Measurements

Data Acquisition

The Science Engineering Associates (SEA) Model M300 Data Acquisition System (DAS) is customized for each project in order to accommodate specific research demands. Data from each flight is processed, edited (missing value code inserted if parameters are determined to be invalid), and forwarded to the project scientist or sponsor in a timely manner (generally within 24 hours of each flight). All processing software is open source to enable scientists to understand how all parameters are determined. Data is recorded at various rates from 1 to 200Hz.

System Features

• Records and displays data in real-time
• Graphic and alphanumeric formats
• A 12bit, analog-to-digital 32 channel, is used to acquire voltage measurements at frequencies up to 100Hz
• Digital data acquisition is available on 25 serial (RS232/RS422) ports at speeds of up to 1.8 Mbps and on 2 ARINC-429 ports
• Special M300 interface cards are used to acquire data from CAPS probe, the Applanix System, and PMS probes
• Data acquisition configurations and instrument calibration is documented for each project

Data Processing

Airborne Data Processing and Analysis (ADPAA) is a software package for processing and analyzing data obtained from scientific instruments deployed on airborne platforms. Measured parameters are typically provided in ASCII text and/or NetCDF file formats. The ASCII text file format includes metadata in the file header. Customized cross-platform software (cplot and cplot2) is freely-available to quickly display and analyze the data files. All processing software is open source to allow scientists to understand how all parameters are determined. Please contact David Delene with your questions or comments. Further information about data processing is available on David Delene's website.

Features

• Open source since November 2008
• Four developers (including 2 former undergraduates)
• Automated system that enables preliminary data to be generated shortly after each flight
• GNU (General Public License) version 3, 29 June 2007

Data Usage

Data from the Citation research aircraft is available to staff and students of the Department of Atmospheric Sciences via network attached storage. Additionally, the data is housed in various archives and provided to project sponsors. Project sponsors use the data in scientific presentation and research papers. Listed below are references to data usages of the Citation research aircraft:

• Delene, David J. and M. Poellot, 2015: GPM Ground Validation UND Citation Cloud Microphysics IPHEX. Dataset available online from the NASA EOSDIS Global Hydrology Resource Center Distributed Active Archive Center Huntsville, Alabama, U.S.A. (39 Citation Research Aircraft (N555DS) Flights, 1 May - 15 June 2014)

• Delene, David J. and Michael Poellot, 2014: GPM Ground Validation UND Citation Cloud Microphysics GCPEx. Dataset available online from the NASA EOSDIS Global Hydrology Resource Center Distributed Active Archive Center Huntsville, Alabama, U.S.A. (18 Citation Research Aircraft (N555DS) Flights, 11 January - 25 February 2012)

• Delene, David J., and Michael Poellot, 2013: GPM Ground Validation UND Citation Cloud Microphysics MC3E. Dataset available online from the NASA EOSDIS Global Hydrology Resource Center Distributed Active Archive Center Huntsville, Alabama, U.S.A. (15 Citation Research Aircraft (N555DS) Flights, 20 March - 2 June 2011)

• Ray, Mark, and Kaare Anderson, 2015: Analysis of Flight Test Results of the Optical Ice Detector, SAE International

Student Publications

• Phondie Simelane, Convective Cloud-base Updraft Measurements, Northern Plains Convective Storm Symposium, Grand Forks ND, May 2013.
• Mariuz Starzec, Effects of Increased Horizontal Resolution on Resolving Convection and Convective Initiation, 93rd Annual Conference of the American Meteorological| Society (AMS), Austin TX, January 2013.
  • Accuracy of Locally Forecasted Precipitation as Determined by UND Radar, Poster presented at UND Undergraduate Research Forum, Grand Forks ND, November 2011.
• Nicole Bart, North Dakota Aircraft and Surface CCN Measurements during the Summers of 2010 and 2012, Poster at the 93rd Annual Conference of the AMS, Austin TX, January 2013.
  • The Use of Geographical Information Systems to Interpret Research Aircraft Measurements, Poster presented at UND Undergraduate Research Forum, Grand Forks ND, November 2011.
• Holly Robark, Hydrometeor Classifications of Snow using Polarimetric Radar and In Situ Observations, Poster at the 93rd Annual Conference of the AMS, Austin TX, January 2013.
• Korey Southerland, Report on the Polarimetric Cloud Analysis and Seeding Test 3 (POLCAST3) Field Project, Poster presented at the 2011 AMS Conference, Seattle WA, January 2011.
• Kasey Watkins, Analysis of Aerosol Size Spectrum measurements from North Dakota, Saudi Arabia, and Mali, Poster presented at the UND Scholarly Forum, Grand Forks ND, March 2009.
• Christopher Kruse, Evaluation of 3-dimensional winds measured by the Aircraft Integrated Meteorological Measurement System (AIMMS), Poster presented at the American Geophysical Union, San Francisco CA, December 2009.
• Gökhan Sever, Comparison of Two Cloud Condensation Nuclei Counters: An Analysis of Ground-Based Measurements, Poster presented at the 2009 Joint Assembly of the American Geophysical Union, Toronto, Canada, May 2009.
  • Comparison of Two Cloud Condensation Nuclei Counters: An Analysis of Ground and Airborne Measurements, Poster presented at the 28th Annual Conference of the American Association for Aerosol Research, Minneapolis MN, October 2009.
• Aymie Oliver, Atmospheric Measurements of Hygroscopic Flare Aerosols, Poster presented at the 28th Annual Conference of the American Association for Aerosol Research, Minneapolis MN, October 2009.
• David Keith, Comparison between MODIS, AERONET, and Aircraft based Passive Cavity Aerosol Spectrometer Probe Aerosol Optical Depth data over Mali, West Africa, Poster presented at the 28th Annual Conference of the American Association for Aerosol Research, Minneapolis MN, October 2009.