Dear IDEAS participants and EOL staff,

Today we concluded our final set of flights with the C130. Although today’s flight had to be cut short due to a maintenance issue, my informal survey of IDEAS participants indicated that each group achieved their scientific objectives during this project. Many noteworthy milestones were achieved, for example:

1. We were able to collect excellent data from the Laser Air Motion System, including data during a five hour flight for wind calibration (rf08), led by Don Lenschow. We expect that the LAMS data, by providing a reference airspeed, will allow for improved calibration of state parameters. We are now well positioned to complete the final phase of LAMS.
2. HOLODEC II produced some spectacular results, due to recent upgrades to the instrument and data processing methods. Many temperatures and cloud types were sampled, allowing the HOLODEC group to examine holograms in a wide variety of mixed-phase conditions and to compare its performance with the CDP, 2DC (2), and the 3VCPI.
3. CSU was able to do extensive tests of the new aerosol concentrator in many different types of ambient conditions. The aerosol concentrator appears to work well, although some modifications to improve the cooling will be required in future campaigns. CSU was also able to conduct student airborne training. One flight over-flew the CHILL/MSI radar, allowing for comparisons between the in situ data and the polarmetric radar data from CSU.
4. CU did extensive testing of inlets and water isotopes in the various cloud and ambient conditions. Flight through virga, for example, will provide an ideal case study for them to look at the applications of this isotope technique to cloud studies. They also conducted student airborne training.
5. Ideal conditions for testing probe tip shattering were encountered, especially in RF03 and RF04, where deep cloud systems were sampled over a vertical distance of about 20,000 feet, with large aggregates near the bottom and small single ice particles near the top. Preliminary analysis of the data so far indicated substantial differences in the data from the two types of probe tips. These should be ideal for the planned investigations at the University of Illinois and NCAR.
6. Students at Michigan Tech., Purdue, and Cu participated as a part of classroom exercises. Special thanks to Chris Webster and Al Cooper for providing “webinars” for these students and for our archive. Chris presented a webinar on accessing and using NCAR software and data for airborne research. Al Cooper presented a webinar on the measurement of state parameters from research aircraft. Preliminary feedback from students and instructors indicated that these were well received.
7. Other noteworthy tests included the first airborne tests of our new cryogenic dew point instrument (Al Cooper), the new radiometric cloud temperature instrument (Stuart Beaton), the new generation radiometers (Julie Haggerty), and the dual CN counters (Dave Rogers). The 3VCPI was tested with a new software configuration that produced excellent results and an extensive amount of imagery during times when the HOLODEX was operating. On RF07, a very windy day, the CPI captured many images of bio-particles, something we are not used to seeing at cloud levels. Jorgen Jensen was able to obtain slide samples from nearly every flight, adding considerably to his data base for this region.

I apologize if I have forgotten to mention everyone. My thanks to all of the IDEAS participants for contributing to the success of the project, Thanks to the EOL/RAF staff for their excellent work in this project. Special thanks are due to Jorgen Jensen for his excellent project management skills and the hard work he contributed to this project.

I hope you will keep me posted on the results of your IDEAS-related work. Perhaps we can organize a special IDEAS section at a future scientific conference.

Jeff Stith