NASA Logo

NTRS

NTRS - NASA Technical Reports Server

Back to Results
ALTUS Cumulus Electrification Study (ACES)The ALTUS Cumulus Electrification Study (ACES) is an uninhabited aerial vehicle (UAV)-based project that will investigate thunderstorms in the vicinity of the Florida Everglades in August 2002. ACES is being conducted to both investigate storm electrical activity and its relationship to storm morphology, and validate Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission (TRMM) satellite measurements. In addition, as part of NASA's UAV-based science demonstration program, this project will provide a scientifically useful demonstration of the utility and promise of UAV platforms for Earth science and applications observations. Part of the demonstration involves getting approvals from the Federal Aviation Administration and the NASA airworthiness flight safety review board. ACES will employ the ALTUS II aircraft, built by General Atomics - Aeronautical Systems, Inc. Key science objectives simultaneously addressed by ACES are to: (1) investigate lightning-storm relationships, (2) study storm electrical budgets, and (3) provide Lightning Imaging Sensor validation. The ACES payload, already developed and flown on ALTUS, includes electrical, magnetic, and optical sensors to remotely characterize the lightning activity and the electrical environment within and around thunderstorms. ACES will contribute important electrical and optical measurements not available from other sources. Also, the high altitude vantage point of the UAV observing platform (up to 55,000 feet) offers a useful 'cloud-top' perspective. By taking advantage of its slow flight speed (70 to 100 knots), long endurance, and high altitude flight, the ALTUS will be flown near, and when possible, above (but never into) thunderstorms for long periods of time, allowing investigations to be conducted over entire storm life cycles. In addition, concurrent ground-based observations will enable the UAV measurements to be more completely interpreted and evaluated in the context of the thunderstorm structure, evolution, and environment.
Document ID
20030000538
Acquisition Source
Marshall Space Flight Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Kim, Tony
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL United States)
Blakeslee, Richard
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL United States)
Russell, Larry W.
Date Acquired
August 21, 2013
Publication Date
September 6, 2002
Subject Category
Geophysics
Meeting Information
Meeting: Technical Analysis and Applications Center Conference
Location: Santa Fe, NM
Country: United States
Start Date: October 28, 2002
End Date: October 30, 2002
Funding Number(s)
PROJECT: RTOP 688-10-01
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

Available Downloads

There are no available downloads for this record.
No Preview Available