GLTRS--Glenn
TITLE AND SUBTITLE:
Remote Sensing of In-Flight Icing Conditions: Operational, Meteorological, and Technological Considerations

AUTHOR(S):
Charles C. Ryerson

REPORT DATE:
March 2000

FUNDING NUMBERS:
WU-548-21-23-00
Customer Order Number
C-73343-E

PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES):
U.S. Army Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory
72 Lyme Road
Hanover, New Hampshire 03755-1290

PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER:
E-12186

SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES):
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
John H. Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field
Cleveland, Ohio 44135-3191

REPORT TYPE AND DATES COVERED:
Final Contractor Report

SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY REPORT NUMBER:
NASA CR-2000-209938
ERDC-CRREL M-00-1

SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES:
Project Manager, Andrew L. Reehorst, Turbomachinery and Propulsion Systems Division, NASA Glenn Research Center, organization code 5840, (216) 433-3938.

ABSTRACT:
Remote-sensing systems that map aircraft icing conditions in the flight path from airports or aircraft would allow icing to be avoided and exited. Icing remote-sensing system development requires consideration of the operational environment, the meteorological environment, and the technology available. Operationally, pilots need unambiguous cockpit icing displays for risk management decision-making. Human factors, aircraft integration, integration of remotely sensed icing information into the weather system infrastructures, and avoid-and-exit issues need resolution. Cost, maintenance, power, weight, and space concern manufacturers, operators, and regulators. An icing remote-sensing system detects cloud and precipitation liquid water, drop size, and temperature. An algorithm is needed to convert these conditions into icing potential estimates for cockpit display. Specification development requires that magnitudes of cloud microphysical conditions and their spatial and temporal variability be understood at multiple scales.The core of an icing remote-sensing system is the technology that senses icing microphysical conditions. Radar and microwave radiometers penetrate clouds and can estimate liquid water and drop size. Retrieval development is needed; differential attenuation and neural network assessment of multiple-band radar returns are most promising to date. Airport-based radar or radiometers are the most viable near-term technologies. A radiometer that profiles cloud liquid water, and experimental techniques to use radiometers horizontally, are promising. The most critical operational research needs are to assess cockpit and aircraft system integration, develop avoid-and-exit protocols, assess human factors, and integrate remote-sensing information into weather and air traffic control infrastructures. Improved spatial characterization of cloud and precipitation liquid-water content, drop-size spectra, and temperature are needed, as well as an algorithm to convert sensed conditions into a measure of icing potential. Technology development also requires refinement of inversion techniques. These goals can be accomplished with collaboration among federal agencies including NASA, the FAA, the National Center for Atmospheric Research, NOAA, and the Department of Defense. This report reviews operational, meteorological, and technological considerations in developing the capability to remotely map in-flight icing conditions from the ground and from the air.

SUBJECT TERMS:
Aircraft icing; DoD; Drop size; FAA; Human factors; In-flight icing; Lidar; Liquid water content; NASA; Operations; Radar; Remote sensing; Temperatures

NUMBER OF PAGES:
75

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2000/CR-2000-209938.pdf
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