SGER: Flight Tests and Validation of the New HIAPER GISMOS Radio Occultation System

Purdue University, West Lafayette IN

Investigators

Abstract

This grant supports the Principal Investigator (PI) to collect and process the data necessary for a full validation of the High-performance Instrumented Airborne Platform for Environmental Research (HIAPER) Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) Instrument System for Multistatic and Occultation Sensing (GISMOS) to demonstrate its capabilities for high vertical resolution atmospheric sounding in the troposphere. The current GISMOS system has gone through the first stage of testing along with other equipment developed under the HAIPER Airborne Instrumentation Solicitation (HAIS). Despite unforeseen problems with the high gain antennas, 3 days of data were collected in July 2007 from the direct antenna that will allow significant advances for testing data processing software. Unlike other new instrumentation on board HIAPER, the GISMOS is an entirely new airborne measuring system that requires thorough validation with independent observations. This can only be achieved with a dataset that is extensive enough for sound conclusions regarding the achievable accuracy. A flight is available on HIAPER for February 2008 to make overflights of radiosonde launches and drop at least 20 dropsondes. This will provide independent data to complete the validation study. The error characteristics of the profiles will be used in an Observation System Simulation Experiment in order to estimate their impact in numerical weather prediction. Broader Impacts: Because the GISMOS is part of the HIAPER facility, it will enhance the research infrastructure available for a large community in atmospheric science. Temperature and moisture profiles of the larger environment are often a requirement for research field campaigns, especially for research related to tropical cyclone forecasting. With relatively limited requirements for physical space inside the aircraft, it would easily be available for most missions. The work promotes training and education of young researchers by involving graduate students and young post-docs, in particular with graduate students encouraged to take major responsibility in the fieldwork. The HIAPER GISMOS and other Lower Atmosphere Observing Facilities will also be used as examples in the undergraduate atmospheric instrumentation curriculum at Purdue and surrounding Midwestern universities to educate the next generation of scientists about the frontiers in atmospheric observational science.