MESOSCALE STUDIES

RECENT MAJOR INITIATIVES WITHIN THE ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES COMMUNITY SUPPORT A SERIES OF INTERAGENCY FIELD RESEARCH PROGRAMS FOCUSED ON IMPROVING OUR UNDERSTANDING OF MESOSCALEPHENOMENON, IN THE CONTEXT OF WEATHER PREDICTION (THE STORM PROGRAM), CLIMATE MOEDLING (THE FIRE PROGRAM), AND FUNDAMENTALS OF ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY. IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT 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 PASSIVEINFRARED 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 AFOREMENTIONED PROGRAMS, AND A PRACTICAL EXTENSION OF THE RATHER LIMITED AIRCRAFT DROPSONDEAPPROACH. 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 FOR THE ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES RESEARCH COMMUNITY.