Overview of NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center's program on knowledge of atmospheric processes

The Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) is charged with the responsibility to enhance aviation safety through improving understanding of various atmospheric phenomena. A brief discussion is presented concerning the tasks and work being accomplished by MSFC. The tasks are defined as follows: (1) to determine and define the turbulence and steady wind environments induced by buildings, towers, hills, trees, etc., (2) to identify, develop, and apply natural environment technology for the reconstruction and/or simulation of the natural environment for aircraft accident investigation and hazard identification, (3) to develop basic information about free atmosphere perturbations, (4) to develop and apply fog modification mathematical models to assess candidate fog modification schemes and to develop appropriate instrumentation to aquire basic data about fog. To accomplish these tasks MSFC has developed a program involving field data acquisition, wind tunnel studies, theoretical studies, data analysis, and flight simulation studies

B-57B gust gradient program

Analysis of data obtained from the Joint Airport Weather Studies Flights 6 and 7 is underway. Data from Flight 7 indicate that the B-57B encountered the upper portion of an outflow feature (microburst) at an altitude of 400 meters above ground level. Horizontal wind vector plots along the flight path have provided clues concerning the meteorological setting of the flights. In addition to suspected outflow features, wavelike variations of the horizontal wind vectors were observed. Statistical studies of gust gradients were undertaken with the goal of fitting probability density functions to the data. As expected, the density functions were highly non-Gaussian. Spectral analyses are proceeding and several spectral models for the gust gradient data are being investigated

Proceedings of the 2nd Annual Workshop on Meteorological and Environmental Inputs to Aviation Systems

The proceedings of a workshop held at the University of Tennessee Space Institute, Tullahoma, Tennessee, March 28-30, 1978, are reported. The workshop was jointly sponsored by NASA, NOAA, FAA, and brought together many disciplines of the aviation communities in round table discussions. The major objectives of the workshop are to satisfy such needs of the sponsoring agencies as the expansion of our understanding and knowledge of the interactions of the atmosphere with aviation systems, as the better definition and implementation of services to operators, and as the collection and interpretation of data for establishing operational criteria, relating the total meteorological inputs from the atmospheric sciences to the needs of aviation communities

Proceedings: Sixth Annual Workshop on Meteorological and Environmental Inputs to Aviation Systems

The topics of interaction of the atmosphere with aviation systems, the better definition and implementation of services to operators, and the collection and interpretation of data for establishing operational criteria relating the total meteorological inputs from the atmospheric sciences to the needs of aviation communities were addressed

Maxometers (peak wind speed anemometers)

An instrument for measuring peak wind speeds under severe environmental conditions is described, comprising an elongated cylinder housed in an outer casing. The cylinder contains a piston attached to a longitudinally movable guided rod having a pressure disk mounted on one projecting end. Wind pressure against the pressure disk depresses the movable rod. When the wind reaches its maximum speed, the rod is locked by a ball clutch mechanism in the position of maximum inward movement. Thereafter maximum wind speed or pressure readings may be taken from calibrated indexing means

NASA/MSFC FY-83 Atmospheric Research Review

Atmospheric research conducted at the Marshall Space Flight Center in FY 1983 is discussed. Clear air turbulence, gusts, and fog dispersal near airports is discussed. The use of Doppler Lidar signals in discussed, as are low level flow conditions that are hazardous to aircraft

Significant events in low-level flow conditions hazardous to aircraft

Atmospheric parameters recorded during high surface winds are analyzed to determine magnitude, frequency, duration, and simultaneity of occurrence of low level flow conditions known to be hazardous to the ascent and descent of conventional aircraft and the space shuttle. Graphic and tabular presentations of mean and extreme values and simultaneous occurrences of turbulence (gustiness and a gust factor), wind shear (speed and direction), and vertical motion (updrafts and downdrafts), along with associated temperature inversions are included as function of tower height, layer and/or distance for six 5 sec intervals (one interval every 100 sec) of parameters sampled simultaneously at the rate of 10 speeds, directions and temperatures per second during an approximately 10 min period

The maxometer-dynamic and static tests

The ability to withstand extreme environmental conditions, such as the high flow velocities and extreme temperatures associated with the launch of aerospace vehicles, was considered in the developement of two maxometer models which are capable of measuring extremely high wind speeds (130 m/sec) and retaining a record of the peak speed over any given time period. The dynamic and static tests of these models are reported, along with pertinent results

Wind speed and direction shears with associated vertical motion during strong surface winds

Strong surface winds recorded at the NASA 150-Meter Ground Winds Tower facility at Kennedy Space Center, Florida, are analyzed to present occurrences representative of wind shear and vertical motion known to be hazardous to the ascent and descent of conventional aircraft and the Space Shuttle. Graphical (percentage frequency distributions) and mathematical (maximum, mean, standard deviation) descriptions of wind speed and direction shears and associated updrafts and downdrafts are included as functions of six vertical layers and one horizontal distance for twenty 5-second intervals of parameters sampled simultaneously at the rate of ten per second during a period of high surface winds

Wind shear modeling for aircraft hazard definition

Mathematical models of wind profiles were developed for use in fast time and manned flight simulation studies aimed at defining and eliminating these wind shear hazards. A set of wind profiles and associated wind shear characteristics for stable and neutral boundary layers, thunderstorms, and frontal winds potentially encounterable by aircraft in the terminal area are given. Engineering models of wind shear for direct hazard analysis are presented in mathematical formulae, graphs, tables, and computer lookup routines. The wind profile data utilized to establish the models are described as to location, how obtained, time of observation and number of data points up to 500 m. Recommendations, engineering interpretations and guidelines for use of the data are given and the range of applicability of the wind shear models is described