METEOROLOGICAL RESEARCH FLIGHT
MRF Technical Note No. 21
Minor updates: 11 Jan 1999, 21 Apr 1999
Building Y46
DERA
FARNBOROUGH
HAMPSHIRE
GU14 0LX
United Kingdom
Head 01252 394501
Aircraft Manager 01252 395400
Fax 01252 376588
Document prepared by D. Anderson
ãCrown Copyright 1997Summary of Capability
Mk.2 Hercules
This summary is provided as a general guide to the Mk.2 Hercules and its instrumentation. The details about instrumentation (particularly accuracy) are typical values and users should check critical variables.
Details about instrumentation owned or partially owned by outside collaborators is included for completion but no guarantees are given for their availability or the accuracy of the details.
This document may be referenced by Meteorological Research Flight Technical Note No. 21.
Contents:
1 |
Mk.2 Hercules Summary |
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2 |
Aircraft Instrumentation Specifications |
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3 |
Dropsonde Instrumentation Specifications |
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4 |
Basic Meteorological Measurements |
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5 |
Aerosol and Cloud Physics Measurements |
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6 |
Chemical Sampling - Instruments owned by MRF |
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7 |
Chemical Sampling - Instruments NOT owned by MRF |
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8 |
Application Information |
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9 |
MRF C-130 Equipment Installation |
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10 |
Contact Points |
1 Mk.2 Hercules Summary (also referred to as MRF C-130)
Description:
- Crew |
Two pilots, navigator, flight engineer and loadmaster |
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- Scientists |
Maximum of fourteen project participants |
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- Length |
36.6 m |
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- Wingspan |
40.6 m |
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- Weight |
70 316 kg maximum |
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- Engines |
Four Allison T56-A-15, 4 508 equivalent h.p. each |
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- Base |
DERA, Boscombe Down, Salisbury, Wilts, UK |
Performance:
- Altitude |
10 000 m (typical working maximum) |
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- Range |
5 500 km (at 7 000 m cruise altitude) |
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- Endurance |
12 hours maximum with IFR reserves |
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- Speed |
150 ms-1 (typical cruise), 100 ms-1 (typical measurement speed) |
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- Payload |
17 600 kg with full fuel load |
Sensors:
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Temperature, humidity, pressure |
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Gustprobes |
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Aerosol and Cloud Physics Instrumentation |
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Radiometers (Visible, Infrared, and microwave wavelengths) |
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Remote Radiometric Surface Temperature |
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Video (Still photography is available via Hand-held camera) |
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Atmospheric Trace Gases |
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3 cm Weather Radar |
Applications:
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Experiments requiring versatile measurement capability at short notice over land and sea around the UK |
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Campaigns in the UK and abroad requiring intensive measurement periods or long endurance |
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Short notice campaigns overseas |
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Radiative Transfer Studies in clear and cloudy air |
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Cloud Physics and Dynamic Studies |
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Dynamics of mesoscale weather systems |
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Boundary Layer studies |
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Tropospheric Chemistry measurements |
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Remote sensing: verification of ground based instruments |
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Satellite Ground Truth - Radiometric measurements and winds |
