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NOAA G-IV Jet Begins SALEX Research
Early in August, the AOC began flying a new research project for the NOAA Hurricane Research Division (HRD) of OAR, using the Gulfstream G-IV high-altitude jet to conduct missions in support of the Saharan Air Layer Experiment (SALEX). Under the guidance of HRD Principal Investigator Jason Dunion, the G-IV crew conducted two investigative flights from Barbados, probing the mix of moist and dry conditions surrounding a struggling low pressure area that was formerly Tropical Depression (TD) Irene. During these flights, the TD reached its weakest point, before re-strengthening later in the week to become Hurricane Irene.
On Sunday, August 7th, the G-IV crew served the first SALEX mission for HRD flying 7.4 hours around TS Irene. They launched 30 dropwindsondes and transmitted the soundings to the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP). A number of very dry SAL layers, mixed regions, moist sectors east of the storm, and mid-level easterly jet conditions were present in Irene's surroundings.
The next day, the G-IV crew flew 7.2 hours on the second SALEX mission sampling the environment surrounding TD Irene northeast of Barbados. Twenty-four dropwindsondes were deployed, with 23 temp-drop messages transmitted to NCEP from the aircraft. Using very up-to-date polar-orbiting SSMIS imagery now available on the G-IV, Jason Dunion was able to shift part of the pattern around the south and west sides of the storm to profile the center of a very distinct Saharan Air Layer that was likely playing a role in dissipating the former tropical storm. Thanks to effective work by the flight crew and the FAA New York Air Route Traffic Control Center, they were able to fly the change and bag the SAL.
Studies such as SALEX look forward to finding the environmental factors surround tropical cyclones that promote or prevent rapid intensification of the storms. Since intensity forecasting lags well behind the substantial strides made recently in the forecasting of where and when a tropical cyclone will arrive, these studies are particularly important to addressing the concerns of coastal populations.
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