THE OPERATIONAL DISSIPATION OF SUPERCOOLED FOG: PROJECT COLD COWL 1967-1968

Abstract

In the winter of 1967-1968, the Air Weather Service (AWS) carried out its first operational weather-modification program at Elmendorf AFB. An AWS weather-reconnaissance aircraft (WC-130E) was used to seed supercooled fog with dry ice. A prescribed flight path was flown a specified distance upwind from the target area, and crushed dry ice disseminated at rates of 12.5 or 25 pounds per mile. It was found that a clearing generally occurred in 30 to 45 minutes. The only real failure occurred in a case that may have been an ice fog; in addition, proper positioning of the hole proved a major problem throughout the program. Despite these difficulties, an estimated 200 successful take-offs and landings were made using the artificially produced clearings. Supplemental tests were carried out using airborne liquid CO2 dispensers and silver iodide pyrotechnics.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 03, 1968
Accession Number
AD0668439

Entities

People

  • Herbert S. Appleman

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Air Force Operations
  • Aircrafts
  • Cargo Aircraft
  • Classification
  • Critical Temperature
  • Flight
  • Flight Paths
  • Fog
  • Ice Fog
  • Particle Size
  • Particles
  • Phase Transformations
  • Reconnaissance
  • Reconnaissance Aircraft
  • Transport Aircraft
  • Weather Modification

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Aerodynamics/Aeronautics.
  • Atmospheric Remote Sensing.
  • Polar and Arctic Studies

Technology Areas

  • Space