Day 108 Met Page

Ship Downloads

Afternoon  AVHRR and SeaWiFS
 

OverNight Satellite Pictures  (from the night of 107)
noaa14 ch 4 at
gms5 ir at 1800Z

From the OPS Center
 

Tim, As we discussed, the aircraft are likely headed north tomorrow
to work in clear skies. C-130 will go west to Yellow
Sea and north to 37N and the Otter will go by Oki and north.
Not to make you feel bad but
Changes occuring in the flow pattern to bring down a less
intense dust outbreak that becomes accessible to aircraft,
unfortunately to you by saturdy if you leave the instruments
on the ship, on
Thursday as you are heading in.  Aircraft are proposing to fly
in the sea of Japan near 38N, 134E and points NE. They will be a
gradient of aerosols and dust out in front of the weather cold
front.  How far it sags south, given time of year is still in
question. In addition to the weather depictions, I am including
the MATCH output for Thirsday morning so you can see what might be
coming. As usual, the problem will be the clouds associated with
for any aerosol msmts.

I spoke with Steve Siems and he will work with Jorge and you
to see if something is workable tomorrow with the King Air.
The JMA paints a more positive picture of clearing things out to the
west but too early to tell.  Cloud field associated with low to your
SE is really wrapping up.  There is also big convection on a squall
line that should reamin well south of your latitude but does
indicate some energy in the ssytem and lots of cirrus blow off.
Moore later,  Jim

Weather info:
The meteorological situation as it is expected to be at 0000 UTC on Wednesday,
April 18 is shown in the 24 hour forecast chart. Clouds will accompany an
extended frontal boundary from SW of Beijing to the surface low near 50 N, 130
E. A disturbance is expected to form along this front in the vicinity of 42 N,
116 E; meanwhile the boundary itself will be moving toward the SE. This will
leave the Yellow Sea area free of major cloud masses. The weak disturbance
which had formed north of 30 N off the coast of China will have moved to the
vicinity of 31 N, 133 E, bringing widespread clouds, showers and embedded
thunderstorms to the area. Although not indicated on the chart, cirrus clouds
advected offshore of China north of 30 N are likely in the area south of Cheju.
 

The expected situation for 0000 UTC on Thursday, April 19 is shown in the 48
hour map. The frontal boundary discussed above is expected to have moved to
the SE and lie across the northern parts of the Yellow Sea and the Sea of Japan.
Areas SW and NE of Korea will be nearly clear. There will be widespread
cloudiness and precipitation SE of central Japan associated with the surface low
situated near 140 E.

For the ship these are the expected winds:
for the 17th, 1200 UTC, E at 8-10 ms-1;
for 0000 UTC on the 18th, NNE at 10-12 ms-1;
for 1200 UTC on the 18th, NW at 12-15 ms-1;
for 0000 UTC on the 19th, NNE 12-15 ms-1; and
for 1200 UTC on the 19th, NE at 8-10 ms-1 heading in to port.

For the area of Cheju, at 1200 UTC on the 17th, ENE at < 5 ms-1;
at 0000 UTC on the 18th, NNE at
5 ms-1; for 1200 on the 18th, variable at < 5 ms-1 along the ridge
line; for 0000 UTC on the 19th, S at 5 ms-1; and for 1200 UTC on the 19th, SE at
5 ms-1.

DISCUSSION

The track of the R/V Ron Brown on its way into port will have it following the
surface low pressure center. While this will make cloud-free conditions for
coordinated sampling difficult to find, at least the waves which the ship will
encounter will be fetch limited.

Ridging has been reestablished in the 500 hPa flow over western China, meaning
that the potential for major dust outbreaks remains low. However, a series of
sharp shortwave systems moving through the area will continue to generate
surface disturbances and raise dust in limited areas. By the 20th of April there
is a greater chance that some of this material will again be accessible to
observation from Iwakuni.

SUMMARY

There are potentially interesting areas of observation accessible in the Yellow
Sea on Wednesday and in the Sea of Japan on Thursday for the C-130 and north
of Oki Island for the Twin Otter.

Ops summary:Date of report(UTC): 2001/04/17 04:56
Author of report: Dick Dirks
Submitted at: 20010417:4:56

The Ron Brown is positioned at 33N, 128E for coordinated measurements this
afternoon with both the Twin Otter and C-130.

The C-130 took off at 0000 UTC (0900 JLT) to conduct a Japan plume mission
beginning with a wall pattern in the Philippine Sea south of Iwakuni followed
by a wall pattern in the Sea of Japan north of Iwakuni and then an
intercomparison with the Ron Brown near 33N, 128E.

The Twin Otter took off at 0200 UTC (1100 JLT) for coordinated measurements with

the Ron Brown in the vicinity of 33N, 128E.

King Air continues its instrument integration with a possible test flight this
afternoon or tomorrow morning.
MISSION PLANS:

PRIMARY MISSION:
     C-130 plans aerosol characterization mission in the Yellow Sea west of
Korea.The Twin Otter will conduct radiation and chemistry measurements in the
Sea of Japan north of Iwakuni.Possible King Air test flight or possible
intercomparison with Ron Brown.
 
 

TAKE OFF / LANDING TIMES:
       Plane            Take-off Times(UTC)  Landing Times(UTC)
 NCAR C-130             0001 UTC, 0901 JLT         0900 UTC
 CIRPAS Twin Otter      0000 UTC, 0900 JLT     0630 UTC
      ARA King Air

Pre-flight briefing times(UTC): 2200 UTC (4/17), 0700 JLT
Update times(UTC): N/A

AIRBORNE MISSION SCIENTIST NAMES:
     NCAR C-130 : P. Russell
     CIRPAS Twin Otter : H. Jonsson
     ARA King Air :

SHIP OPERATIONS:
     After completing its coordinated measurements with the two aircraft, Ron
Brown will move south around Kyushu Island on its way to port in Yokosuka,
     Japan on Friday, 20 April. It may try to coordiante with the
ARA King Air on 4/18 south of Kyushu.