NAMMA Operational Aspects: Praia, Cape Verde

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NAMMA Operational Aspects Praia, Cape Verde F.
J. Schmidlin. B. Morrison, T. Baldwin, Prentiss
Moore NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Wallops
Island, Virginia
Preparation of equipment, including 98 cylinders
of helium, commenced during Spring 2006 with
shipping from Wallops Island occurred on 5 July
with expected arrival in Praia on 14 August.
Delivery date proved to be nebulous and delivery
of our 20 foot container finally occurred on 17
August. With the capable help of Sue Tolley and
Mike Craig the container was moved from the port
to the old airport and was available to begin
setting up of equipment immediately upon the
radiosonde team arrival.
Products provided, in additional to data
listings, are shown in the figures to the left
and below.
Site location was at the old airport terminal
building which proved to be quite convenient it
contained all necessary facilities (after a
fashion). The small building to the left happened
to be residence of Cape Verdes president (when
he needed to be in town). As a result, there was
ample security only one laptop computer
disappeared three days before the end of the
operation. None-the-less, we consider ourselves
lucky that that was all that was stolen.
Wind direction and speed
SkewT-logP
Instrument Trajectory
Various height/time-series plots were also made
available over the internet such as this RH plot.
Other plots not show were time-height sections of
wind speed, component winds, and precipitable
water.
Unpacking the container and setting up equipment
for operation went well, and quickly the first
radiosonde was released within less than 24 hours
after the container was opened. Experience has
taught us to use materials that can often be used
for more than one function, such as the box tops,
Temperature and dew point profiles. Ascent and
descent shown
Prentiss Moore releasing an radiosonde during
strong winds. Radiosondes were released every
four hours until a power interruption occurred
on 10 September. Power did not return to the
airport and old airport by the time the
radiosonde team departed on 17 September.
Fortunately, the UAIRP team had indications that
power instability might be a problem. A small gas
generator was included in the equipment shipped
to Praia and was used for the remainder of the
mission. However, the four-hour schedule was
replaced with a six-hour schedule the generator
was not designed for continuous operation. Wind
speed during the release shown in the image was
exceeding 30 knots.
Tony Baldwin preparing to release radiosonde
supported by local security. Brian Morrison
checking surface weather conditions.
Data processing usually was completed in less
than one-hour after balloon burst. The products
made available to the NAMMA co-Is were placed on
a web page and accessible to all. Even data
processing was not without its problems. Tony
Baldwin bridged a laptop between two desks to
enable cooling of the computer that had lost its
internal cooling fan. Plot images of the
available information is shown to the above right.
Native wildlife often found to be resting.
Local cottage industry. Apparently these artisans
are quite good producing various objects.