< Blog
September 13, 2021
Last UAVSAR and AirSWOT flights
By Marc SimardIda, and now Nicholas, remind us of the importance of Delta-X science and what can be achieved with the new data. Ida interrupted the Delta-X Fall campaign, and Nicholas forced us to complete our plans ASAP.
Ida aimed at Delta-X prior to its landfall centered right on the eastern edge of the Delta-X domain (Port Fourchon)
Today, tropical storm Nicholas approaches, threatening to become a hurricane H1 bringing heavy rainfall and storm surges in Texas and southwestern Louisiana.
Forecast for tropical storm Nicholas
While weather forecast was not ideal, the Delta-X Team and UAVSAR and AirSWOT pilots decided to attempt their last chance to execute the only remaining flight plan: The high tide stage of the Atchafalaya basin. Delta-X radar flights are now considered complete, just as tropical storm (may become H-1) Nicholas approaches the coast of Southeast Texas.
Last night, both UAVSAR and AirSWOT conducted their last Delta-X science flights with on-station time of 9:30pm to capture high tide in the Atchafalaya basin. However, the flights were shorter due to storm activity. The UAVSAR flight was cut short due to severe weather over its landing location in Houston area. UAVSAR landed at 11:39AM. Nonetheless, within its 3 hour flight, UAVSAR collected 7 of the planned 18 flight lines. Meanwhile, AirSWOT flew for 3 hours 42 minutes completing 13 flight lines, effectively repeating it flight pattern twice. Three repeats were planned. AirSWOT’s entire flight was within clouds with light icing and it was decided to land shortly after UAVSAR. AirSWOT landed in Beaumont, TX at 12:21AM (CDT).
UAVSAR will fly back to Palmdale (California) either today or tomorrow morning. AirSWOT is already en route. As it transits to California to de-install the radar instrument, AirSWOT will opportunistically image SWOT corner reflectors located in Oklahoma. The data will support cal/val.
AVIRIS-NG will return to coastal Louisiana to assess Ida’s hurricane damage once weather is favorable. The Boston University Water Quality Team is already back in the field until September 24th. The JPL and UNC plan to return on September 20th to retrieve water level gauges.
Finally,the Delta-X Team would like to extend very special thanks to AFRC’s UAVSAR Team led by John T McGrath, N802NA Project Manager, and the AirSWOT team led by Roger Chao. We thanks our amazing instrument operators: Tim Miller and David Austerberry (UAVSAR), Peter Wu and Jack Bush (AirSWOT). Thanks to Yunling Lou, a fearless manager, for supporting radar upgrades and campaigns. We also thank you and shout “bravo” to the pilots: UAVSAR’s Timothy Williams and Kurt Blankenship, and AirSWOT’s Justin Morrow and Amelia Hepner. To all, your dedication in executing Delta-X flights under especially demanding conditions (weather, long-hours, weeks-long travel, night and day) is truly appreciated.