24Aug2010 Tri-Agency Mission Scientist Report - Scott Braun

Mission synopsis: August 24, 2010

NOAA/IFEX has no flights planned in the next 24 h. They will be watching developments in the Gulf of Mexico to determine if a flight on Thursday, August 26, is warranted.   Currently they are planning to forward deploy to Barbados on Friday, August 27.

NASA/GRIP completed a DC8 survey along the weak frontal zone on Tuesday, August 24. Take off time was 14 UTC and the flight duration was 8 h. The DC8 performed underflights of the TRMM PR and Aqua.  No flights are planned through Friday. The Global Hawk conducted a low to mid altitude dropsonde test today. The first drop was successful. However, the second one failed. The test will be repeated on Thursday. A possible science flight into Tropical Storm Frank in the Eastern Pacific is planned for Saturday without dropsondes except for possible high-altitude test at the end if the flight on Thursday is successful.

NSF/PREDICT has no flight planned for Wednesday, August 25. A possible flight for August 26 is to be determined.