# Presentation: 534512

## Texas Tech University’s Rapid Deployment Surface Observing System

**Texas Tech University’s Rapid Deployment Surface Observing System**

**Ian M. Giammanco, John L. Schroeder, Brian D. Hirth**
**Wind Science and Engineering Research Center**
**Texas Tech University**
**Lubbock, Texas, USA**

- 61st Interdepartmental Hurricane Conference
- New Orleans, Louisiana

## Overview

**Overview**

- Texas Tech University (TTU) Hurricanes at Landfall (HAL) Project
- Surface observations in landfalling hurricanes
- TTU’s New rapid deployment observing platform
- Infrastructure
- Data standardization
- Summary and future of TTUHAL

- 61st Interdepartmental Hurricane Conference
- New Orleans, Louisiana

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## TTUHAL Project

**TTUHAL Project**

- Project began in 1998 with the: **W**ind **E**ngineering    	        **M**obile **I**nstrumented **T**ower **E**xperiment (**WEMITE**)
- Two trailer mounted ruggedized 10 m towers
- Three portable mesonet 10 m towers (PMT)
- High resolution data sampling ( > 1 Hz)
- Over 100 tower deployments in 24 tropical cyclones

- 61st Interdepartmental Hurricane Conference
- New Orleans, Louisiana

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## Performance of ASOS/AWOS Stations in Tropical Cyclones

- (Adapted from Masters et al., 2006)

**Performance of ASOS/AWOS Stations in Tropical Cyclones**

- 61st Interdepartmental Hurricane Conference
- New Orleans, Louisiana

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## 5

*Composite KLIX/KMOB WSR 88-D   1400 UTC 29 August 2005*

- 61st Interdepartmental Hurricane Conference
- New Orleans, Louisiana

## TTU Rapid Deployment Surface Observing System “Stick-Net”

**TTU Rapid Deployment Surface Observing System “Stick-Net”**

- 2.5 m Platforms
- Deployable in 2 minutes or less (two individuals)
- Self-sustained
- Two instrument systems:
-     Prototype 1 (P1)
-     Prototype 2 (P2)
- Two configurations: Hurricane / Thunderstorm
- High resolution meteorological data
- Covered trailer transportation (12-15 per trailer)

- 61st Interdepartmental Hurricane Conference
- New Orleans, Louisiana

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## Anatomy of P1 “Stick-Net” 

**Anatomy of P1 “Stick-Net”**

-  RM Young
- 5106 Wind
- Monitor

-     Electronic Compass

- RM Young
- Temp/RH Probe

- DAQ Box
- Compact Field
- Point Module
- BP Sensor
- Internal battery
- GPS receiver
*(1 or 10 Hz selectable sampling)*

- External AGM
- Battery ~ 180 hrs operating time
- ( hurricane configuration)

-  Earth Screw Anchor
- (hurricane configuration)

**2.5m AGL**

**1.5 m**

- 61st Interdepartmental Hurricane Conference
- New Orleans, Louisiana

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## Anatomy of P2 “Stick-Net”

- Vaisala WXT510:
- Sonic Anemometer
- (u and v components)
- Acoustic Precip. Sensor
- Temp/RH  BP
- Hail Count
*(restricted to 1 Hz sampling)*

- Electronic Compass

- DAQ Box:
- Compact Field Point
- Module
- GPS receiver
- Internal battery

- AGM Battery
- (hurricane configuration)

- Earth Screw Anchor
- (hurricane configuration)

**2.5 m AGL**

- 61st Interdepartmental Hurricane Conference
- New Orleans, Louisiana

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##  Transport Trailer

-  Transport Trailer
- 12-15 Platforms per trailer
- LAN network – to each
- DAQ box
- Battery charger
- External connection to
- vehicle (PC and Generator)

- 61st Interdepartmental Hurricane Conference
- New Orleans, Louisiana

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## “Stick-Net” Data Sample

**“****Stick-Net” Data Sample**

- 61st Interdepartmental Hurricane Conference
- New Orleans, Louisiana

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## Data Standardization to 10 m AGL

**Data Standardization to 10 m AGL**

- Utilized WEMITE #1 and WEMITE #2  2 and 10 m archived data
- Validate the Log Wind Profile
- Data segmented into 1, 5, 10-minute blocks
**Roughness length approximation using 2 m data:**
- Zo = Z / e( **U**n/σ)
- Where: Z = 2 m
**U**n  = mean of each data segment
- σ = standard deviation of each data segment
- (Beljaars, 1987)
**10 m Wind speed approximation:**
- U10 = [U(Z2) / ln (Z2/Zo)] [ ln (Z10/Zo) ]
- (Simiu and Scanlan, 1996)

