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NASA NTRS1981

Compensation for use of monthly-averaged winds in numerical modeling

Ratios R of the monthly averaged wind speeds to the magnitudes of the monthly averaged wind vectors are presented over a 41 x 41 grid covering the southern Ocean and the Antarctic continent. The ratio is found to vary from 1 to over 1000, with an average value of 1.86. These ratios R are relevant for converting from sensible and latent heats calculated with mean monthly data to those calculated with 12 hourly data. The corresponding ratios alpha for wind stress, along with the angle deviations involved, are also presented over the same 41 x 41 grid. The values of alpha generally exceed those for R and average 2.66. Regions in zones of variable wind directions have larger R and alpha ratios, over the ice-covered portions of the southern Ocean averaging 2.74 and 4.35 for R and alpha respectively. Thus adjustments to compensate for the use of mean monthly wind velocities should be stronger for wind stress than for turbulent heats and stronger over ice covered regions than over regions with more persistent wind directions, e.g., those in the belt of mid-latitude westerlies.

Parkinson, C. L.↗

NASA NTRS1982

Sensitivity analysis of the space shuttle to ascent wind profiles

A parametric sensitivity analysis of the space shuttle ascent flight to the wind profile is presented. Engineering systems parameters are obtained by flight simulations using wind profile models and samples of detailed (Jimsphere) wind profile measurements. The wind models used are the synthetic vector wind model, with and without the design gust, and a model of the vector wind change with respect to time. From these comparison analyses an insight is gained on the contribution of winds to ascent subsystems flight parameters.

Smith, O. E.↗

NASA NTRS1982

The Seasat-A satellite scatterometer - The geophysical evaluation of remotely sensed wind vectors over the ocean

A description is given of the algorithm used to convert Seasat-A satellite microwave scatterometer measurements of ocean normalized radar cross section to the neutral stability vector wind at 19.5 m height, as well as to compare these winds with high-quality surface observations. The wind vector algorithm used an empirical normalized radar cross section model function to describe the ocean normalized radar cross section's dependence on the 19.5-m neutral stability wind vector. In addition, two model functions were evaluated by means of an independent set of in situ surface wind observations from the Joint Air Sea Interaction experiment (JASIN). Better results were produced by these comparisons than the stipulated Seasat wind speed and direction accuracy specifications of + or - 2 m/sec and + or - 20 deg, respectively, over the 0-16 m/sec range of winds observed during JASIN.

Jones, W. L.↗

NASA NTRS1982

Thermosphere zonal winds - Vertical motions and temperature as measured from Dynamics Explorer

Dynamics Explorer 2 has made possible, for the first time, global extent in situ measurements of upper thermosphere neutral particle winds. Zonal and vertical wind components, and the kinetic temperature, are being measured by the Wind and Temperature Spectrometer (WATS), while the Fabry-Perot Interferometer provides the meridional component. The present investigation is concerned with the zonal wind component, the vertical motions, and the temperature measured by the WATS. Preliminary studies of the neutral zonal wind components conducted for many orbits confirm a global pattern of upper thermosphere winds which blow over the earth from the mid-afternoon sector. Velocities range from near zero to a few hundred meters per second. Major perturbations to the basic thermally driven wind patterns are observed in both polar regions where the directions are frequently reversed and where the zonal velocities sometimes exceed 1 km/sec.

Spencer, N. W.↗

NASA NTRS1981

Studies of the dependence of L-band backscatter on sea surface winds using the synthetic aperture radar

Airborne and Seasat-1 SAR measurements of over-ocean winds through the use of L-band frequencies is described. A consistent dependence has been found between the wind speeds and the microwave backscattering coefficient. Measurements were obtained for cells a few kilometers across and at an incidence angle of 20 deg from nadir. Surface measurements were included in the analyses whenever possible, including data for surface temperatures and current variations, such as in the Gulf Stream. Higher radar cross-sections have been observed from the Gulf Stream than in nearby continental shelf waters. The eye-wall of Hurricane Gloria in Sept. 1976 displayed the largest backscatter of the storm. Wind speed backscatter exponents of 0.5 for winds below 18 m/sec, and 0.58 for winds above 20 m/sec have been determined for the Seasat L-band backscatter. The same wind speeds hold true for 0.05 and 0.50, respectively, for the wind direction component.