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Satellite Instrument test-bed |
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Radar ducting studies |
The aircraft can perform a number of manoeuvres designed to get the most accurate measurements possible of the atmospheric phenomena being observed. These include:
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profile descents (or ascents) at constant airspeed and rate of descent (ascent). Minimum altitude @ 15 m (50 feet) where permitted. |
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straight and level runs at constant height and airspeed (or groundspeed). Minimum altitude 30 m (100 feet). |
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2 Aircraft Instrumentation Specifications
Meteorological Research Flight Aircraft Type: Mk.2 Hercules |
Aircraft No: XV208 |
Variable Measured |
Instrument Type |
Manufacturer and Model No. |
Combined Performance of Transducer, Signal Conditioning and Recorder |
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Range |
Accuracy |
Resolution |
Aircraft Vertical Velocity |
Inertial Navigation Unit |
Honeywell H423 |
±30 ms-1 |
±0.3 ms-1 |
0.019 -1 |
Aircraft Ground Speed Components |
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±250 ms-1 |
±0.75 ms-1 |
0.019 -1 |
Aircraft True Heading |
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0° to 360° |
±0.1° r.m.s. |
0.006°
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Aircraft Pitch Angle |
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±90° |
±0.07° r.m.s. |
0.006°
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Aircraft Roll Angle |
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±180° |
±0.07° r.m.s. |
0.006°
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Angle of Attack |
Potentiometric Wind Vane |
Penny & Giles E23001 |
±10° |
±0.5° offset |
±0.005°
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Angle of Sideslip |
Potentiometric Wind Vane |
Penny & Giles E23001 |
±10° |
±0.5°offset |
±0.005°
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Geometric Altitude |
Radar Altimeter |
Honeywell YG9000D1 |
0-1525 metres (0-5000 feet) |
greater of ±3% or ±1.5 m |
0.4 m
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Aircraft Instrumentation Specifications (continued)
Variable Measured |
Instrument Type |
Manufacturer and Model No. |
Combined Performance of Transducer, Signal Conditioning and Recorder |
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Range |
Accuracy |
Resolution |
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Aircraft Latitude (GPS) |
Global Positioning System |
Navstar XR5 |
0± to 90 N or S |
±50 m * |
±0.1 m |
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Aircraft Longitude (GPS) |
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0 to 180 E or W |
±50 m * |
±0.1 m |
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Aircraft Altitude (GPS) |
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exceeds aircraft flight envelope |
±50 m * |
±0.06 m |
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GPS Horizontal Velocity |
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±1.6 ms-1 * |
±0.1 m-1
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GPS Vertical Velocity |
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±2.6 ms-1 * |
±0.03 m-1
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Aircraft Latitude (OMEGA) ** |
Omega Navigation System |
Litton LTN-211 |
0° to 90° N or S |
<2 km radius by day and <4 km by night |
0.000 086° |
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Aircraft Longitude (OMEGA) ** |
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0° to 180° E or W |
<2 km radius by day and <4 km by night |
0.000 086° |
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Precipitation Location |
Radar Altimeter |
Ecko 290 |
±15° radar tilt angle, 260 km maximum range |
dependent on range |
3° beam width, 300 metre resolution within 32 km range |
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using WGS84 Map Projection
* subject to degradation by US Department of Defence
** OMEGA system was discontinued from 30 September 1997: Flight A581
Aircraft Instrumentation Specifications (continued)
Variable Measured |
Instrument Type |
Manufacturer and Model No. |
Combined Performance of Transducer, Signal Conditioning and Recorder |
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Range |
Accuracy |
Resolution |
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Static Pressure |
Variable Capacitance |
Rosemount 1201F |
1030-100 mb |
better than ±0.3% full scale pressure i.e. ±3 mb |
0.25 mb
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Pitot-Static Pressure |
Variable Capacitance |
Rosemount 1221F |
