NCAR Airborne Instrumentation Information

NCAR Airborne Instrumentation Inventory

1. INSTRUMENT IDENTIFICATION

Instrument Designation:

Instrument Acronym:
CAI

Instrument Measurements:

a) Trace Gas

b) Cloud Physics/Aerosol

c) Radiation/Optical/Electrical

d) Additional Capabilities
intake and sample-plane airspeeds within

Resource Person/Developer:
Allen Schanot
NCAR/ATD/RAF
(303) 497-1063 (phone)
schanot@ucar.edu

Principle of Measurement:
Provide a source of uncontaminated atmospheric air via an isokinetic-sampling inlet

In situ/Remote/Flux Measurement:
In situ

2. INSTRUMENT APPLICATION

Scientific questions to be answered:

Field projects in which the instrument has been used:
ACE-1

Publications describing the instrument, applications and field project results:

3. Instrument Deployment

Altitude:

Aircraft Platform:
EC130-Q (N130AR) operated by NSF through NCAR/ATD/RAF.

Inlet Configuration/Location:
fore, starboard fuselage

Calibration/Cross Calibration:
being evaluated

Operator Requirements:

Data Collection:
external

Post-flight Data Validation, Processing, Hours per Flight Hour etc.

Physical Characteristics:
Dimensions:
Weight:
Power:
Other:

4. Instrument Performance

Linear Range:

Response Time:

Detection Limits:

Accuracy:

Precision:

Limitations (such as altitude, airspeed, etc.)

5. Alternative Techniques

6.Status/Plans

Status: under development and evaluation
Plans: second evaluation project (CAINE-II)

7.Comments

The Community Air Inlet is a large sampling tube mounted on the right, forward side of the EC-130Q. The CAI itself makes no direct measurements of atmospheric aerosols but is designed to feed uncontaminated ambient air (via seven sampling tubes) to instruments in the forward cabin. Results of data analysis from the CAINE and ACE-1 projects show that more studies are needed to characterize the total airflow within the CAI. A new project, CAINE-II, is planned to refine measurement uncertainties.

Specially designed for isokinetic flow, the CAI has instrumentation to measure the intake and sampling-plane airspeed ratio to maintain the isokinetic-design ratio of 10:1.

Information submitted on: Dec 20, 1996
Information submitted by: Ronald L. Ruth