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Hurricane Wind Field Measurements with Scanning Airborne Doppler Lidar During CAMEX-3During the 1998 Convection and Moisture Experiment (CAMEX-3), the first hurricane wind field measurements with Doppler lidar were achieved. Wind fields were mapped within the eye, along the eyewall, in the central dense overcast, and in the marine boundary layer encompassing the inflow region. Spatial coverage was determined primarily by cloud distribution and opacity. Within optically-thin cirrus slant range of 20- 25 km was achieved, whereas no propagation was obtained during penetration of dense cloud. Measurements were obtained with the Multi-center Airborne Coherent Atmospheric Wind Sensor (MACAWS) on the NASA DC-8 research aircraft. MACAWS was developed and operated cooperatively by the atmospheric lidar remote sensing groups of NOAA Environmental Technology Laboratory, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, and Jet Propulsion Laboratory. A pseudo-dual Doppler technique ("co-planar scanning") is used to map the horizontal component of the wind at several vertical levels. Pulses from the laser are directed out the left side of the aircraft in the desired directions using computer-controlled rotating prisms. Upon exiting the aircraft, the beam is completely eyesafe. Aircraft attitude and speed are taken into account during real-time signal processing, resulting in determination of the ground-relative wind to an accuracy of about 1 m/s magnitude and about 10 deg direction. Beam pointing angle errors are about 0.1 deg, equivalent to about 17 m at 10 km. Horizontal resolution is about 1 km (along-track) for typical signal processor and scanner settings; vertical resolution varies with range. Results from CAMEX-3 suggest that scanning Doppler wind lidar can complement airborne Doppler radar by providing wind field measurements in regions that are devoid of hydrometeors. At present MACAWS observations are being assimilated into experimental forecast models and satellite Doppler wind lidar simulations to evaluate the relative impact.
Document ID
20000014134
Acquisition Source
Marshall Space Flight Center
Document Type
Preprint (Draft being sent to journal)
Authors
Rothermel, Jeffry
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL United States)
Cutten, D. R.
(Alabama Univ. Huntsville, AL United States)
Howell, J. N.
(National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration United States)
Darby, L. S.
(National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration United States)
Hardesty, R. M.
(National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration United States)
Traff, D. M.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA United States)
Menzies, R. T.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA United States)
Date Acquired
August 19, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2000
Subject Category
Meteorology And Climatology
Meeting Information
Meeting: Hurricanes and Tropical Meteorology
Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL
Country: United States
Start Date: May 29, 2000
End Date: June 2, 2000
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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