The Airborne Snow Observatory has flown over the Tuolumne River Basin and other local watershed areas (e.g., Merced) 44 times on 12 separate days in the past month. Data was collected using a Riegl LMS Q1560 scanning laser altimeter. Data was collected using a Riegl LMS Q1560 scanning laser altimeter and a ITRES CASI-1500 imaging spectrometer.  Using advanced algorithms developed at JPL, the snow water equivalent (SWE) in the area has been determined and plotted against last year’s SWE in the same area. Campaign areas will be expanded to include the Uncompahgre region in Colorado the week of May 5.

CARVE is preparing for its Alaska campaign.  For calibration, CARVE conducted flights over Palmdale, San Joaquin Valley, and FTS sites located at CIT, Mount Wilson, and Dryden.

The L-band radar is on a month-long Central/South America deployment onboard the AFRC C 20 aircraft (NASA 502). Twenty science flights over 11 countries (including U.S.) are planned for research on volcanic deformation, forest structure, soil moisture, glacier motion, and coastal subsidence (see coverage map). Bases of operations include Panama City, Guayaquil (Ecuador), Lima (Peru), Antofagasta (Chile), and Santiago (Chile).  Half way into the deployment, we have conducted nine flights imaging the Gulf Coast of Louisiana for coastal subsidence, volcanic deformation in Central America, Colombia, Peru, and Chile, as well as forest structure and soil moisture mapping in Peru.

Two engineering flights were completed the week of March 17 that fine-tuned the High Power amplifier controller firmware used to eliminate short non-transmit events during a data take.  The P-band radar is now on deployment in Cost Rica after a successful first flight on March 25 over La Selva, a tropical forest biome.  Two additional observations will be made over the next seven days before returning to Houston, Texas.  A Science Open House is scheduled for March 28 at the Liberia Airport in Costa Rica.