Weissman, D. E.↗

NASA NTRS1982

The measurement of the synoptic scale wind over the ocean

Mesoscale and microscale features of the turbulent winds over the ocean are related to the synoptic scale winds in terms of published spectral forms for the microscale, a mesoscale valley and published values of U*, VAR u', VAR v' and z/L, as defined in the text and as obtained for moderate to gale force winds. The frequencies involved correspond to periods longer than 1 hour and extend to the microscale, which starts at a period near 2 minutes, or so, and continues to the Kolmogorov inertial range. Nondimensional spectra that span both the mesoscale and the microscale are derived as a function of u, f(= n z/u) and z/L, where z is 10 meters, L is the Monin Obukov stability length and u is evaluated at 10 meters. For the same u, different values of z/L produce a range of values of u which in turn result in variations of the eddy structure of the mesoscale and microscale spectra. Both conventional anemometer averages and remotely sensed winds contain a random component of the mesoscale wind in their values. These components are differnces and not errors when winds are compared, and quantitative values for these differences are given. Ways to improve the measurement of the synoptic scale wind by transient ships, data buoys and scatterometers on future spacecraft are described. These ways are loner averaging times for ships and data buoys, depending on the synoptic conditions, and pooling spacecraft to form super observations. Design considerations for future remote sensing systems are given.

Pierson, W. J.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Results of free yaw tests of the Mod-O 100 kilowatt wind turbine

Tests were conducted on the Mod-O 100 kW experimental wind turbine to provide data on yaw alignment characteristics of a large horizontal axis wind turbine with its yaw restraint removed (i.e., in free yaw). The wind turbine consisted of a downwind horizontal axis rotor mounted on a tubular tower. Three rotor configurations were tested. Each rotor was teetered, coned 3 deg and tip-controlled. Two of the rotors had pitch-flap coupling or Delta-3, and one rotor had none. The two rotors with Delta-3 differed in the airfoil used in the tip sections. Test results indicate the rotor without pitch-flap coupling did not align closer than 25 deg with the wind, and pitch-flap coupling improved the wind turbine's alignment with the wind. Yaw damping was shown to have a favorable effect on free yaw characteristics. The change in the tip airfoil section was shown to affect the free yaw alignment also. The rotors with Delta-3 were shown to be capable of responding to wind shifts and exhibited stable operating properties.

Glasgow, J. C.↗

NASA NTRS1982

Observations of oceanic surface-wind fields from the Nimbus-7 microwave radiometer

Brightness temperatures from the five-frequency dual-polarized scanning multichannel microwave radiometer (SMMR) on Nimbus 7 have been used to obtain surface wind fields over the ocean. The satellite-derived wind field for 1200Z, Feb. 19, 1979, in the eastern North Pacific has been compared with an operationally generated surface-wind analysis field. Previous point comparisons at selected locations have indicated that satellite winds are accurate to 3 m/sec. The results, although of a preliminary nature, indicate that SMMR-derived winds may be used to determine large-scale wind fields over the ocean, particularly in areas of strong wind gradients such as found in cyclonic systems.

Miller, J. R.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Evaluation of Seasat SMMR wind speed measurements

The Seasat scanning multichannel microwave radiometer (SMMR) is able to measure the wind speed at the ocean surface through the change in ocean surface microwave emissivity caused by the wind. In this paper the SMMR-derived wind speeds are compared to the wind speeds derived from an active microwave scatterometer also aboard the Seasat, the Seasat A scanning scatterometer (SASS). Four orbits that passed over the severe storm that damaged the Queen Elizabeth II are examined in detail. These orbits and five others were used to investigate effects which degrade the SMMR wind retrievals. When the data are filtered for such effects, it is found that the SMMR winds agree with the SASS winds with a scatter (1 sigma) of less than 2 m/s about a bias of 1 to 2 m/s.

