NASA Logo, National Aeronautics and Space Administration

NASA- ESPO TC4

Two Columns

ESPO > TC4 > Presentations

TC4; Presentations

Wednesday, 25 April

8:00a Coffee/Registration


Moderator - Mike Kurylo

9:00a Introductions, NASA Headquarters perspective, TC4 security - Mike Kurylo/ Hal Maring

9:30a Overview of the TC4 mission and scientific objectives - Brian Toon

10:00a Scientific opportunities and practical realities of the meteorology near Costa Rica - Dave Starr

10:30a Break


Moderator - Hal Maring

11:00a Logistics for integration sites, Costa Rica, and Panama - Marilyn Vasques & Kathy Thompson

12:00n Lunch


Moderator - Brian Toon

1:15p ER-2 payload and objectives - Paul Newman/Steve Platnick

1:45p WB-57F payload and objectives - Eric Jensen/Steve Wofsy

2:15p DC-8 payload and objectives - Mark Schoeberl/Paul Wennberg

2:45p Ideas for aircraft instrument intercomparisons - Eric Jensen/Paul Wennberg

3:00p Break

3:30p Subpanel meetings

- DC-8 - Mark Schoeberl/Paul Wennberg

- ER-2 - Paul Newman/Steve Platnick

- WB-57F - Eric Jensen/Steve Wofsy



Thursday, 26 April

8:00a Coffee/registration


Moderator - Eric Jensen

9:00a Aura validation science and mission strategy - Mark Schoeberl

9:30a CloudSat science goals and mission strategy - Jay Mace

10:00a CALIPSO science goals and mission strategy - Chip Trepte

10:30a Break

Thursday, 26 April (continued)

Moderator - Mark Schoeberl

11:00a Cirrus cloud microphysics science goals and mission strategy - Jay Mace

11:30a Aqua validation science and mission strategy - Steve Platnick

12:00n Lunch


Moderator - Paul Newman

1:30p Water vapor/isotopes science goals and mission strategy - Eric Jensen

2:00p Atmospheric chemistry in the TTL science goals and mission strategy - Paul Wennberg

2:30p Dynamics of the TTL science goals and mission strategy - Paul Newman

3:00p Break


Moderator - Dave Starr

3:30p Subpanel meetings

- Ground-based instruments and balloons - John Gerlach/Anne Thompson

- Forecasting/flight planning - Lenny Pfister/Rennie Selkirk

- Mission strategy for validation - Jay Mace/Steve Platnick/Mark Schoeberl/ Chip Trepte



Friday, 27 April

8:00a Coffee/registration

8:30a Logistics FAQs and reminders - Marilyn Vasques & Kathy Thompson

8:45a Real-Time Mission Monitor


Moderator - Steve Wofsy

9:00a Report from DC-8 subpanel meeting - Mark Schoeberl/Paul Wennberg

9:10a Report from the mission strategy for validation subpanel meeting -Jay Mace/ Steve Platnick/Mark Schoeberl/Chip Trepte

9:20a Report from WB-57F subpanel meeting - Eric Jensen/Steve Wofsy

9:40a Report from ER-2 subpanel meeting - Paul Newman/Steve Platnick

10:00a Break


Moderator - Steve Platnick

10:30a Report from ground-based instruments subpanel meeting - John Gerlach/Anne Thompson

10:45a Report from the forecasting/flight planning subpanel meeting - Lenny Pfister/Rennie Selkirk

11:00a General discussion

11:30a Adjourn

ESPO News:

