NASA logo and link
EOSPSO logo and link
ASP logo and link
MAS Banner image

MODIS Airborne Simulator (MAS)

FLIGHT SUMMARY INFORMATION

Flight Track Map
track map thumbnail Click map
Nadir Image Profile
MAS Nadir Profile Image Nadir Text Profile
Flight: 02-947
Date: 07 July 2002
Location: Gulf of Mexico / Florida
Deployment: CRYSTAL-FACE
Principal Investigators: Drs. Michael King & Steven Platnick (NASA GSFC)
Additional Sensors: CoSSIR, CPL, CRS, Dropsondes, EDOP, JLH, MMS,
MTP, RAMS, SSFR

Data Evaluation
Pilot did not turn on superpod heaters until 1 hour into flight;
multiple dropped scanlines and condensation on data system as a result
11µm channel coherent noise fixed
AQUA Underflight @ 18:10
TERRA Underflight @ 16:39
NOAA16 Underflight @ 19:02

Processing Information
Level-1B Data in HDF format is available
Flight Line Summary
Spectral Band Configuration
Spectral Response Function Table

Browse Imagery
Flight Tracks: 20
Scanlines: 99938

Browse Imagery Table
Click a Flight Track number to view a quicklook image
Lat/Lon ranges are for the BEG-END scanline nadir pixels
Flight
Track
Time Span
(GMT)
Heading
(Deg)
Lat Range
(Deg North)
Lon Range
(Deg West)
Length
(scanlines)
Altitude
(meters)
1 16:36 - 16:40 53.5 26.282 - 26.523 82.416 - 82.105 1284 19477
2 16:41 - 17:00 142.4 26.512 - 24.903 81.956 - 80.608 7007 19626
3 17:03 - 17:20 327.1 25.042 - 26.671 80.450 - 81.798 6425 19755
4 17:23 - 17:42 139.0 26.582 - 24.909 82.014 - 80.611 7194 19847
5 17:45 - 18:03 325.6 24.798 - 26.475 80.795 - 82.230 6765 19874
6 18:06 - 18:26 141.7 26.623 - 24.910 82.046 - 80.614 7347 19978
7 18:29 - 18:48 322.8 24.823 - 26.495 80.805 - 82.472 7189 19890
8 18:52 - 19:07 133.5 26.290 - 25.122 82.560 - 81.297 5596 19795
9 19:07 - 19:11 144.2 25.102 - 24.695 81.278 - 80.992 1665 19919
10 19:14 - 19:34 322.0 24.828 - 26.498 80.824 - 82.458 7134 19898
11 19:37 - 19:40 121.6 26.353 - 26.180 82.620 - 82.327 1119 19820
12 19:40 - 19:48 137.9 26.156 - 25.485 82.297 - 81.688 2965 19891
13 19:54 - 20:04 137.5 25.465 - 24.639 81.703 - 80.927 3798 19975
14 20:07 - 20:27 322.8 24.781 - 26.499 80.780 - 82.455 7334 19819
15 20:31 - 20:53 129.5 26.322 - 24.785 82.785 - 80.783 8225 19873
16 20:56 - 21:15 309.9 24.970 - 26.315 80.651 - 82.617 7090 19977
17 21:18 - 21:31 125.1 26.155 - 25.358 82.749 - 81.483 4869 19848
18 21:33 - 21:39 11.1 25.422 - 26.064 81.327 - 81.244 2186 19890
19 21:41 - 21:50 217.5 26.142 - 25.348 81.503 - 82.149 3167 19847
20 21:58 - 22:03 271.1 25.438 - 25.445 81.957 - 82.503 1579 19777
Images 01 through 20 in sequence
Level 2 Product Imagery Table
Products derived from field-processed Level-1B data
Flight
Track
Brightness
Temperature
Phase
Comparison
Ecosystem
Information
1 click to view click to view click to view
2 click to view click to view click to view
3 click to view click to view click to view
4 click to view click to view click to view
5 click to view click to view click to view
6 click to view click to view click to view
7 click to view click to view click to view
8 click to view click to view click to view
9 click to view click to view click to view
10 click to view click to view click to view
11 click to view click to view click to view
12 click to view click to view click to view
13 click to view click to view click to view
14 click to view click to view click to view
15 click to view click to view click to view
16 click to view click to view click to view
17 click to view click to view click to view
18 click to view click to view click to view
19 click to view click to view click to view
20 N/A N/A N/A
View all Brightness Temperature Products in sequence
View all Phase Comparison Products in sequence
View all Ecosystem Information Products in sequence
Flight Summary Report

