EUCAARI-LONGREX
DLR Falcon report #4
13-May-2008
Falcon Instrumentation
The Falcon payload for the EUCAARI experiment combines a nadir-looking aerosol lidar system
with extensive aerosol microphysics (size distribution, aerosol absorption coefficient) and chemistry
(volatile / non volatile size distributions, CO and O3) instrumentation. The NAIS ion spectrometer is
also operated on the Falcon.
The Falcon flights on 13-May-2008
General Weather Situation for 13-May-2008
A high pressure system centred over south-western Scandinavia influences the weather over
Central and Northern Europe. Due to a low pressure System over north-eastern Scandinavia
northerly winds dominate the flow over the Baltic region. Mostly cloud-free conditions over
Germany, the Baltic and North Sea and Britain were met. A second low pressure system over the
Mediterranean leads in combination with the high pressure system over south-western
Scandinavia to easterly winds in the southern North Sea region mainly in lower altitudes.
MSG images showing the weather situation during flight 080513a and 080513b on 13-May-2008.
Flights 080513a-b:
Two flights were performed on 13 May.
Between 10:41 and 13:55 UT the first flight was performed to probe pollution over Germany. The
Falcon headed at FL330 towards the Baltic Sea along the Polish-German border. Some boundary
layer clouds could be seen between Regensburg and Chemnitz. At 11:47 UT the Falcon reached
the Baltic Sea which was the northern most point of the flight. At high altitude the Falcon turned to
head back southwards. Between 11:55 and 12:35 UT a vertical profile was performed northwest of
Cottbus. Three legs were run at FL60 (just above the boundary layer), FL40 and 2000ft each
approx. 5 min. After the vertical profile the Falcon flew back to Oberpfaffenhofen at low levels
between FL70 and FL80 along the Czech-German border. The boundary layer height increased up
to FL80.
EUCAARI DLR – Falcon report #4
13/05/2008
The second flight was performed between 14:56 and 17:45 UT as transfer flight to
Shannon/Ireland. The boundary layer top at Oberpfaffenhofen was at about FL90. The main part of
the flight took place at FL360 heading towards northwest flying over Belgium, the English Channel
and London to the southern coast of Ireland. Some thin Cirrus clouds occurred above the Atlantic.
At 17:05 UT the Falcon reached FL70 to perform a low level flight along the southern and southwestern coast of Ireland and at 17:12 UT it descended down to 4000ft before heading towards
Shannon airport. Haze could be observed west of Ireland above the Atlantic while flying at lower
levels.
Instrument status for flights 080513a-b:
All instruments including the NAIS worked.
The flight was performed as planned.
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Thomas Hamburger
Institut für Physik der Atmosphäre
DLR
Phone: +49 8153 28 2523
Email: thomas.hamburger@dlr.de
EUCAARI DLR – Falcon report #4
13/05/2008