Cardone, V.↗

NASA NTRS1983

L band radar backscatter dependence upon surface wind stress - A summary of new Seasat-1 and aircraft observations

The wind-scale relationships for L band radar wavelengths near 25 cm and 20 deg angle of incidence and HH polarization are reviewed using a number of aircraft and Seasat-1 SAR observations. The dependence of the L band backscatter coefficient from the ocean upon surface wind speed and direction is stated. The wind speed coefficient is 0.5 + or - 0.1 for a wide range of wind speeds. The wind direction coefficient is near zero for lower winds and stable marine boundary layers, but may be 0.20 + or - 0.05 for moderate wind speeds and an unstable marine boundary layer. These results are interpreted in terms of existing theoretical models for radar scattering from the ocean.

Thompson, T. W.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Procedure for generating ground wind environments for Shuttle liftoff studies

Ground-wind environments for Monte Carlo simulations of Space Shuttle liftoff at KSC are developed. Input parameters include randomly selected 18.3-m-altitude peak wind speed (from which mean wind profile and turbulence intensity are calculated), randomly selected mean wind direction, and longitudinal and lateral turbulence components obtained from the Shuttle-simulation turbulence tapes (SSTT: Tatom et al., 1982). The steps in the simulation of turbulence time histories and horizontal wind fields are listed. It is found that separate statistical analysis of each hour-season pair, applying data on the time fraction of occurrence of peak winds and wind directions at KSC, will be necessary to interpret simulation results consistently.

Fichtl, G. H.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Remote sensing of stratospheric and mesospheric winds by gas correlation electrooptic phase-modulation spectroscopy

A method is developed for directly measuring atmospheric winds in the 20-120 km altitude interval from a spacecraft. The wind sensor measures the Doppler shift between the spectral absorption lines of a gas in a cell within the instrument and the thermal emission lines of the same gas in the atmosphere. The wind measurements are performed using a spacecraft-borne gas correlation spectrometer viewing the limb of the atmosphere. The wind-induced Doppler shift between the two spectra, and thus the magnitude of the wind itself, is obtained by phase modulating the incoming thermal radiation (equivalent to frequency modulation) by means of an electrooptically active crystal to determine the frequency shift required to reestablish exact correlation between the lines in the cell and the lines from the atmosphere. Results of numerical simulations of the wind-sensor performance indicate that the noise-equivalent-wind is between 1-5 m/s over most of the stratosphere and mesosphere.

Mccleese, D. J.↗

NASA NTRS1983

The influence of the tropics on the prediction of ultralong waves. I - Tropical wind field

The effects of tropical wind data from the FGGE and tropical latent heating on numerical modeling of ultralong waves are considered in a two-part study. The model studied is the global fourth-order GLAS general circulation model, an energy-conserving format with horizontal differences calculated with fourth-order accuracy. Data assimilation experiments were performed with and without the wind data, with account taken of eastward and northward wind components, the geopotential height, and the relative humidity, all over pressure surfaces. The initial conditions were used to generate six pairs of forecasts, and the tropical wind error decreased after two days of prediction when the initial conditions contained the wind data. The deviations from the measured planetary wave data were attributed to differences in the initial rotational wind field, which varied on a three-day basis. The latent heat initial data had a five-day period and extended its influence beyond the tropical zone. The tropical heat sources sustained the tropical westerlies in the GLAS model, and removal of the tropical heat sources reversed the wind to easterlies.

