Date: Mar 21, 2001
Mission: MODIS Coastal Sediment estimation/influence mission.
Mission Objectives
Collect clear sky MAS data over turbid water along Louisiana coast (Atchafalaya Bay region) for sediment concentration estimation and transport. Underfly Terra (1655 UTC) for MODIS sediment estimation development (transferred from MAS) and to evaluate influence of turbid water on MODIS Cloud Mask. Use MAS and SHIS data over clear water to evaluate MODIS emissive band L1B accuracy (MODIS scan angle of -20 deg). Collect photo data for coastal change assessment along muddy coast of western Louisiana.
Flight Summary
Take-off was at 1325 UTC. ER-2 landed at 2124 UTC.
ER-2 flew from Kelly AFB to offshore Louisiana in clear skies and aligned on a south to north (13 deg heading) transect parallel to Terra orbital track for a low sun angle pass from low to high turbidity water. Then the ER-2 got on racetrack pattern to cover Atchafalaya Bay turbidity maximum, flying 2.5 orbits (3 overpasses of Atch. Bay, 1500, 1538, 1626 UTC). After the 2nd overpass, the muddy coast photo line was run (1550 UTC). After 3rd overpass, ER-2 flew south to north transect parallel to Terra again, meeting the Terra overpass (1655 UTC) about midway on the line. Skies were clear with low humidity throughout the mission. ER-2 finished up the mission by running many east-west oriented photo lines for USGS investigations over southern Louisiana.
Highlights
Clear sky scenes over blue and high turbidity water background with Terra, multiple overpass of Atch. Bay for sediment transport with in situ.
Instrument Status