0-125 mb |
better than ±0.3% full scale pressure i.e. ±0.5 mb |
0.03 mb |
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Total Air Temperature (de-iced) |
Platinum resistance (50W) |
Rosemount 102BL |
-80°C to +40°C |
±0.3°C (de-icing heater off) |
0.06°C |
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Total Air Temperature (non de-iced) |
Platinum resistance (50W) |
Rosemount 102AL |
-80°C to +40°C |
±0.3°C |
0.06°C |
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In Cloud Temperature Probe (ICTP) |
4.3m m CO2 Absorption Band Thermometer |
UK Met Office developed |
-50°C to +30°C |
±0.1°C at +30°C ±1°C at -50°C |
0.025°C |
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Aircraft Instrumentation Specifications (continued)
Variable Measured |
Instrument Type |
Manufacturer and Model No. |
Combined Performance of Transducer, Signal Conditioning and Recorder |
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Range |
Accuracy |
Resolution |
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Dew Point TD |
Thermoelectric Hygrometer |
General Eastern 1011B |
-60 °C to + 50 °C |
±0.25°C at TD > ±0°C reducing to ~ ±1.0°C at TD = -60°C (sluggish) |
0.03°C |
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Absolute Humidity |
Lyman-a absorption and fluorescence hygrometer (FWVS) |
UK Met Office developed |
Abs:-30°Cto+30°C Fluo: -80°Cto-25°C |
±1°C |
0.5°C |
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Total Water Content |
Lyman-a absorption hygrometer |
UK Met Office developed |
0 - 20 g kg-1 |
±0.15 g kg-1 |
0.005 g kg-1 |
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Liquid Water Content |
Hot wire |
Johnson-Williams LWH |
0 - 3 gm-3 |
±10% |
0.001 gm-3 |
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Radiometric Surface Temperature |
Pyro Electric Detector 8m m to 14mml |
HEIMANN KT 19.82 |
-50°C to +50°C |
±0.5°C |
from 0.1°C at +20°C 0.3°C at -50°C |
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Aircraft Instrumentation Specifications (continued)
Variable Measured |
Instrument Type |
Manufacturer and Model No. |
Combined Performance of Transducer, Signal Conditioning and Recorder |
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Range |
Accuracy |
Resolution |
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Broadband Infrared Radiation (Hemispheric f.o.v. upper and lower) |
Pyrgeometers 4mm ®50mm (silicon dome) |
UK Met Office developed |
-500 ® + 500Wm-2 |
±10 Wm-2 |
0.24 Wm-2 |
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Broadband Solar Radiation (Hemispheric f.o.v. upper and lower) |
Pyranometers 0.3mm ®3mm (WG295 clear dome) |
Eppley PSP |
-40 ® + 1400Wm-2 |
±3% for direct irradiance ±2% for diffuse irradiance |
0.35 WM-2 |
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Broadband Solar Radiation (Hemispheric f.o.v. upper and lower) |
Pyranometers 0.7mm ®3mm (WG715 red dome) |
Eppley PSP |
-40 ® + 700Wm-2 |
±3% for direct irradiance ±2% for diffuse irradiance |
0.18 WM-2 |
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Visible and Infrared Radiation |
Scanning Airborne Filter Radiometer (SAFIRE) 0.5mm ®15mm (16 bands or 4 bands scanning field of view) |
UK Met Office developed |
0.5 ® 3.5mm
3.7 ® 15 m m |
1%
0.1K |
Shortwave signal/noise ratio 1000:1
Thermal resolution <0.1K |
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Aircraft Instrumentation Specifications (continued)
Variable Measured |
Instrument Type |
Manufacturer and Model No. |
Combined Performance of Transducer, Signal Conditioning and Recorder |
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Range |
Accuracy |
Resolution |
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Microwave Radiation |
Microwave Airborne Radiometer Scanning System (MARSS) (89, 157, 183±1, ±3, ±7) GHz
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UK Met Office LMD developed |
9 upward views + 9 downward views |
~1K over land |
0.4 ® 0.7K |
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Microwave Radiation |
Deimos 23.8, k50.1 GHz Vert + Horz polarisations |
UK Met Office developed |
5 downward views |
~1.3 K over land |
0.5 K |
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Infrared Radiation |
Airborne Research Interferometer Evaluation System (ARIES) |
BOMEM MB200/UK Met Office developed |
3.3 ® 16.7mm (600 cm-1 ® 3000 cm-1) |
NEDT £ 0.2K when viewing a 280K Black Body for 1 minute at 1000cm-1 (1cm-1 resolution)
NEDT £ 0.2K when viewing a 280K Black Body for 2 minutes at 2700cm-1 (1cm-1 resolution) |
0.48 cm-1 sampling bin (can be degraded) |
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The above instruments are maintained by the Remote Sensing Branch (RS) of the Met Office at Farnborough.