ICESCAPE News

OIB Arctic Mar-May 2012

HS3 Aug-Sep 2012

OIB Antarctic, Oct-Nov 2011

HS3, Aug-Sep 2011

ATTREX Jan-Feb 2013


SEAC4RS Aug-Sep 2012

Seagrass Apr-May, Nov 2012 & Jan 2013

Impacts of Climate on the Eco-Systems and Chemistry of the Arctic Pacific Environment (ICESCAPE) was a multi-year NASA shipborne project. The bulk of the research took place in the Beaufort and Chukchi Sea’s in the summers of 2010 and 2011. Although the mission has been complete for some time, there are now two new news articles on the subject. CNN and Latin Times
Dates: Apr-May, Nov 2012 and Jan 2013
Aircraft: SIERRA
Location(s): Cedar Key, FL, Key West, FL and Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
Science Goals: High Resolution Assessment of Carbon Dynamics in Seagrass and Coral Reef Biomes; Science objectives are to image sea grass and coral for understanding carbon dynamics in addition to improving methodologies for calibrating orbital imagery in the littoral zone.
ESPO Role/Lead: ESPO is providing logistic support - Quincy Allison and Marshal Chaidez
Dates: Mar 12 - May 25 2012
Aircraft: NASA WFF P-3, LaRC HU-25 Falcon
Location(s): Thule and Kangerlussuaq Greenland, Fairbanks AK
Science Goals: Ongoing investigation of the thinning and movement of Antarctic Sea and Land Ice. Data collected during IceBridge will help scientists bridge the gap in polar observations between NASA's Ice, Cloud and Land Elevation Satellite (ICESat) -- in orbit since 2003 -- and ICESat-2, planned for late 2015. ICESat stopped collecting science data in 2009, making IceBridge critical for ensuring a continuous series of observations. IceBridge will use airborne instruments to map Arctic and Antarctic areas once a year.
ESPO Role/Lead: ESPO providing Deployment Management - Kent Shiffer (DM), Jhony Zavaleta (Deputy DM).
Others: Jhony Zavaleta returned once again to Thule Greenland at the end of May to complete wrap up the mission details with the Thule Air Base operations.
Accomplishments this past month: Operation IceBridge is now complete. The LaRC falcon has completed all of its expected flight lines and has returned to Langley. The WFF P-3 has also completed an unprecedented Cryospheric campaign and returned to the US on May 25th.. Flying over 328 total hours including 252 science hours at an estimated distance of 82,815 nautical miles over the arctic and island of Greenland. All P-3 and Falcon flight reports can be viewed on the ESPO OIB web site at: Web Site
Dates: October 5 - November 22, 2011
Aircraft: NASA DC-8, NSF G-V
Location(s): Punta Arenas, Chile
Science Goals: Ongoing investigation of the thinning and movement of Antarctic Sea and Land Ice. Data collected during IceBridge will help scientists bridge the gap in polar observations between NASA's Ice, Cloud and Land Elevation Satellite (ICESat) -- in orbit since 2003 -- and ICESat-2, planned for late 2015. ICESat stopped collecting science data in 2009, making IceBridge critical for ensuring a continuous series of observations. IceBridge will use airborne instruments to map Arctic and Antarctic areas once a year.
ESPO Role/Lead: ESPO providing Deployment Management - Kent Shiffer (DM), Jhony Zavaleta (Deputy DM).
Other details: This is the first time the NSF G-V has joined the OIB team and will fly the LVIS instrument at high altitude. (Land, Vegetation, and Ice Sensor).
Web Site
Dates: Aug 1 - Oct 14, 2012
Aircraft: 2 Global Hawks (AV-1 and AV-6)
Location(s): WFF (Wallops)
Science Goals: To investigate the processes that underlie hurricane formation and intensity change in the Atlantic Ocean basin.
ESPO Role/Lead: ESPO providing Project Management - Marilyn Vasques (PM), Bernie Luna (Deputy PM)
Other details: This will be the first deployment of the GH to a remote location and the first use of its 2nd ground set. It will also be the first time NASA will fly 2 GHs on the same mission. Both GHs will not fly a storm at the same time but shortly after one returns to base, the other can take off. The Payload Mobile Operations Facility (PMOF) is expected to transit to WFF July 6. More info at HS3Web site
Current plan
Integration begins: July 1
GH 872 (AV-6) transits to WFF: Aug 29
Science flights begin Sept 1
GH 871 (AV-1) transits to WFF Sept 7
Science flight complete Oct 5
Accomplishments this past month: Science team telecon conducted May 23rd. Preparations for integration and deployment continue. Science, operations, safety and E/PO telecons continue and operations, safety and budget documentation is in work. During a flight of the ongoing KQX/DARPA tests, the Global Hawk flew within 40 feet of each other. Although this is not a requirement for HS3, it is a major milestone for KQX. After a few weeks of analysis, they will fly again and attempt to connect the aircraft for air-to-air refueling. The two GHs were to be turned over to HS3 June 30. HS3 just got a request to explain the impact of giving KQX 2 more weeks. The impact will be severe and the justification will be presented by HS3 June 12.
Dates: Jan-Feb, 2013
Aircraft: Global Hawk AV-6
Location(s): DFRC
Science Goals: Further investigate the water vapor physics and the chemistry of the tropical tropopause
ESPO Role/Lead: ESPO providing Project Management - Dave Jordan (PM), Jhony Zavaleta (Deputy PM).
Other details: Web Site
Dates: August-September 2012 (exact dates not yet set)
Aircraft: NASA ER-2, DC-8, NSF G-V
Location(s): Utapao Thailand
Science Goals: This scientific experiment will address key science questions regarding the influence of Asian emissions on clouds, climate, and air quality as well as fundamental satellite observability of the system. SEAC4RS will facilitate progress in understanding and improving predictive capability for changes in the ozone layer, climate forcing, and air quality associated with changes in atmospheric composition.
ESPO Role/Lead: ESPO providing Project Management - Kent Shiffer (PM), Jhony Zavaleta (Deputy PM).
Other details: Other aircraft may join the SEAC4RS team including the Royal Thai Rainmaking operation. SEAC4RS Web Site
Accomplishments this past month: The DC3 NSF/NASA mission, (preliminary mission to SEAC4RS) is currently deployed with the NASA DC-8 and NSF G-V aircraft in Salina KS. ESPO team members Kent Shiffer and Sue Tolley are planning to visit Thailand again to finalize deployment site particulars on June 16th. They will be joined by an ER-2 pilot and will review the facilities and provide a safety briefing to the airport.
First Gov . gov NASA Logo - nasa.gov
Last Updated: Tue, 08 Jul 2008 20:32:50 -0700