MABEL Iceland 2012 - NASA

NASA/TM–2017-219023MABEL Iceland 2012Flight ReportWilliam B. Cook, Kelly M. Brunt, Eugenia L. DeMarco, Daniel L. Reed, Thomas A. Neumann,Thorsten MarkusNational Aeronautics andSpace AdministrationGoddard Space Flight CenterGreenbelt, Maryland 20771October 2017

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NASA/TM–2017-219023MABEL Iceland 2012Flight ReportWilliam B. Cook,Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MDKelly M. BruntGoddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MDEugenia L. DeMarco,Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MDDaniel L. Reed,Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MDThomas A. NeumannGoddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MDThorsten MarkusGoddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MDNational Aeronautics andSpace AdministrationGoddard Space Flight CenterGreenbelt, Maryland 20771October 2017

Notice for Copyrighted InformationThis manuscript has been authored by employees of the National Aeronautics and SpaceAdministration. The United States Government has a non-exclusive, irrevocable, worldwidelicense to prepare derivative works, publish, or reproduce this manuscript, and allow othersto do so, for United States Government purposes. Any publisher accepting this manuscriptfor publication acknowledges that the United States Government retains such a license in anypublished form of this manuscript. All other rights are retained by the copyright owner.Trade names and trademarks are used in this report for identification only. Their usage does notconstitute an official endorsement, either expressed or implied, by the National Aeronautics andSpace Administration.Level of Review: This material has been technically reviewed by technical management

AbstractIn March and April 2012, NASA conducted an airborne lidar campaign based out of Keflavik, Iceland, insupport of Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2) algorithm development. The surveytargeted the Greenland Ice Sheet, Iceland ice caps, and sea ice in the Arctic Ocean during the winterseason. Ultimately, the mission, MABEL Iceland 2012, including checkout and transit flights, conducted14 science flights, for a total of over 80 flight hours over glaciers, icefields, and sea ice.

Table of ContentsIntroductionInstrumentation and AircraftDiscussion and 5

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03/27/2012Mission: ‘Dryden Checkout Flight’Weather: High dense clouds throughout; very high data ratesComments: Also included: CPLPoints of interest:Time (UTC)18:22:3720:43:49DescriptionLaser status healthyLaser off

04/02/2012Mission: ‘Transit to Iceland’Weather: Clear over Montana, Hudson Bay, and S GreenlandComments: Also included: CPLPoints of interest:Time 1:3410:52:37DescriptionLaser status healthyStart Fort Peck reservoirEnd Fort Peck reservoirStart Hudson BayEnd Hudson BayStart GreenlandEnd GreenlandLaser off

04/08/2012Mission: ‘Second Flight’ (Nares Strait)Weather: Clear over sea ice; Summit Camp reported clear skiesComments: Also included: CPL, DCS; 3x passes over Summit Camp- Bob Hawley’s team GPS surveyed Summit the same day (4/8/12).- Matches: ATM 4/2/12 flight; ATM 4/4/12; ATM 4/10/12Points of interest:Time DescriptionLaser status healthyStart Summit CampEnd Summit CampTurn into Nares StraitNorth end of sea-ice runLaser off

04/10/2012Mission: ‘Operation IceBridge Overflight’Weather: Clear over sea iceComments: Also included: CPL, DCS. MABEL did not write to disk on northbound leg- Matches ATM 4/10/12Points of interest:Time er status healthyNorth end of sea-ice runSouth end of sea-ice runLaser off

04/12/2012Mission: ‘NW Glaciers’Weather: Clear LVIS lines; Summit Camp reported ground fogComments: Also included: CPL, DCS. 2x passes of Summit Camp- Matches ATM 4/4/12; LVIS 5/1/12Points of interest:Time escriptionLaser status healthySummit Camp 1Start of LVIS runEnd of LVIS runSummit Camp 2Laser off

