approved for public release; distribution unlimited 1 approved for public release, distribution...

Approved For Public Release; Distribution Unlimited1 Approved for Public Release, Distribution Unlimited

Approved for Public Release, Distribution Unlimited

1

Battlefield Environment Division

WIDA 13 March 2012

Dr. Richard Shirkey

Team Leader Weather Research and Assessment Team


Computational and Information Sciences



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• Boundary Layer Research

• Micro-scale Met Models

• Turbulence & EO effects

• Bio-inspired Applications

• Boundary Layer Research

• Micro-scale Met Models

• Turbulence & EO effects

• Bio-inspired Applications

•Nowcasting & Data Fusion

•Tactical Decision Aids

•Automated Weather Routing

•Web Enabled Applications

•Nowcasting & Data Fusion

•Tactical Decision Aids

•Automated Weather Routing

•Web Enabled Applications

•Acoustic & E-O Propagation

•Aerosol Characterization

•Optical Imaging

•Remote Sensing

•Acoustic & E-O Propagation

•Aerosol Characterization

•Optical Imaging

•Remote Sensing


CHIEF (A)

Atmospheric Sensing

Dr. Jiang Liu

301-394-1442

CHIEF

Atmospheric Dynamics

Dr. Donald Hoock

575-678-5430

CHIEF

Atmospheric Modeling Applications

David Knapp

575-678-4574

CHIEF

Battlefield Environment

Division

Pamela Clark

301-394-2500

Adelphi, MD White Sands Missile Range, NM

• 48 Scientists & Engineers

• 2 Military

• 10 Technicians & Administrative

• Majority Physicists and Meteorologists

2 Approved For Public Release; Distribution Unlimited



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Atmospheric Modeling Applications Branch Strategic Vision

Army-scale weather forecast & “Nowcast”

models

Support Intel Running Estimates and Artillery

Meteorology

Weather Decision Support Tools

Warfighter Value Assessment

MISSION: Research and develop the most accurate and timely battlefield

mission execution weather data and products for the Warfighter.

VISION: Lead developer of emerging technologies to build computationally

feasible & accurate Nowcasting capabilities & weather decision support

tools.

OBJECTIVES:

•Develop next generation mission execution forecast model (Nowcast).

•Web services & new/improved weather decision products at all echelons.

•Assess Nowcast & weather tool accuracy & value added to Warfighter.



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Current Operations: Aerostat Operations Support

Over 30 Persistent Surveillance Systems either

lost/damaged since January 2011 where weather

was a significant contributing factor.

Persistent Threat Detection System (PTDS) Length:

35m

Persistent Ground Surveillance System (PGSS) Length: 22m

Very fine-resolution wind models and Nowcasts

Tailored Objective Analysis and Turbulence Parameterization for the 3DWF Diagnostic Wind Model

Weather Running Estimate-Nowcast (WRE-N) Coupled to 3DWF

My Weather Impacts Decision Aid (MyWIDA)

Atmospheric Hazard Assessment and Rules of Thumb for PSS Sites in OEF Theater

Local Met Sensors Feasibility Study and Demonstration

U.S. Forces – Afghanistan (USFOR-A) Joint Urgent Operational Needs Statement (JUONS) for Improved Weather Forecasting (CC-0432)



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EO/IR (TAWS) Acoustics (SPEBE)

Weather Routing

MyWIDA

Theater & nested

grids for decision aids

Impacts/effects

at each grid point

Weather Impacts/

Small Unit Decision

Support Tools

Physics Based Micro-MET

& Effects Modeling/Simulation

Weather Running Estimate-Nowcast

Winds /Turbulence

0-3 hr local tailoring

of Theater grids

<1 km grid res.

Army Nowcasting

>3 hr forecasts

5-15 km grid res.

