AIRBORNE REMOTE SENSING ATMOSPHERIC PROFILER FOR MESOSCALE STUDIES

RECENT MAJOR INITIATIVES WITHIN THE ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES COMMUNITY SUPPORT A SERIES OF INTERAGENCY FIELD RESEARCH PROGRAMS FOCUSED ON IMPROVING OUR UNDERSTANDING OF MEOSOCALEPHENONMENON, IN THE CONTEXT OF WEATHER PREDICTION (THE STORMPROGRAM), CLIMATE MODELING (THE FIRE PROGRAM), AND FUNDAMENTALS OF ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY. IT IS ANTICIPATED TAHT RESEARCH AIRCRAFT, WITH THE UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES THEY PROVIDE FOR MAKING MESOSCALE OBSERVATIONS, WILL PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN THESE PROGRAMS. THE USEFULNESS OF AIRCRAFT MEASUREMENT PLATFORMS CAN BE GREATLY ENHANCED THROUGH THE USE OF AIRBORNE REMOTE SENSING TECHNIQUES. IN THIS PHASE I RESEARCH EFFORT, WE PROPOSE TO DEMONSTRATE THE TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY OF AN AIRBORNE PASSIVE INFRARED REMOTE SENSING SYSTEM FOR THE MEASUREMENT OF ATMOSPHERIC TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY VERTICAL PROFILES. THIS REMOTE SENSING TECHNIQUE WOULD PROVE A POWERFUL RESEARCH TOOL FOR THE AFORMENTIONED PROGRAMS, AND A PRACTICAL EXTENSION OF THE RATHER LIMITED AIRCRAFT DROPSONDE APPROACH. THE PHASE II EFFORT WOULD INCLUDE DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, AND FLIGHT TESTING OF THE REMOTE SENSING SYSTEM ON BOARD AN NCAR RESEARCH AIRCRAFT. THIS PROPOSED RESEARCH EFFORT IS BASED ON A DEMONSTRATED STRENGTH, BY OPHIR CORPORATION, IN REMOTE SENSING, INFRARED INSTRUMENTATION, AND AIRCRAFT INSTRUMENTATION, AND AIRCRAFT INSTRUMENTATION FOR THE ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES RESEARCH COMMUNITY.