Evaluation of Uncertainties in the Estimation of Hydrometeor Mass Concentrations Using SPANDAR Data and Aircraft Measurements,

摘要

Knowledge of the ice, snow, and water particle environment is required during the erosion testing of supersonic vehicles launched from the NASA Wallops Flight Center. The mass concentrations of hydrometeors along the vehicle trajectory were estimated using measurements from the SPANDAR radar. Aircraft measurements were obtained in the vicinity of the vehicle trajectory prior to or after the launch. The objective of this uncertainty analysis is to review the radar and aircraft measurement procedures and to assess the error bounds or uncertainties for the mass concentration estimates. The important error contributions were radar calibration, polarization effects, length-to-mass conversion from the particle measurements, distribution estimates, and extrapolation limitations.