Community Airborne Research Instrumentation (CARI) Group

CARI Group Members:

• Teresa Campos

Summary of Activities:

Two instruments were purchased, certified, and integrated onto the NSF Gulfstream-V for two G-V research projects during this year. Instruments to measure CO and H 2 O supported the CHAPS, START, DOCIMS and New Particle Formation subprojects of the Progressive Science mission. The START and New Particle Formation flights explored dynamics and transformations in the UT/LS region. In particular, START characterized gas phase and thermodynamic tracers in the area of mid-latitude stratospheric intrusions. The CHAPS flight hours were directed at G-V instrumentation testing and validation, and the objective of the DOCIMS flights were to characterize lower tropospheric dynamics of marine stratocumulus clouds. Sponsoring agency: NSF.

For the G-V Terrain-induced Rotors Experiment, the CO and H 2 O measurements also contributed valuable in situ tracer data. The study area targeted a region of the Sierra Nevadas near Bishop, CA, although the G-V operated out of Jefferson County Airport.   Additionally and in collaboration with Andy Weinheimer and the AON group, the payload also included a test version of the HAIS O 3 instrument. The mission scientists have acknowledged the hope that   these additional measurements may enhance their ability to probe the impact of orographic waves on local dynamical processes.  Sponsoring agency: NSF. Web site: http://www.eol.ucar.edu/projects/trex/

In support of the MILAGRO/MIRAGE project, which examined regional and global impacts of Mexico City, observations of CO, water vapor, and CO 2 were made from the C-130 during the March, 2006, field intensive.   The C-130 was based in Veracruz, Mexico.   The same observations were applied to explore the impact of Asian transport of pollutants on the northwestern North America during INTEX-B (April-May, 2006).   The C-130 was based in Seattle, WA.   For both experiments, the combination of CO and CO 2 observations can be used as an indicator of air mass history.   The MIRAGE portion of MILAGRO was sponsored by NSF.   The contribution of these measurements to INTEX-B was sponsored primarily by NSF, with supplemental funding from NASA.

Collaborators:

• James C. Wilson, University of Denver
• Shanhu Lee, Kent State University
• Joe McFadden, University of Minnesota
• Ken Bowman, Texas A & M University
• Heather Graven, Scripps Institute of Oceanography
• Bjorn Stevens, UCLA
• Don Thornton and Alan Bandy, Drexel University
• Ru-Shan Gao, NOAA ESRL
• Jielun Sun, NCAR
• Don Lenschow, NCAR,
• Laura Pan and Bill Randel, NCAR
• Jorgen Jensen, NCAR

Community Service:

• OFAP (NCAR Observation Facilities Assessment Panel) committee member
• EUFAR (European Fleet for Airborne Research) Gas Phase Measurements Working Group
• External reviewer for one NSF proposal

Education and Outreach:

• SOARS mentor
• Tours of Research Aviation Facility:
  • CU PAOS students, faculty, and staff
  • iLEAPS conference participants

Presentations:

•             AMS 12 th Cloud Physics Conference, July, 2006.
•             AMS 12 th Mountain Meteorology Conference, September, 2006.