Mission Number: 2
Mission Scientists: S. Platnick, P. Newman
ER-2 Pilot: J. Barrilleaux
Takeoff: 1600 (UTC)
Landing: 2240 (UTC)
Duration: 6:40 (h:mm)

Convection was expected over the interior panhandle and along the western coast. Weak upper level westerly flow out of the southeast was expected to blow anvils out over the gulf. The scenario developed as expected.

After climbing to altitude, the ER-2 headed north out of Key West and placed a sonde over the gulf, at a latitude approximately equivalent to that of the western ground site. The ER-2 then flew a fixed racetrack pattern with the western leg centered over the western ground site and oriented along the coast. The racetrack offset is approximately 14 nautical miles. As convection developed and anvils advected to the west, the racetrack was repositioned (in increments of a racetrack width) to the southwest by NPOL.

Satellite & Ground Site Information

AQUA Overpass @ 1810 (UTC); VZA = 55° (relative to western site)
TERRA Overpass @ 1639 (UTC); VZA = 49° (relative to western site)
NOAA16 Overpass @ 1902 (UTC); VZA = 1° (relative to western site)

Western Site: PARSL, Everglades National Park, Gulf Coast Visitor's Center
Location: 25° 50.0´ N , 81° 23.´4 W (25.83°, -81.39°)

Eastern Site: Kendall-Tamiami Airport
Location: 25° 39.3´ N, 80° 25.9´ W (25.66°, -80.43°)

Western ER-2 Overpasses
Overpass Time (UTC) Min. Distance
1 16:49:29 0.83 km
2 17:31:48 0.58 km
3 18:15:28 0.89 km
Eastern ER-2 Overpasses
Overpass Time (UTC) Min. Distance
1 22:15:49 5.77 km

ER-2 Science Instrument Payload Status
  • CoSSIR: Missing 487 Ghz data for portion of flight (starting at ~1730 UTC), possible due to later turn on of pod heaters.
  • CPL: Missing ~1 hour of data due to late turn on of pod heaters.
  • CRS: Operated; good data.
  • EDOP: Operated; good data.
  • JLH: Laser failed, awaiting replacement.
  • MAS: Operated; good data. Multiple dropped scanlines due to late turn on of pod heaters at ~1 hour into flight, and resulting condensation on data system; 11µm channel coherent noise fixed.
  • MMS: Operated; good data.
  • MTP: Operated; good data.
  • RAMS: Operated; good data.
  • SSFR: Operated; good data.
  • Vaisala Dropsonde: 6 dropped; 4 recorded.

Visalia Dropsonde Information
Dropsonde Release Splashdown
Time (UTC) Latitude Longitude Time (UTC) Latitude Longitude
1 16:29:00 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
2 19:39:00 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
3 20:43:00 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
4 21:50:00 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Aircraft Coordination
  • Takeoff times (UTC): WB-57 (1700), Proteus (1530), Citation (1400), Twin Otter (0800 & 1300), P-3 (1200).
  • WB-57: In situ sampling in anvil regions of opportunity as anvils advect to the west.
  • Proteus: Fly along the ER-2 track as much as is feasible. Excellent coordination with ER-2, achieved center track coordination on each western-most leg of the ER-2 racetrack.
  • P-3: Returned to base soon after takeoff.
page title background image

Flight 02-947

  • + HOME
  • + CAMPAIGNS
  • - MISSIONS
  • + ORDER DATA
  • + IMAGE GALLERY
  • + REFERENCE
  • + CONTACT US
Sample Imagery
Click image for full resolution
Track #05
Florida / Gulf of Mexico
Click to load the full resolution image Flight Direction Indicator
R: 1.64µm
G: 0.66µm
B: 1.90µm

Track #10
Southern Florida
Click to load the full resolution image Flight Direction Indicator
R: 1.64µm
G: 0.66µm
B: 1.90µm