Flight Campaign

Between 27-29 September 2021, three flights took place on the route Constanța – Buzău – Craiova and data were taken on the microphysics of clouds, gases and aerosols. PhD student Denisa Moacă (INCAS) participated under the direct guidance of Dr. Sorin Vâjâiac (INCAS). Various flight strategies were used to probe the atmosphere during the flights. For example, during one of the flights, the aircraft conducted a vertical survey, north of the city of Constanța. This flight strategy was chosen to obtain information about the variation of atmospheric and microphysical parameters with altitude. The strategies used in these flights were chosen based on the specific local weather conditions of the days chosen for the flight and in accordance with the objectives of each flight.

As for the instruments on board of the aircraft, the atmospheric research aircraft with which the flights were conducted during the three days of investigations is of the Beechcraft C90 GTx type. Research equipment installed on the aircraft includes an aerosol, particle cloud and precipitation (CAPS) spectrometer and a Hawkeye cloud probe. This configuration is frequently used for in situ studies of the structural and microphysical parameters of the atmosphere.

In the image on the left is the CAPS tool, and in the one on the right you can see the Hawkeye tool. Both instruments are mounted on the Beechcraft C90 GTx aircraft.