Severe Thunderstorm Study - Greeley, Colorado
The armored T-28 was deployed to work with the
CSU-CHILL radar facility for a period of 3 weeks beginning on 3 June 2002.
The aircraft was equipped with its complete suite of microphysical and
electrical instrumentation, and in addition carried a NOx analyzer.
Observations were used to supplement ongoing research into the remote
characterization of the microphysical properties of thunderstorms using
multiparameter weather radars, and as well into characterization of the
production and transport of NOx compounds created by lightning
discharges within thunderstorms. In addition, the deployment offered students
in Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) programs within the Departments
of Electrical Engineering and Atmospheric Sciences at CSU, and the Department
of Electrical Engineering at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology,experience in the
acquisition and analysis of in situ
data from instrumented aircraft.
Problems with the recently-rebuilt engine on the
T-28 developed during the initial week of the deployment, and the deployment
was terminated after a complete engine failure on 17 June. Eight flights were conducted during the
deployment, of which 3 were focussed on research observations and 5 were
devoted to instrument or engine tests. The clouds sampled were high-base
convective clouds with modest updrafts. The aircraft had one encounter with a
region of elevated NO produced by a recent lightning discharge. No hail was
encountered.
Special thanks to the CSU-CHILL radar facility
for their excellent support and collaboration during this deployment, and to Darin
Toohey
and Linea Avallone of the University
of Colorado
for loan of their TEI-42C NO/NOx analyzer and advice in how to adapt it to airborne
applications.
