HIGH ALTITUDE CLEAR AIR TURBULENCE
Abstract
The purpose of this report is to describe the high altitude clear air turbulence (HICAT) program. In the work accomplished thus far, an analog FM instrumentation system utilizing a fixed vane gust probe and a 7-hour recording system was installed aboard an Air Force U-2. HICAT searches were conducted at Air Force bases in California, Florida and Puerto Rico. Over seven hours of HICAT associated with jet streams, convective activity due to low level heating, and mountain wave activity were recorded. The latter category provided the most severe turbulence experienced to date, i.e., c.g. normal acceleration incremental peaks up to about + or - lg and RMS gust velocities in excess of 5 ft/sec. Actual vertical gust velocity time histories containing gust wavelengths from 70 to 2500 feet have been calculated from the measurements and used to obtain gust velocity peak counts and power spectra. Derived equivalent gust velocities, Ude, were also calculated and found to be comparable with similar NASA data.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1965
- Accession Number
- AD0474616
Entities
People
- Walter M. Crooks
Organizations
- Lockheed Martin