04/15/2012Mission: ‘Iceland’Weather: 15% cloud cover, including low stratusComments: Also included: CPL, DCS.- John Anderson targets set near HangerPoints of interest:Time (UTC)8:40:4010:13:5410:23:010:24:7DescriptionLaser status healthyAnderson targets 1Anderson targets 2Laser off

04/17/2012Mission: ‘Sea Ice and 5 degree 360s’Weather: very little open ocean; slightly overcast in the northComments: Also included: CPL, DCS; sea ice 5 degree 360 and P&R maneuvers.- Matches ATM 4/10/12Points of interest:Time 12:51:3713:57:2110:24:7DescriptionLaser status healthyAttempt at an ocean 5 degree 360South end of sea-ice runStart of P&R maneuversEnd of P&R maneuversStart of sea ice 5 degree 360End of sea ice 5 degree 360South end of sea-ice runLaser off

04/19/2012Mission: ‘Jakobshavn 1’Weather: clouds on eastern N/S transects, then clear throughoutComments: Also included: CPL, DCS. Ian Howat at J4 on 4/21; 3x passes of his J2- Matches ATM 4/29/12- Crosses ATM 4/21/12; ATM 5/2/12Points of interest:Time :24:4414:21:10DescriptionLaser status healthyStart Jakobshavn runJ2 1J2 2J2 3Closest to J4End Jakobshavn runLaser off

04/20/2012Mission: ‘SW Coast 1’Weather: Generally clearComments: Also included: CPL, DCS. Mike MacFerrin on ground (4/28-5/5).- Matches ATM 4/20/12Points of interest:Time :1215:2:1215:6:315:21:43DescriptionLaser status healthyStart Helheim runEnd Helheim runMacFerrin 1Kanger DEM 1Kanger DEM 2Start of ATM linesStart OIB SEnd OIB NStart OIB NWEnd OIB NWStart OIB NEEnd OIB NEEnd ATM linesMacFerrin 2Laser off

04/21/2012Mission: ‘Jakobshavn 2’Weather: Generally clear; building haze to the eastComments: GPS FAILS; Also included: CPL, DCS. Ian Howat at J4 on 4/21- Matches ATM 4/29/12- Crosses ATM 4/21/12; ATM 5/2/12Points of interest:Time 41DescriptionLaser status healthyHowat’s J4Howat’s J1Calving frontStart ATM linesGPS fails

04/23/2012Mission: ‘Salvage Operation’Weather: Generally clearComments: Also included: CPL, DCS. Ian Howat at J4 on 4/21- Matches ATM 3/30/12Points of interest:Time criptionLaser status healthyStart Vestfjord lineEnd Vestfjord lineStart CryoSat/ATM lineEnd CryoSat/ATM lineLaser off

04/24/2012Mission: ‘SW Coast 2’Weather: Generally clear; overcast over MacFerrin; broken on western ATM lineComments: Also included: CPL, DCS.Points of interest:Time 34DescriptionLaser status healthyStart ATM linesEnd ATM linesSouth Dome AWSE15 (cloudy)Laser off

04/25/2012Mission: ‘Svalbard’Weather: Generally clear; pilot altered course on ETON line to avoid cloudsComments: Also included: CPL, DCS.- Jack Kohler at western targets; Thorben Dunse at eastern targets.Points of interest:Time r status healthyEnter Kongsvegen areaExit Kongsvegen areaLaser off

04/27/2012Mission: ‘Transit from Iceland’Weather: Cloudy over S Greenland; intermittently cloudy over WisconsinComments: Also included: CPL and DCSPoints of interest:Time ser status healthyStart Wisconsin stretchEnd Wisconsin stretchLaser off

The NASA STI program provides access to the NASA Aeronautics and Space Database and its public interface, the NASA Technical Report Server, thus providing one of the largest collections of aero-nautical and space science STI in the world. Results are published in both non-NASA channels and by NASA in the NASA STI Report Series, which includes