred during this day in the X-Band radar

region. Two clouds were observed: one close to 20 km far from radar and other over the

radar. The first one was a Cirrus cloud, with maximum reflectivity around 25 dBZ and

eco top of 12 km. The second clouds were stronger, with maximum reflectivity around

57 dBZ and with eco top around 9 km altitude. The differential reflectivity (Fig. 1.9b)

suggested supercooled water were predominant and the radial velocity suggested an

approximation movement for both storms (Fig. 1.9c).

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Figure 1.9 - RHI in 200o

azimuth from X-Band radar in September 18, 2014 at 19:06

UTC of (a) reflectivity, (b) differential reflectivity and (c) radial velocity.

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1.4 G1 Team Summary

Flight date (YYYYMMDDa): 20140918a

Pilots: Hubbell, Ray

Scientists: Tomlinson, Fortner, Marcia, Major Julio, Misha

Start 1025

Shutdown 1325

Eng Time 3+00

Takeoff 1043

Land 1324

Flt Time 2+41

Science Meter: 1089.5

Flight Summary: Flight plan merge of 1a and 1b. Aerosol characterization and cloud

profiling and clear-sky radiation leg.

Weather: Scattered Cu and building. Thin scattered cirrus. Hazy.

Flight Details: Flight merge of 1a and 1b. Pattern at 1500 ft had to climb for brief

section to 2500 ft due to traffic. Spiral to 15kft at B18 (elevated layer ~7000 ft , Scat

Green ~80Mm-1, Abs ~10Mm-1,). Top of well mixed layer not well defined. At 15kft

fairly clear overhead and all in situ values ~background. Radiometer leg at 15 kft to

B17. Descend to 5000 (briefly) then 6000ft (traffic) in cloud. Ended pattern due to

weather after B14.

Need to look into noise down looking SPN-1.

No issues on the aircraft.

PSAP not heated (not needed)

Backgrounds were lower than previous days.

Plume found in first leg, maybe second leg as well. Not easily mapped in this flight.

Maybe washed out.

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Instruments: NO2 might be OK

PCASP was cleaned yesterday

Ready to fly next flight.

1.5 G1 Quick-look

Below follow some quick-look from G1 instrumentation.

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1.5 HALO Team Summary

Flight Summary: HALO-Campaign ACRIDICON-CHUVA

Flight number: AC12 Date, base: 2014-09-18 (Thursday), Polluted cloud profiling Block/TO/Land/Block/FH: 1440Z/1452Z/2052Z/2055Z/0615 Mission type: Polluted cloud Flight pattern: #4. Vertical profiles to Alta Floresta. Cloud profiling in region S of Alta

Floresta. Sampling of old outflows from ATF to Manaus. Radiation measurements along flight track

Participants: Aircrew: Pilot: Steffen Gemsa Co-Pilot: Michael Grossrubatscher Technician: Thomas Leder Brazilian PI: -

Scientists: Andi Andreae (Mission PI) , Emma Järvinen, Bernhard Buchholz, Mira Krüger, Anke Roiger

Instrument status:

Radiation EAGLE/HAWK: Ok HAI: Ok, 120 Hz data collected inside clouds miniDOAS: Problems in the first half of the flight SMART: Ok SNOOPY: Ok

PMS CAS-DPOL: Ok CCP: Some issues (stripes), not sure why, TAS was ok MTP: Ok NIXE-CAPS: hot wire baseline shifted, otherwise ok PHIPS: Ok, some black images, but ok PCASP-100X: Ok PIP: Ok SID-3: Ok UHSAS-A: Ok

Gas ALABAMA-NOy: Ok PAN-MS: Reduced sensitivity but better than yesterday, improves AMTEX: Ok TDS: Not operated

Aerosol C-ToF-AMS: Ok CVI-Rack: Ok CCN: Ok AMETYST: Mainly ok, minor baseline shift FINCH: Partly frozen, to be checked

BAHAMAS Ok

SatCom Ok, file transfer worked.

Flight remarks:

0730L: Mixed clouds – some cirrus and broken stratus, deep convection visible to south, with a large complex S of MNS close to our track.

1444Z: taxi 1452Z: takeoff. The area shows significant convection to mid-levels. Fairly hazy. 1458Z: Top of haze layer at 11000’. 1505Z: Abundant cu in the region

1509Z: reaching cirrus/cirrostratus area 1512Z: passing outflow at FL340, -39°C 1518Z: at FL370

1520Z: In outflow, large and small ice, bullet rosettes 1527Z: Very large system to East

1528Z: Descend to BL 1544Z: Top of BL at 13000’, CN~500 1546Z: At 10000’ well above the top of cu’s in this region, which top out at ca 7000’. CN~600-800 1552Z: Cu passage during descent. Cld base at 4900’ 1557Z: Level off at FL30, 2000’ a.g.l. CN~2000, CO~200 ppb 1609Z: FL140, near top of BL, CN~740; smoggy layer at top of BL clearly visible.

1621Z: Large areas of deforestation below. CN~1900 1629Z: Cloud base at FL53, CN~3400. Passing Alta Floresta at FL30 1641Z: Passing through small pyrocumulus at FL64. SAT 20°C; MVD 2-7 μm 1648Z: Passing thru smoke plume below this pyrocu at FL50 Even though the cloud development is rather shallow, we decide to begin cloud sampling in the

region between DARBA and ATF, in the hope that cu development will be stronger later in the day.

1642Z to 1910Z: Cloud profiling from FL55 to FL180; going up as cu’s are slowly growing to inversion

at ca FL150 and sometimes push through

Level Time SAT MVD CVI-CN CN rem 5500 1708 19 --- 2300 Cld base 7000 1714 17-19 5-10 260 2200 HASI 7000 1721 16-18 5-7 2200 CVI 7500 1728 17 6-8 100 3000 8000 1731 16 6-7 2000 9000 1737 14 9-10 2-3000

11000 1805 7 12 1500 1800 13000 1809 4 13 5000 1700 Light rain 15000 1822 1 14 3500 1800 CO 100 ppb out, 200 in cloud 15000 1843 2 14-17 15000 2500 Rain 16000 1850 1 14-16 10000 1500 17000 1900 0 17 12500 2000 Rain 18000 1905 -2 14 12000 1800 Rain

1820Z: A cu pushes through the inversion

1915Z: Return to Manaus, as cloud development is stalled at FL180. Climb to FL 400. 1948Z: Passing large cu to East

1953Z: In old outflow. -61°C. New Cb’s appear to be pushing thru this old layer.

2012Z: Frozen droplets, agglomerates 2020Z: Descent to FL150 thru cirrus 2038Z: Approach to SBEG, CN~450/cc 2052Z: Land

The morning and evening soundings from Alta Floresta: the evening sounding shows the inversion persisting between 600 and 450 hPa

Flight track: