Search Results

MIT Lincoln Laboratory is tasked by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration to investigate the use of the NEXRAD polarimetric radars* for the remote sensing of icing conditions hazardous to aircraft. A critical aspect of the investigation concerns validation that has relied upon commercial airline icing pilot reports and a dedicated campaign of in situ flights in winter storms. During the month of February in 2012 and 2013, the Convair-580 aircraft operated by the National Research Council of Canada was used for in situ validation of snowstorm characteristics under simultaneous observation by NEXRAD radars in Cleveland, Ohio and Buffalo, New York. The most anisotropic and easily distinguished winter targets to dual pol radar are ice crystals.

Fog and drizzle observations collected during the arctic weather and SAR (Search and Rescue) operations (SAAWSO) project at sub-freezing temperatures (T) are analyzed in this study to identify icing conditions, improve ground-based in-situ and remote sensing observations, and develop icing parameterizations for numerical weather prediction (NWP) models. The SAAWSO project took place during the 2012-2013 winter conditions that occurred over St. John's, NFL, Canada. Observations were obtained by a Droplet Measuring Technologies Fog Measuring Device (FMD), a ground cloud imaging probe (GCIP), a Radiometrics Profiling Microwave Radiometer (PMWR), a Rosemount icing detector, a laser disdrometer, and surface meteorological sensors. Precipitation, wind, and radiation data were also collected. Results suggest that observations obtained from integrated in-situ and remote sensors can be used to characterize icing conditions.