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Shenk, W. E.

Publications and source records attributed to Shenk, W. E..

At least 37 records · Page 2
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1978

The benefits of using short interval satellite images to derive winds for tropical cyclones

During the 1975, 1976, and 1977, NOAA's National Environmental Satellite Service and NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center conducted a cooperative program to determine the optimum resolution and frequency of satellite images for deriving winds to study and forecast tropical cyclones. Rapid scan images were obtained at 7.5 minute interval from SMS-2 for hurricane Eloise and cyclone Caroline, and at 3 minute intervals from GOES-1 for tropical storms Belle, Holly, and Anita. Cloud motions were derived from these images using the Atmospheric and Oceanographic Information Processing System. Winds that were derived from the movement of upper and lower tropospheric level clouds using rapid scan data were compared with the 15 and 30 minute interval data. Greater than 10 (5) times as many clouds could be tracked to obtain winds using 3 and 7.5 minute rapid scan images as when using 15 or 30 minute interval images. A few bright areas within the central dense overcast which appeared to be moving with the winds at low levels were tracked.

Rodgers, E.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Stereographic cloud heights from imagery of SMS/GOES satellites

Stereographic pairs of SMS/GOES images, generated simultaneously by the spin-scan cameras of each of two geostationary satellites (SMS 1 and SMS 2, separated by 32 degrees of longitude on February 17, 1975), have been analyzed photogrammetrically to yield cloud heights with a two-sigma uncertainty of 500 meters. The 32-degree angle between the image plane of the two satellites, plus the distortions involved in transferring the image of a nearly full hemisphere of the earth onto a plane, required the development of a special instrument to permit stereographic compilation. Cloud heights measured stereographically compared favorably with heights of the same clouds measured by radar and IR methods. The same SMS image pairs were used to measure mountain-top heights with a mean deviation of 0.24 km from cartographic values.

Minzner, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Wind estimates from cloud motions - Results from Phases I, II and III of an in situ aircraft verification experiment

An experiment is in progress to verify geostationary-satellite-derived cloud-motion wind estimates by in-situ aircraft wind-velocity measurements. One or more low-level aircraft equipped with Inertial Navigation Systems (INS) were used to define the vertical extent and horizontal motion of a cloud and to measure the ambient wind field. A high-level aircraft, also equipped with an INS, took photographs to describe the horizontal extent of the cloud field and to measure cloud motion. To date the experiment has been conducted over tropical oceans and in the western Gulf of Mexico. A total of 60 h have been spent tracking some 40 tropical cumulus and five cirrus clouds. Results for tropical cumulus clouds indicate excellent agreement between the cloud motion and the wind at cloud base. The magnitude of the vector difference between the cloud motion and the cloud-base wind is less than 1.3 m/s for 67% of the cases with track lengths of 1 h or longer. Similarly, the vector differences between the cloud motion and the wind at sub-cloud (150 m), mid-cloud, and cloud-top levels are 1.5, 3.6 and 7.0 m/s, respectively. The cirrus cloud motions agreed best with the mean wind in the cloud layer with a vector difference of about 1.6 m/s.

Hasler, A. F.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Deriving winds for hurricanes using short interval satellite imagery

Results are presented for a study program designed to develop a better means of obtaining wind data needed by hurricane forecasters and to determine the optimum space and time resolution of satellite data used to obtain such winds. The discussion covers cloud tracking with an image display and manipulation system and analysis of IR imagery of Hurricane Eloise. It is shown that greater resolution in time and space of satellite imagery made it possible to derive up to six times as many low-level winds in a hurricane case, to eliminate 'bad winds' caused by mistaking cloud growth for cloud motion, and to remove ambiguities that would have caused difficulty in tracking clouds using only the imagery taken at 30-min intervals. It is suggested to use short-interval imagery (less than 10 min) for wind determination for future research in areas of tropical cyclones.

Gentry, R. C.↗
NASA NTRS1977

A study of Stormsat interactive data analysis facility

Stormsat, a third generation geosynchronous satellite intended for the investigation and forecasting of severe local storms, tropical cyclones and other mesoscale phenomena, could be launched as early as 1982. The paper outlines the interactive data processing and analysis functions which must be performed and presents a possible configuration capable of achieving the demonstration forecast objectives. Important features of the data processing system include (1) interactive extraction of wind, temperature and moisture profiles, cloud structure and precipitation from Stormsat data, and (2) numerical and statistical modeling necessary to provide demonstration forecasts.

Hasler, A. F.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Objective tropical cyclone analysis and forecasting technique using conventional and Nimbus-5 electrically scanning microwave radiometer measurements

The ADAPT empirical analysis programs, based on finding an optimal representation of the data in the Karhunen-Loeve sense, were applied to 120 observations of twenty-nine 1973 and 1974 Pacific tropical cyclones. Each observation consists of NIMBUS-5 electrically scanning microwave radiometer (ESMR) radiation measurements at 267 grid points covering and surrounding the tropical cyclone plus nine other non-satellite derived descriptors. Analysis and forecast algorithms to estimate storm motion and intensity were developed for times ranging from the observation time up to 72 hours later. The 24 hr wind speed forecasts with an accuracy of 11.7 knots and position forecasts with accuracies 15% better than persistence were demonstrated using independent tests.

Hunter, H. E.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Stereographic cloud heights from SMS/goes imagery

Stereographic pairs of SMS/GOES images, generated simultaneously by the spin-scan cameras of each of two geostationary satellites (SMS 1 and SMS2), separated by 32 degrees of longitude on February 1, 1975, were analyzed photogrametrically to yield cloud heights with a two-sigma uncertainty of 500 meters. These cloud heights compare favorably with heights of the same clouds measured by radar and IR methods. The same SMS image pairs were used to measure mountaintop heights with a mean deviation of 0.24 km from cartographic values.