For further details on ARIES contact ?? For further details on MARSS & DEIMOS contact Tim Hewison.
For details of address, E-mail and telephone numbers see section 8.
Aircraft Instrumentation Specifications (continued)
Variable Measured |
Instrument Type |
Manufacturer and Model No. |
Combined Performance of Transducer, Signal Conditioning and Recorder |
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Range |
Accuracy |
Resolution |
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Aerosol Light Scattering |
3 wavelength Nephelometer (450, 550 & 700nm) Backscatter and Total scatter measurements |
TSI Model 3563 |
Software adjustable sensitivity ~10-7 m-1 using 30 second averaging |
±10% |
0.024% of range |
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Cloud Condensation Nuclei (CCN) |
Saturation gradient chamber |
UK Met Office developed |
>0.2mm particle diameter with 10 saturation ranges |
±5% (provisional) |
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Condensation Particle Counter (CNC) |
Ultrafine Condensation Particle Counter |
TSI INC Model 3025A |
50% detection at 3nm 90% detection at 5n m |
±10% up to 9.99x104 cm-3 |
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Optical absorption by black carbon |
Dual Path integrating plate Quartz filter. Absorption coefficient at l = 565nm. |
Radiance Research Particle Soot Absorption Photometer (PSAF) (aka SOOTY) |
0-5X10-5 m -1 |
±10% |
0.024% of range |
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Counterflow Virtual Impactor (CVI) (containing: CNC - 3010 (TSI) PCASP 0.1mm to 9mm Filters - see Chemistry Section) |
Collects cloud droplets by removing them from the airflow and evaporating the water to leave a residual particle and water vapour |
Developed by University of Stockholm/UK Met Office |
Min cut-off 4mm |
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3 Dropsonde Instrumentation Specifications
Type: VAISALA RD82-41G GPS Mini Dropsonde
Variable Measured |
Instrument Type |
Manufacturer and Model No. |
Combined Performance of Transducer, Signal Conditioning and Recorder |
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Range |
Accuracy |
Resolution |
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Air Temperature |
Capacitive bead |
<2.5 s |
-90°C ® +60 °C |
±0.2 °C |
0.1 °C |
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Humidity |
HUMICAP thin-film capacitor |
<1 s |
0% ®100% RH (U) |
±2% RH |
1% RH |
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Pressure |
BAROCAP silicon sensor |
of the order of milliseconds |
3 hPa ®1070 hPa |
±0.5 hPa |
0.1 hPa |
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Winds |
GPS codeless Doppler-shift measurement technique |
N/A |
0 ®150 ms-1 |
±0.5 ms-1 |
0.1 ms-1 temporal resolution 0.5 s |
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4 Basic Meteorological Measurements
Parameter |
Absolute Accuracy |
Resolution |
Primary Instrumental Source |
Remarks |
Horizontal wind component |
±0.5 ms-1 |
0.06 ms-1 |
Pitot-static system, angle of sideslip vane, INU, GPS, OMEGA* |
Assumes full corrections made, including removal of INU drift |
Vertical wind component |
±0.1 ms-1 |
±0.03 -1 |
Angle of attack vane, pitot-static system, INU |
Assumes low frequency errors removed by reference to changes in static pressure |
Immersion Temperature |
±0.3°C in clear air |
0.06°C in clear air |
Rosemount resistance thermometers, pitot-static system |
Rosemounts corrected for kinetic heating |
Radiative Temperature |
±0.1°C ® 1.0°C |
0.025°C |
In Cloud Temperature Probe (ICTP) |
ICTP used in cloud |
Humidity mixing ratio |
±0.3 g kg-1 |
0.02 g kg-1 |
Total water content probe (TWC), Rosemount thermometers, pitot-static system, Fluorescence Water Vapour Sensor (FWVS), dew point hygrometers |
Figures quoted refer to the lower altitudes in the atmosphere |
Geometric Altitude |
±3% |
0.4 m |
Radar altimeter |
Does not work at heights >125 m (5,000 feet) |
Pressure |
better than ±3 mb |
0.25 mb |
Compensated static pressure ports |
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(*OMEGA system was discontinued from end of September 1997 - data may still be used for flights before this date.)
