Aircraft Measurements of the Atmosphere and Upper Ocean During DYNAMO 2011

The DYNAMO aircraft component is an essential part of the field program to collect high spatial resolution measurements over a relatively large region. It serves three main objectives: 1) to obtain boundary layer, surface, and upper ocean measurements to address various science questions associated with coupled air-sea processes in different cloud conditions and MJO phases, 2) to characterize deep convective processes over the Indian Ocean and understand the complex feedback processes among surface forcing, cloud dynamics and thermodynamics, radiation, and atmospheric environmental conditions in various phases of the MJO, and 3) to extend and provide context to surface-based fixed-point measurements on islands and ships to a broader area over the DYNAMO region. Based at Diego Garcia in the middle of the Indian Ocean, the field measurments of the NOAA P-3 extend from November 11 to December 13, 2011. The P-3 is equipped with a full suite of in situ and remote sensing instruments , and expendables for atmosphere and ocean sensing. The measurements emphasize the coupled evolution of the upper ocean and the boundary layer in response to convective systems in different phases of the MJO. This presentation will give an overview of the measurements from a total of 105 flight hours. Examples of the measured spatial and temporal variability of atmospheric moisture, upper ocean temperature and salinity variation, and boundary layer variations will be presented.