Remote Automated Atmospherics Monitoring and Prediction System (RAMPS)

Proposed research will develop system concepts and designs for the near term prediction of inversion/crater fog or misting rain events at the Maui Space Surveillance Site (MSSS) on Haleakala, Maui, Hawaii. The time required for closure of the new 3,6m AEOS telescope dome and the high threat of rapid onset of fog and misting rains during certain atmospheric conditions on Haleakala, makes it essential to incorporate a near term weather prediction system into AMOS capabilities. Arigorous search and analysis of atmospherics data and operational status archives will be combined with limited additional field measurements with advanced sensors to demonstrate and validate patterns of correlatable phenomena, aid in the selection of sensor suites for remote sensor stations, and identify the optimum locations of these sensor sites for monitoring critical atmospheric parameters. Identified fog/precipitation triggers will form the basis of algorithms to be incorporated in predictive software which will be developed to integrate the sensor network data stream and continuously generate short range forecasts of low level atmospheric conditions that might adversely AEOS operations. Completed design deliverables will include: Remote Monitoring and Present Weather Sensor Stations; Central Data Processing System; and Automatic Precipitation Alarm System.