Theater Scale

Forecast

Local Battlefield

Observations

Forward Area

Observations

Event

Acoustic array mounted on an aerostat

Event

Acoustic array mounted on an aerostat

Weather Information Processing



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3D Weather Impacts



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Vision:

Provide highly detailed knowledge of Army relevant microscale environments,

turbulence and propagation effects on systems

Mission:

Perform basic and applied research to measure, model, predict and understand the

dynamics of the boundary layer atmosphere for its effects on Army systems and

operations

Research Areas:

• Boundary Layer Dynamics

• Atmospheric Propagation Dynamics

• Microscale Meteorological Modeling

• Local-Rapid Evaluation of Atmospheric Conditions (L-REAC) Project

Atmospheric Dynamics BranchAtmospheric Dynamics Branch

Google Earth display

Local-Rapid Evaluation of Atmospheric

Conditions (L-REAC) application

Oblate <-- Non-isotropy --> Prolate

Atmospheric Turbulence and Effects Research

MET in urban, mountain and forest terrain



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3D Wind Field (3DWF) Model for winds in urban, mountainous and forested terrain

3DWF is being implemented by the Air Force for daily

operational support to the AF/ Army in March 2012 as part of the

Aerostat JUONS effort.

Runs in less than a minute for immediate decisions

Also produces Turbulent Kinetic Energy (TKE) 3D profiles to

warn of shear conditions.

The follow on Atmospheric Boundary Layer Environment (ABLE)

Model will be a full physics forecast model for urban and

mountainous terrain

2D ABLE flow

Air Force highest resolution operational 1.67 km WRF forecast winds feed higher resolution 50m 3DWF for winds at 20 m AGL in

mountainous terrain

3DWF TKE

Hazard

Warning



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Physical Sciences Inc. (Andover, MA) MK-2 InstantEye

20 cm, 200g, DoD Rapid Reaction Technology Office and Marine

Corps funded deployment

$4.5M ARL BED SBIR Program in bio-inspired environmental awareness for autonomous systems

Bio-inspired Environmental Awareness

Key Deliverables in FY12:

• 20 MK-2 InstantEye developmental test systems for early deployment

evaluation

• 100 MK-3 systems for deployment using adaptive gust-rejection

techniques developed under this SBIR program

This program currently has active:

• Three Phase I SBIR

• Two Phase II SBIR

• One Phase III deployment SBIR

• Proposals for follow-on FY13 Phase I SBIR

Wind turbulence both inside and outside buildings significantly impacts Micro and

Nano Air Vehicle (MAV/NAV) autonomous hover and navigation through windows and

small openings.

Based on insect and bird awareness sensors and autonomic processing a system is

developed that has total awareness of its own mechanical state, can cope with minor

damage and avoid collisions autonomously, freeing up the operator for attention to

mission.

Future Nano Air Vehicles

will use more responsive adaptive flapping wing controls



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Optical Turbulence Simulations

Simulated Passive THz mode, 40 m target range, NEP = 3 x 10-12 W Hz-1/2, 100 Hz frame rate

Buffalo

T = -10 °C

Rel. Hum. = 30%

Abs. Hum. = 0.7 g/m3

Boulder

T = 20 °C

Rel. Hum. = 44%

Abs. Hum. = 7.6 g/m3

Basra

T = 43 °C

Rel. Hum. = 30%

Abs. Hum. = 17.9 g/m3

Baltimore

T = 35 °C

Rel. Hum. = 90%

Abs. Hum. = 35.7 g/m3

Abs. Hum. = 0.7 g/m3 Abs. Hum. = 35.7 g/m3

Simulated Active THz mode, 80 m target range, 80 dB Dynamic

Range

TeraHertz Imaging Technology Development

Humidity Fluctuation and Wind Turbulence Correlation Field Experiments

Lidar scan of water vapor

density fluctuations

• Characterize Water Vapor (WV) and turbulent WV fluctuation effects on THz system

performance

• Deliver accurate, practical terahertz propagation models for various environments at

any frequency in this under-exploited EM band for:

Covert and jam-proof collision avoidance

Pilot Degraded Visual Environment (DVE) imaging systems for future

brownout solutions

High bandwidth secure local TOC THz networks providing compact, low

power, adjustable FOV and range controllable communication links that

have no frequency interference issues beyond the local area

Propagation effects models, propagation environments, and verification

studies for TeraHertz and EO/IR Systems

Optical Turbulence and Propagation Theory and Characterization

approved for public release; distribution unlimited 1 approved for public release, distribution...

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