Characterization of Surface Level Wind in the Centro de Lançamento de Alcântara for Use in Rocket Structure Loading and Dispersion Studies

Marciotto, Edson R.; Medeiros, Gilberto Fisch, Luiz E.

doi:10.5028/jatm.2012.04014911

Abstract:

We present wind data collected for ten days during the dry season in 2008 during the Murici II Campaign, which was carried out in the area of the Centro de Lançamento de Alcântara (CLA). The main goals are to better understand processes governing the wind regime in the CLA and the development of tools for analyzing the impact of wind on rocket structure and on the dispersion of pollutants released during the launch. A set of 11 aerovanes (ten at 10-m heightandone at 1.5-m height) plus a sonic anemometer at 1.5-m heightwere deployed to measure Wind speed and direction, which were stored as ten-minute data. Turbulence intensity, gust factor, and gust amplitude were computed from the available dataset. Statistical analysis shows that the wind direction is predominant from East-Northeast (ENE), with the mean vector wind direction of 60º, in agreement with the trade wind regime. The diurnal cycle of ali statistical properties ofthe wind are strongly marked. Wind speed, turbulence intensity, and gusts are peaked at about 1000 LST. The presence of a non-diurnal cycle off our days has been noticed and might be associated with synoptic systems acting on the region. A simple heuristic formula was proposed to compute Lagrangian time-scalefrom Eulerian time-scale, and from which we compute the Lagragian standard deviation, afinal product to be used as input in diffusion models.

Keywords:
Centro de Lançamento deAlcântara; Surface Wind; Rocket Load; Plume Dispersion

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REFERENCES

Adelfang, S. et al., 2008, "Winds, in Terrestrial environment (climatic) criteria guidelines for use in aerospace vehicle development 2008 revision", NASA technical memorandum 4511 (Johnson D.L., editor), Chap. 2.
Arya, S.P., 1999, "Air pollution meteorology and dispersion", Oxford University Press, New York, 310 pp.
Decker R.K., Leach R., 2005, "Assessment of atmospheric winds aloft during NASA Space Shuttle Program day-of-launch operations", American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA).
Decker R.K., Barbré Jr., R.E., 2011, "Quality control algorithms and proposed integration process for wind profilers used by launch vehicle systems", 15th Conference on Aviation, Range and Aerospace Meteorology of the American Meteorological Society (AMS), Los Angeles, 2011.
Fisch, G., 1999, "Características do perfil vertical do vento no centro de lançamento de foguetes de Alcântara (CLA)", Revista Brasileira de Meteorologia, Vol. 14, No. l, pp. 11-21.
Fisch, G., 2010, "Comparisons between aerovane and sonic anemometer wind measurements at Alcântara Launch Center", Journal of Aerospace Technology Management, Vol. 2, No 1, pp. 105-110.
Gisler, C.A.F. et al., 2011, "Análise estatística do perfil de vento na camada limite superficial no centro de lançamento de Alcântara", Journal of Aerospace Technology Management, Vol. 3, No. 2, pp. 193-202.
Hanna, S.R. et al., 1982, "Handbook on atmospheric diffusion", U.S. Department of Energy Technical Report, 102 pp.
Hrinda, G.A., 2009, "Single-point-attachment wind damper for launch vehicle on-pad motion", NASA Langley Research Center, Technical Report.
Kingwell, J. et al., 1991, "Weather factors affecting rocket operations: a review and case history", Bulletim of the American Meteorological Society, Vol. 72, pp. 778-793.
Magnago, R. et al., 2010, "Análise espectral do vento no Centro de Lança-mento de Alcântara (CLA)", Revista Brasileira de Meteorologia, Vol. 25, No.2, pp. 260-269.
Moreira, D.M. et al., 2011, "A multilayer model to simulate rocket exhaust clouds", Journal of Aerospace Technology Management, Vol. 3, No. 1, pp. 41-52.
Pires, L.B.M. et al., 2009, "Studies using Wind Tunnel to Simulate the Atmospheric Boundary layer at the Alcântara Space Center", Journal of the Aerospace and Technology Management, Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 91- 98.
Reuter, E., 2011, "O desempenho do modelo ETA: uma análise comparativa do vento entre medições in situ e o modelo para o Centro de Lançamento de Alcântara", Tech. Report, related to the CNPq Ph.D. program at the Instituto de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE), agosto, 2008, 14 pp.
Taylor, G.I., 1921, "Diffusion by continuous movements", Proceedings of the London Mathematical Society, Vol. 2, pp. 196-211.
Seinfeld, J.H, Pandis, S.N., 2006, "Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics", John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New Jersey.