5 Aerosol and Cloud Physics Measurements
Parameter |
Device |
Size Range (diameter: d) |
Remarks |
Number densities of cloud particles |
FSSP |
0.5 mm<d < 8 mm 1 mm < d < 16m m 2 mm < d < 32m m 2 mm < d < 45 mm |
Choice of ranges, sizing correct for water droplets only. |
Number densities of cloud particles |
Cloud particle probe (2D-C) |
25mm < d < 800mm |
Provides shape information for larger particles of ice and water. |
Number densities of precipitation particles |
Precipitation probe (HVPS) |
200mm < d < 6400mm |
See 2D-C. |
Number densities of aerosol particles |
PCASP |
0.1mm < d < 3mm |
Size calibration for spherical particles. |
Cloud scope |
Hallett Cloud Scope (Desert Research Institute) |
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Water drop/ice crystal images recorded on video tape. |
Cloud condensation nuclei |
Cloud condensation nuclei counter |
CCN concentrations up to 4 000 cm-3 . Supersaturations of up to 1.5% |
Discrete air samples drawn in via the alleviator. |
Liquid water concentrations |
Johnson-Williams meter |
» 100% of 10mm to 30mm diameter drops collected. »50% only of 500mm d drops. |
Bulk measurement, larger droplets shed by wire. |
Aerosol Chemical Composition |
Variation of Aerosol Chemical Characteristics (VACC) (University of Sunderland) |
3 nm < d < 3 mm |
Gives size distribution with some chemical information. |
6 Chemical Sampling - Instruments owned by MRF
Variable Measured |
Method |
Type/Model |
Remarks |
Ozone O3 |
UV Photometric |
TECO 49 |
Range 0-1000 ppb Sensitivity 2 ppb Modified for aircraft use. |
Peroxy Acetyl Nitrate (PAN) |
Electron capture gas chromatograph |
MRF developed 3 channels |
Detection limit approx. 50 ppt . Calibration under development. |
Particulate matter |
Millipore Filters, 2 channels. Up to 3 filters each inlet. |
MRF/Mainz developed. Isokinetic inlets |
Filters supplied by user. Ion or SEM analysis by user. Possible to detect Ca++, Mg++, Na+, NH4+, K+, Cl- , NO3 -, SO4--. |
Grab samples |
Stainless steel flasks |
7 bar max fill pressure |
48 1.6 litre bottles available at MRF. Laboratory analysis by user. e.g. FID GC for NMHC, ECGC for Halocarbons |
Grab samples |
Tedlar bags/metal bellows pump |
bags supplied by user |
Analysis by user laboratory 1 litre to 25 litre bags may be used. |
Variable Measured |
Instrument Type |
Model etc. |
Instrument owner/operator |
Remarks |
J NO2 |
4p solid angle UV photometer |
Juelich developed |
Juelich/not required |
NO2 Photolysis rate. Fitted as replacement for BBR. |
J O1D |
4p solid angle UV photometer |
University of Leicester developed |
UL/not required |
Ozone Photolysis rate. Fitted as replacement for BBR. |
Carbon Monoxide CO |
Resonance Fluorescence |
Juelich developed |
Juelich/MRF or Juelich |
Continuous, fast response. |
Nitrogen Oxides NO/NO2/ NOY/NO Y -HNO 3 |
4 channel NO/O3 chemiluminescence |
NOAA/UEA developed |
UEA/UEA |
NOY channels use gold tube catalytic converter in presence of CO to NO.NO2 uses photolytic conversion to NO |
Peroxides H2O2 |
Fluorimetric |
UEA developed |
UEA/UEA |
2 channel wet chemistry, total peroxides and organic peroxides |
Formaldehyde HCHO |
Fluorimetric |
UEA developed |
UEA/UEA |
1 channel wet chemistry |
Sulphur Dioxide/Dimethyl sulphide SO2/DMS |
APCI Mass Spectrometer |
Max Planck developed |
Owner/owner or MRF |
Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Ionisation, continuous fast response |
PFC Tracers |
Dual Trap Analyser GC |
BNL developed |
Owner/MRF |
Requires release of PFC tracer for plume detection |
8 Application Information
Typical information required when considering projects requiring the MRF Hercules.
