THE SCIENTIFIC OBJECTIVES, PHILOSOPHY, AND MANAGEMENT OF THE MOCAT PROJECT.
Abstract
The time has come for a thorough investigation of the physics of clear air turbulence (CAT) in order to fulfill the needs of both the aeronautical and scientific communities for improved understanding of this phenomenon. The report shows how the MOCAT project can be organized to fulfill this objective, and that there is sufficient understanding of CAT so that the project can be planned for maximum effectiveness. Present knowledge about CAT shows that it is likely that it is a manifestation of the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability. The correspondence of the implications of this hypothesis and the tendency for CAT to occur in internal fronts (baroclinic layers) is emphasized. A detailed analysis of the instrumentation requirements combines acceptable error in the final measurements and known characteristics of CAT to determine acceptable RMS errors in the basic measurements such as airspeed, pitch, yaw, and roll angles, and inertial platform velocities. An organizational structure which will simplify project management and increase the likelihood of success is proposed. The plan attempts to delineate responsibility for segments of the program according to the natural divisions which occur in the scientific and engineering communities. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 1969
- Accession Number
- AD0702160
Entities
People
- John A. Dutton
Organizations
- Flight Dynamics Laboratory