# Presentation: 095301

## NAMMA Operational Aspects: Praia, Cape Verde

- F. J. Schmidlin. B. Morrison, T. Baldwin, Prentiss Moore
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Wallops Island, Virginia

- Preparation of equipment, including 98 cylinders of helium, commenced during Spring 2006 with shipping from Wallops Island occurred on 5 July with expected arrival in Praia on 14 August. Delivery date proved to be nebulous and delivery of our 20 foot container finally occurred on 17 August.
- With the capable help of Sue Tolley and Mike Craig the container was moved from the port to the old airport and was available to begin setting up of equipment immediately upon the radiosonde team arrival.

- Site  location was at the old airport terminal building which proved to be quite convenient; it contained all necessary facilities (after a fashion). The small building to the left happened to be residence of Cape Verde’s president (when he needed to be in town). As a result, there was ample security; only one laptop computer disappeared three days before the end of the operation. None-the-less, we consider ourselves lucky that that was all that was stolen.

- Unpacking the container and setting up equipment for operation went well, and quickly; the first radiosonde was released within less than 24 hours after the container was opened. Experience has taught us to use materials that can often be used for more than one function, such as the box tops,

- Prentiss Moore releasing an radiosonde during strong winds. Radiosondes were released every four hours until a power ‘interruption’ occurred on 10 September. Power did not return to the airport and old airport by the time the radiosonde team departed on 17 September. Fortunately, the UAIRP team had indications that power instability might be a problem. A small gas generator was included in the equipment shipped to Praia and was used for the remainder of the mission. However, the four-hour schedule was replaced with a six-hour schedule; the generator was not designed for continuous operation. Wind speed during the release shown in the image was exceeding 30 knots.

- Data processing usually was completed in less than one-hour after balloon burst. The products made available to the NAMMA co-I’s were placed on a web page and accessible to all. Even data processing was not without its problems. Tony Baldwin bridged a laptop between two desks to enable cooling of the computer that had lost its internal cooling fan. Plot images of the available information is shown to the above right.

- Products provided, in additional to data listings, are shown in the figures to the left and below.

- Wind direction and speed

- SkewT-logP

- Instrument Trajectory

- Temperature and dew point profiles. Ascent and descent shown

- Various height/time-series plots were also made available over the internet such as this RH plot. Other plots not show were time-height sections of wind speed, component winds, and precipitable water.

- Native ‘wildlife’ often found to be resting.

- Local cottage industry. Apparently these artisans are quite good producing various objects.

- Tony Baldwin preparing to release radiosonde supported by local security. Brian Morrison checking surface weather conditions.