Baker, W. E.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Forecasting tropical cyclone recurvature with upper tropospheric winds

Data from 17 tropical cyclones during the 1974 through 1979 hurricane seasons are used to investigate whether the high level winds far to the northwest, north and northeast of the hurricane center can be used to predict hurricane track recurvature. When the man 200-mb winds 1500 to 2000 km northwest and north of the storm center equal or exceed 20 m/s, 80 per cent of the storms recurved before traveling as much as 12 degrees of longitude farther west. The high winds were also used to predict change in direction of forward motion during the next 72 hours. The regression equations developed explain up to 41 per cent of the variance in future direction. In addition to the geostrophic winds used, winds were also obtained by tracking clouds with successive satellite imagery. The u-components of the satellite winds are highly correlated with the geostrophic winds at 200-mb and could probably be used instead of them when available. The v-components are less highly correlated.

Gentry, R. C.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Comparison of sea surface wind speed fields by SEASAT radar altimeter, scatterometer and scanning multichannel microwave radiometer with an emphasis on the Southern Ocean

The SEASAT altimeter (ALT), scatterometer (SASS), and scanning microwave multichannel radiometer (SMMR) measured sea surface wind speed. During the satellite lifetime from June to October 1978, the Austral winter, the highest wind speeds were recorded in the Southern Ocean. Three-month, monthly, and three-day surface wind speed fields deduced from the three Seasat wind speed sensors are compared. The monthly and three-day fields show a pronounced mesoscale (1000 km) variability in wind speed. At all space and time scales analyzed, differences of 40% are found in the magnitude of the wind speed features, with the ALT consistently yielding the lowest wind speed and the SMMR the highest.

Mognard, N. M.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Analysis of Doppler lidar wind measurements

New analysis methods were developed and refined for the synthesis of wind fields from multiple Doppler radar data. Considerable software was written and debugged for wind field synthesis. The analysis methods were applied to radar data collected during the CCOPE experiment in which lidar wind measurements were also made. The analysis method differs from existing methods in that interpolation (using filters with assigned weights) and advection of data, to account for time differential between data acquisition at different points, are not used. Instead, functional fits were used in space and time coordinates to transfer radial velocity data to a space-time grid. Subsequently the wind synthesis is performed. This method gives better space resolution in the synthesized winds, compared to other methods in common use, by better preserving the gradients of velocities. The wind fields show the cellular structure characteristic of boundary-layer convection. Also evident in the analysis are the sharp transitions and gradients in the wind field which were preserved by the synthesis.

Srivastava, R. C.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Automated mesoscale winds derived from GOES multispectral imagery

An automated technique for extracting mesoscale winds from sequences of GOES VISSR image pairs was developed, tested and configured for quasi-real time/research applications on a computing system which gives mesoscale wind estimates at the highest spatial/temporal resolution possible from the VISSR imagery down to a wind vector separation of 10 km. Preprocessing of imagery using IR resampling, VIS edge preserving filtering, and reduced VIS resolution averaging improved height assignments and vector extraction for 10, 15, and 30 min imagery. An objective quality control system provides much greater than 99% accuracy in eliminating questionable wind estimates. Automated winds generally have better spatial coverage and density, and have random error estimates half as large as the manual winds. Dynamical analysis of cloud wind divergence revealed temporally consistent convergence centers on the meso beta scale that are highly correlated with on going and future developing convective storms. The entire system of computer codes was successfully vectorized for execution on an array processor resulting in job turnaround in less than one hour.

Wilson, G. S.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Incorporation of wind shear terms into the governing equations of aircraft motion

Conventional analyses of aircraft motion in the atmosphere have neglected wind speed variability on the scales associated with many atmospheric phenomena such as thunderstorms, low-level jets, etc. These phemonena produce wind shears that have been determined as the probable cause in many recent commercial airline accidents. This paper derives the six degrees equations of motion or an aircraft incorporating the variable wind terms. The equations are presented in several coordinate systems (i.e., body coordinates, inertial coordinates, etc.). The wind shear terms, including the temporal and spatial gradients of the wind, appear differently in the various coordinate system. These terms are discussed. Also, the influence of wind shear on inputs to computing the aerodynamic coefficients such as the effects of wind velocity vector rotation on relative angular rates of rotation and on the time rate of change of angles of attack and side slip are addressed.

Frost, W.↗