Publication Dates

Publication in this collection
Jan-Mar 2012

History

Received
17 Oct 2011
Accepted
05 Dec 2011

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

[1] Adelfang, S. et al., 2008, "Winds, in Terrestrial environment (climatic) criteria guidelines for use in aerospace vehicle development 2008 revision", NASA technical memorandum 4511 (Johnson D.L., editor), Chap. 2.

[2] Arya, S.P., 1999, "Air pollution meteorology and dispersion", Oxford University Press, New York, 310 pp.

[3] Decker R.K., Leach R., 2005, "Assessment of atmospheric winds aloft during NASA Space Shuttle Program day-of-launch operations", American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA).

[4] Decker R.K., Barbré Jr., R.E., 2011, "Quality control algorithms and proposed integration process for wind profilers used by launch vehicle systems", 15th Conference on Aviation, Range and Aerospace Meteorology of the American Meteorological Society (AMS), Los Angeles, 2011.

[5] Fisch, G., 1999, "Características do perfil vertical do vento no centro de lançamento de foguetes de Alcântara (CLA)", Revista Brasileira de Meteorologia, Vol. 14, No. l, pp. 11-21.

[6] Fisch, G., 2010, "Comparisons between aerovane and sonic anemometer wind measurements at Alcântara Launch Center", Journal of Aerospace Technology Management, Vol. 2, No 1, pp. 105-110.

[7] Gisler, C.A.F. et al., 2011, "Análise estatística do perfil de vento na camada limite superficial no centro de lançamento de Alcântara", Journal of Aerospace Technology Management, Vol. 3, No. 2, pp. 193-202.

[8] Hanna, S.R. et al., 1982, "Handbook on atmospheric diffusion", U.S. Department of Energy Technical Report, 102 pp.

[9] Hrinda, G.A., 2009, "Single-point-attachment wind damper for launch vehicle on-pad motion", NASA Langley Research Center, Technical Report.

[10] Kingwell, J. et al., 1991, "Weather factors affecting rocket operations: a review and case history", Bulletim of the American Meteorological Society, Vol. 72, pp. 778-793.

[11] Magnago, R. et al., 2010, "Análise espectral do vento no Centro de Lança-mento de Alcântara (CLA)", Revista Brasileira de Meteorologia, Vol. 25, No.2, pp. 260-269.

[12] Moreira, D.M. et al., 2011, "A multilayer model to simulate rocket exhaust clouds", Journal of Aerospace Technology Management, Vol. 3, No. 1, pp. 41-52.

[13] Pires, L.B.M. et al., 2009, "Studies using Wind Tunnel to Simulate the Atmospheric Boundary layer at the Alcântara Space Center", Journal of the Aerospace and Technology Management, Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 91- 98.

[14] Reuter, E., 2011, "O desempenho do modelo ETA: uma análise comparativa do vento entre medições in situ e o modelo para o Centro de Lançamento de Alcântara", Tech. Report, related to the CNPq Ph.D. program at the Instituto de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE), agosto, 2008, 14 pp.

[15] Taylor, G.I., 1921, "Diffusion by continuous movements", Proceedings of the London Mathematical Society, Vol. 2, pp. 196-211.

[16] Seinfeld, J.H, Pandis, S.N., 2006, "Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics", John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New Jersey.

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