DC-8 Mission Science Report

3 a/c mission in Hurricane Erin, located near 35.5 N and 65.1 W. This was an optimal data assimilation mission, following the flight plan developed by Dr. Krishnamurti and the LASE team.

The overaraching objective was to obtain comprehensive data on storm structure and the wind, temperature, and moisture structure of the environment of the storm. The experiment design featured the NOAA P3 obtaining radar and in situ data within the storm core and dropondes on the north and east periphery, the ER-2 obtaining remote sensing and dropsonde data in the inner 2 degrees of the storm, and the DC-8 circumnavigating the storm at about 3 degrees radius to obtain moisture profiles (LASE) dropsonde, and other data mainly outside the central overcast.

This mission was a notable success. It included the first ever dropsondes from the stratosphere (8 were launched) into a hurricane. The quick look of the eye sounding shows it to be excellent data. The ER2 drops alone will guarantee a place in history for this flight, giving comprehensive temperature, moisture and wind structure of the storm from stratospheric altitudes. The DC8 also had notable success, executing a comprehensive pattern with a high fractional coverage of LASE data in the clear slot south and elsewhere in the periphery. The 9 successful dropsondes from all quadrants from the DC8 also add to the completeness of the environmental conditions. The NOAA P3 helped coordinate the ER2 center fix, obtained radar coverage and other coverage of the inner core and the northern fringes before landing in Providence RI.