- 61st Interdepartmental Hurricane Conference
- New Orleans, Louisiana

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- Data included from WEMITE #1, WEMITE #2 – Bonnie, Charley, Frances, Ivan, Katrina, Rita

## Standardization to 10 m AGL

**Standardization to 10 m AGL**

| Time Interval | 90% | 80% | 70% | 60% | 50% | Mean Error |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1-minute | ±1.679 ms-1 | ±1.220 ms-1 | ±0.951 ms-1 | ±0.794 ms-1 | ±0.595 ms-1 | 0.229 ms-1 |
| 5-minute | ±1.728 ms-1 | ±1.238 ms-1 | ±0.958 ms-1 | ±0.753 ms-1 | ±0.595 ms-1 | 0.316 ms-1 |
| 10-minute | ±1.715ms-1 | 1.241 ms-1 | ±0.966 ms-1 | ±0.761 ms-1 | ±0.602 ms-1 | 0.263 ms-1 |

-   Error ranges for given percentiles and mean error for the three time intervals tested

**= Effective method for standardizing high temporal **
**resolution wind data to 10 m height**
**Numerous studies have shown the validity of the Log wind profile in the **
**HBL**

- 61st Interdepartmental Hurricane Conference
- New Orleans, Louisiana

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## TTUHAL 2007

**TTUHAL 2007**

- Currently 10 “Stick-Net” platforms are operational
-            (completed for 2006 Atlantic Hurricane Season)
- 6 – P1 configuration
- 4 – P2 configuration
- One operational transport trailer
- 15 “Stick-Net” platforms under construction
-       (10 scheduled for June 2007 completion, remaining 5 to be completed by August 2007)
- 8 – P1 configuration
- 7 – P2 configuration
- Additional transport trailer

- 61st Interdepartmental Hurricane Conference
- New Orleans, Louisiana

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## Hypothetical “Stick-Net” Deployment – Hurricane Frances

- “Stick-Net” Locations

**Minimum distance between platforms  0.75 miles**

- 61st Interdepartmental Hurricane Conference
- New Orleans, Louisiana

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- TTU tower

- SMART-Radar

*ARA HAZUS wind swath – peak (three-second) gust*

## “Stick-Net” Pros and Cons

**“****Stick-Net” Pros and Cons**

- Rapid deployment capability
- High resolution data
- Smaller deployment team
- (6 individuals for 3 trucks/trailers)
- Can go where WEMITE trailers cannot
- Cost / relatively expendable
- Ability to deploy later when track is more certain
- Improved spatial coverage in landfall region
-     (25 platforms for 2007)

- 2.5 m is not 10 m
- Data requires height standardization
- Not ruggedized

- 61st Interdepartmental Hurricane Conference
- New Orleans, Louisiana

**PROS                                                        CONS**

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## Future of TTUHAL

**Future of TTUHAL**

- Project goal to have 40 - 45 operational “Stick-Nets” by 2008
- Retirement of WEMITE #1 and WEMITE #2  ??
- Real-time data transmission ????
**       ***** Stations MUST operate independently of each other **
*       *
*        **** Requires additional funding**
- 2 Ka Band Mobile Doppler Radars – currently under construction

- Secure project funding for continued field operations
- Continued student involvement
- Continued collaboration with FCMP, NOAA-HRD, University of Louisiana-Monroe

- 61st Interdepartmental Hurricane Conference
- New Orleans, Louisiana

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## Questions & Comments

**Questions & Comments**

**Acknowledgements:**
-  NIST (Department of Commerce NIST/TTU Cooperative Agreement
- Award 70NANB8H0069), NSF (ATM-0134188), AIR Worldwide Corporation, Risk Management Solutions, State Farm Insurance
**All who helped make the 24 tropical cyclone deployments SAFE and scientifically successful !!!**
- www.atmo.ttu.edu/WEMITE
- Special thanks to:
- Eric Thoen (TTU)
- Kevin Walter (TTU)
- Rolando Vega (TTU)
- Forest Masters, Ph.D.
- Peter Dodge
- Mark Powell, Ph.D.
- Frank Marks, Ph.D.

*Photo Caption: This photo was taken by TTU team member Stephen Latimer, looking south from *
*his hotel room on U.S. Highway 90, Gautier Mississippi - 29 August 2005*

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