MODIS Airborne Simulator
Field Experiment Data
FIRE-ACE Campaign
Flight #98-066

Hi-Res Images
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22 May 1998
Track #02


"Multi-layer clouds obscure snow-capped mountains"

22 May 1998
Track #07


"Multi-layer clouds over sea ice"

23 May 1998
Track #13


"Lenticular wave clouds over snow-capped mountains"

R: 2.13 microns
G: 0.95 microns
B: 0.65 microns
Summary Information
Date: May 22-23, 1998
ER-2 Flight Number: 98-066
Location: Fairbanks,Alaska to Arctic Ocean
Principal Investigator: Dr. Michael King (NASA GSFC)
Additional Sensors: AirMISR, AMPR, CLS, HIS, MIR, SSFR (see Instrument Status, below)

Level-1B Processing Information
Level-1B Data Version: #02
Calibration Type: Final
Calibration Version: FIRE-ACE_Ames 1.0
Details: Configuration and Calibration
Temperature Adjustment: No
Status: Processed with Final Calibration

Flight Track Map

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Level-1B Browse Imagery
Straight Line Flight Tracks: 13
Scanlines Processed: 70840
Solar Azimuth and Zenith Angles
Browse Images
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Lat/Lon ranges are for the BEG-END scanline nadir pixels.
Flight
Track
Time_Span
(GMT)
Heading
(Deg)
Lat_Range
(Deg_N)
Lon_Range
(Deg_W)
Length
(Scanlines)
01 20:40-20:46 335 67.43-68.08 150.46-151.32 2219
02 20:47-20:53 325 68.13-68.72 151.41-152.65 2318
03 20:54-21:03 315 68.85-69.54 152.90-155.02 3220
04 21:04-21:28 350 69.64-72.44 155.14-157.17 9117
05 21:34-21:57 166 72.65-70.15 157.38-155.48 8488
06 21:58-22:00 259 70.02-69.99 155.76-156.19 467
07 22:01-22:22 350 70.08-72.43 156.54-158.44 7603
08 22:29-22:51 166 72.49-70.07 158.49-156.53 8306
09 22:52-22:57 78 70.00-70.12 156.12-154.74 1619
10 22:59-23:18 351 70.26-72.55 154.46-156.04 7398
11 23:24-23:47 168 72.75-70.21 156.19-154.42 8612
12 23:48-23:59 150 70.15-69.04 154.35-152.64 4222
13 00:04-00:24 153 68.58-66.60 151.96-149.47 7251
Images 01 through 13 in sequence

Level-0 Data Quality
Evaluation Report

Level-1B HDF Data Distribution Point
Order Form (NASA LaRC Atmospheric Sciences Data Center)

ER-2 Flight Log
Author: Dr. Michael King
Mission Scientist: Dr. Michael King
ER-2 Pilot: Jim Barrilleaux
Takeoff: 22May1998 2010 UTC
Landing: 23May1998 0100 UTC
Flight Duration: 4:50

Objective:

    The objective of this mission was to fly the ER-2 repeatedly over the surface site at Barrow (71°19.37’N, 156°34.9’W) and nearby open water and fast ice of the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas.

Coordinations:

    The ER-2 flew three parallel and repeating ground tracks of 261 km in length that were parallel to the NOAA-14 ground track at 2304 UTC (heading of 347.13° at SHEBA). Due to malfunction of the backup navigation equipment onboard the aircraft, the mission design that included parallel ground tracks over SHEBA was modified to fly a similar pattern over ARM.

    The entire flight track over the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas was cloud free, with Arctic stratus present over land and nearby coastal fast ice. Other coordinations included:

    • F-14 satellite (2237 UTC)
    • NOAA-14 satellite (2304 UTC)
    • Principal plane of the sun (2218 UTC)
    All times, orbital inclinations, and timings were based on overflights of SHEBA (76° 20.76’ N), rather than Barrow, so some of the angles are off of the intended times and orbits planned for this mission.

Key Flight Legs:

    The ER-2 flew a NNW flight line from point 1 (70°09’N, 155°31’W) to point 2 (72°26’N, 157°14’W), then reversed course, overflying the ARM site each time (two passes). The aircraft then flew a parallel track displaced 40 km to the west with two round trip flight legs, followed by another pair of flight legs displaced 40 km to the east. Each flight leg was 261 km in length. The flight tracks were all parallel and on a heading of 347.1°/167.1°, corresponding to the orbital inclination of NOAA-14 as it overflew the SHEBA ice station at 2304 UTC.

    The AirMISR was turned on for six acquisitions over the Barrow ARM site and nearby tundra, including acquisitions when the sun was in the orbital inclination of NOAA-14 (at least at SHEBA), and when the NOAA-14 and F-14 satellites passed over the area. The AirMISR operated at the following times:

    • 2112.5-2128.5 UTC (ARM)
    • 2139.5-2154.5 UTC (ARM; sun in principal plane at ARM)
    • 2208.5-2225.5 UTC (west; sun in principal plane at SHEBA)
    • 2234.25-2250 UTC (west; F-14)
    • 2302.5-2317.5 UTC (east; NOAA-14)
    • 2330.75-2345.75 UTC (east)

Pilot Report:

    The ER-2 pilot reported Arctic stratus conditions over the tundra until 55 km north of Barrow, with clear sky and possible haze or thin cirrus over the ice.

Meteorology:

    A single-layer stratus cloud system covered Barrow, extending about 100 km north over the ice. Cloud top temperatures were nearly uniform, surface winds were easterly around 20 kts.

Instrument Status:

  • AirMISR (Airborne Multi-angle Imaging Spectroradiometer): The 2nd, 3rd, and 4th runs collected all 9 look angles, while the remaining 3 scenes collected a minimum of nadir and the first 4 view angles
  • AMPR (Advanced Microwave Precipitation Radiometer): Worked well
  • CLS (Cloud Lidar System): Worked well
  • HIS (High-resolution Interferometer Sounder): Worked well
  • MAS (MODIS Airborne Simulator): Port 4 (8.3-14.0 µm) disconnected for nitrogen purge
  • MIR (Millimeter-wave Imaging Radiometer): Worked well
  • SSFR (Solar Spectral Flux Radiometer): Worked well

 

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