Minzner, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS1977

High resolution tropical cyclone wind fields determined from cloud motions

Full resolution rapid scan infrared and visible images from the VISSR sensor on board SMS-2/GEOS-1 satellite have made it possible to maximize the number of tropical cyclone upper and lower tropospheric wind vectors by a factor of 6(2) over that of the images taken at 30 minute (15 minute) intervals. These full resolution rapid scan visible images have also made it possible to derive low level winds near the center of tropical cyclones.

Rodgers, E. B.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Wind estimates from cloud motions - Preliminary results from phases I, II and III of an in situ aircraft verification experiment

The accuracy of wind estimates derived from cloud motion is under investigation. Aircraft measurements of the ambient wind field have been compared with simultaneous inertial navigation system descriptions of the extent and motion of 40 tropical cumulus and 5 cirrus clouds. Preliminary results indicate that cloud-motion wind estimates are sufficiently accurate to be used in sensitive divergence, vorticity, and vertical motion calculations. The magnitude of the vector difference between the cirrus cloud velocity and the mean wind of the cloud layer was found to be about 1.6 m/sec. The major source of error is thought to be in determination of the position of the cloud. In the case of cumulus clouds, the magnitude of the vector difference between the aircraft-measured cloud motion and the cloud-base wind is less than 1.3 m/sec.

Hasler, A. F.↗
NASA NTRS1976

A multispectral cloud type identification method developed for tropical ocean areas with Nimbus-3 MRIR measurements

A four-channel multispectral cloud type identification technique is developed on the basis of Nimbus-3 Resolution Infrared Radiometer (MRIR) measurements, with the four channels being spectrally located at 0.2-4.0, 6.5-7, 10-11, and 20-23 microns. The technique requires the use of a radiative transfer model with information on the vertical temperature and moisture profiles and climatological knowledge of the upper boundaries of cloud surfaces associated with expected cloud types within a given area. Experimental verification of the technique indicates that deletion of the 20-23 micron channel has no adverse effect on method capability, and that the 6.5-7 micron channel alone is well suited for successful mapping of the areas where cirrus is reasonably dense, while indicating the regions where cirrus is not present.

Shenk, W. E.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Meteorological interpretations of the images from the Nimbus 5 electrically scanned microwave radiometer

The Nimbus 5 Electrically Scanned Microwave Radiometer (ESMR) is useful in determining the extent, structure, and intensity of rainfall over oceans. It is possible on the basis of rainfall maps to determine the location of frontal rain, rain/snow boundaries, and the structure of tropical storms. ESMR data on rainfall over the east coast of the United States and the Gulf of Mexico, on snowfall over the northeast coast of the United States, on frontal zones in the northwestern Pacific and on the tropical storm Leila in the South Indian Ocean are examined. Because of the generally high emissivities of land surfaces, interpretation of meteorological parameters over land is not yet possible.

Wilheit, T. T.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Wind estimates from cloud motions: Preliminary results from phases 1, 2, and 3 of an in situ aircraft verification experiment

Low level aircraft equipped with Inertial Navigation Systems (INS) were used to define the vertical extent and horizontal motion of a cloud and to measure the ambient wind field. A high level aircraft, also equipped with an INS, took photographs to describe the horizontal extent of the cloud field and to measure cloud motion. The aerial photographs were also used to make a positive identification in a satellite picture of the cloud observed by the low level aircraft. The experiment was conducted over the tropical oceans in the vicinity of Florida, Puerto Rico, Panama and in the Western Gulf of Mexico. Results for tropical cumulus clouds indicate excellent agreement between the cloud motion and the wind at the cloud base. The magnitude of the vector difference between the cloud motion and the cloud base wind is less than 1.3 m/sec for 67% of the cases with track lengths of 1 hour or longer. The cirrus cloud motions agreed best with the mean wind in the cloud layer with a vector difference of about 1.6 m/sec.

Hasler, A. F.↗
NASA NTRS1975

ATS-6 - The Geosynchronous Very High Resolution Radiometer

The Geosynchronous Very High Resolution Radiometer (GVHRR), flown on the three-axis stabilized geosynchronous satellite, Applications Technology Satellite-6 (ATS-6), collected meteorological data for two months during the summer of 1974. Several hundred images were successfully taken. Data collection terminated when the instrument chopper motor failed. The instrument, its supporting ground equipment, and the data collected in orbit are described.

Shenk, W. E.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Meteorological satellite accomplishments

Meteorological satellites include experimental satellites operated by NASA and operational satellites operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The operational system currently provides pictures of the entire globe, temperature measurements throughout the world, and wind measurements in selected parts of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Aspects of vertical sounding are discussed along with questions of parameter extraction technique development, macroscale phenomena, the heat budget of the earth-atmosphere system and the climate, and studies of ocean surface and hydrology.

Allison, L. J.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Satellite-tracked cumulus velocities

Basic problems in the interpretation of satellite-tracked low-cloud velocities are reviewed. The METRACOM system of cloud velocity computation is outlined, and caution is urged in converting cloud velocities into wind velocities. The motion of various cumulus cells over Springfield, Mo., Barbados, and Tampa, Fla., is analyzed. It is shown that multiturret cells do not always move with the wind, that addition and deletion of turrets belonging to a specific cell may cause erratic motion in a tracer cell, and that cumulus turrets between 0.3 and 2 miles in size are the best targets for inferring the mean wind velocity within the subcloud layers. It is concluded that the accuracy of wind velocity estimates will be no better than 2 meters/sec unless the physical and dynamic characteristics of cumulus motion are further investigated.

Fujita, T. T.↗