Meteorological Support for Space Operations Review and Recommendations (1988) / Chapter Skim
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3 Observing Systems
3 Observing Systems
Pages 27-36
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From page 27... ...
. Most of the critical weather elements discussed in Chapter 1 cannot currently be observed with the high degree of accuracy required in an endeavor as weather-sensitive as the space program, where small errors can produce catastrophic results.
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From page 28... ...
Balloon-based wind profiles require about an hour to measure winds to 55,000-foot (17 km) altitudes, so it is impossible to obtain soundings at less than 1-hour intervals unless multiple tracking devices are available and several balloons are airborne at the same time.
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From page 29... ...
Once a suitable profiler data base ~ attained, the method of assessing launch wind load hazards to the shuttle should be examined. It should be determined if a network of wind profilers at and surrounding KSC could be used to obtain very-short-term forecasts of wind profiles at launch tune through advection of wind field patterns across the network.
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From page 30... ...
To obtain better htformation about spatial and temporal variation of the wind near ESC, NASA shoed establish a network of Doppler wind profilers and a program for enhanced aircraft observations mmg avaBable NASA and U.S. Air Force aircraft.
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From page 31... ...
1~ obtain enhanced information about low-le~re} wmds and other weather elements, NASA should emend the areal coverage of the surface mesonetwork and Include data platforms over the ocean. At least two dedicated Doppler radars shown be installed in locations that optimize coverage over KSC to improve forecasts 1lemg higher resolution boundary layer data and to better relate the wmd fields and refiectivity withm clouds to the microphysical and electrical develop meet.
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From page 32... ...
State-of-the-science weather radars provide digital data that can be processed by computerized software packages to derive additional useful products such as vertically integrated liquid water contents, cross sections of reflectivity at any desired angle, and animated imagery. The 30~year-old FPS-77 radar at Vandenberg is not digitized and provides the forecaster only with snapshot views at fixed azimuth or elevation angle.
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From page 33... ...
An LLP system is in operation at KSC; it should be improved by periodically checking the site correction factors and the antenna alignments. Two larger lightning detection networks cover the KSC area: a network of LLP direction finders operated by the State University of New York at Albany and the Florida LPATS network of broadband TOA receivers.
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From page 34... ...
A new system of this type should be built. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration should make improvements to the existing LIP and [PEWS systems and obtain displays of other lightning detection networks in the area, ~ order to improve detection of lightning and electric fields.
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From page 35... ...
Additional efforts are needed to add companion meteorological data (such as radar data, surface mesonetwork and tower data, satellite data, and sounding data) to the triggered lightning data base for possible forecasting applications and to provide training to operational forecasters concerning the use of field malt network data.
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From page 36... ...
It is most commonly detected and reported by pilots. Some information regarding shears and hence the possibility of turbulence can be derived from the spectrum width of Doppler radar data, both from scanning Doppler weather radar and from Doppler radar wind profilers.
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