· Summary of scientific programme.
· Proposed flight operations, to include:
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- Flying periods, |
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- Number of flights, duration, and times of day, |
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- Operating base, |
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- Altitude and range, |
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- Weather conditions and an indication of the likelihood of such suitable conditions, |
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- Number of scientific staff or observers needing to fly, |
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- Instruments needed on the flight, |
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- Need for real time display of data, |
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- Co-ordination with any other ground or airborne system |
· Data processing requirements, to include:
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- Data required on standard format MRF data disks and tapes, |
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- Data required in non-standard format, |
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- Special data processing needs. |
· Requirements for air to ground or air to air communication requirements.
· Name, address etc. of any collaborators including, if necessary, a scientific contact within the Met. Office.
9 MRF C-130 Equipment Installation
MRF have a rolling programme of installations on the C-130, many of which are minor changes or upgrades to existing equipment. However, new equipment is installed when required to meet the needs of users, either on a permanent basis or for particular campaigns.
Because the aircraft is a military aircraft, installations have to meet military standards; amongst the most stringent of these is the 16g deceleration forward emergency landing case. Although airworthiness inspectors prefer the structural strength of the equipment, including the mounting points, to be certified as conforming to Hercules stress requirements on MoD Form 100, often this will not be possible, and each installation will have to be agreed with the airworthiness authorities at Boscombe Down.
MRF are willing to consider the feasibility of any new installation; discussions should be held at an early stage as the design and embodiment of installations can (depending on the complexity of the task) take some time.
10 Contact Points
For further information please contact the following:
Meteorological Research Flight |
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Remote Sensing Branch |
Building Y46 |
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Building Y70 |
DERA |
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DERA |
Farnborough |
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Farnborough |
Hampshire |
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Hampshire |
GU14 0LX |
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GU14 0LX |
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John Foot, Head of MRF |
01252 395401 |
jsfoot@meto.gov.uk |
Nick Jackson, Head of Facilities |
01252 395417 |
wdnjackson@meto.gov.uk |
Nick Price, Aircraft Manager |
01252 395503 |
nmprice@meto.gov.uk |
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Doug Johnson, Head of Cloud Physics |
01252 395734 |
dwjohnson@meto.gov.uk |
Pete Francis, Head of Atmospheric Radiation |
01252 395403 |
pnfrancis@meto.gov.uk |
Ken Dewey, Head of Atmospheric Chemistry |
01252 395830 |
kjdewey@meto.gov.uk |
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EU contracts/proposals should contact:- |
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Dave Kindred |
01252 395421 |
drkindred@meto.gov.uk |
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Universities, HEIs and NERC/SERC institutes should contact:- |
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Andrew Kaye |
01252 395843 |
aka@nerc.ac.uk |
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MRF Fax |
01252 376588 |
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For further details on Remote Sensing Branch (RSI) equipment contact:- |
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Dr Jon Taylor (ARIES, MARSS & DEIMOS |
01252 395728 |
jptaylor@meto.gov.uk |
Tim Hewison (MARSS & DEIMOS) |
01252 395781 |
tjhewison@meto.gov.uk |
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RSI Fax |
01252 515523 |
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