Numerical Simulation of Wind Fields Calculated from Assumed Mode S Data Link Inputs

摘要

The future availability of the Mode S data link has suggested the possibility of using data collected by airplanes flying in the airport environment to reconstruct the atmospheric wind field in the airport area. These reconstructed fields would conceivably be of use to the metering and spacing personnel as well as to meteorologists and pilots flying through this particular atmospheric environment. An investigation was conducted to determine the feasibility of using a numerical method developed by J. T. Schaefer and C. A. Doswell III to produce an objectively analyzed wind field from sparse aircraft observations. A theoretical wind field resembling atmospheric conditions was used to compare the predicted field with the assumed theoretical field. Also investigated were (1) the degradation of the technique produced by decreasing the number of observations and (2) the influence of wind wavelength in the accuracy of the wind field prediction.