Apparatus and method for predicting clear air turbulence

Abstract

The invention provides a system for passive measurement of atmospheric temperature using a passive direction detector for detecting the energy of a narrow wavelength band emanating from a volume of atmospheric gas. The resulting signal can be associated with an effective temperature. The effective temperature can be associated with an effective range. The system generates a temperature map which can determine, at predetermined time intervals, atmospheric temperatures in an azimuth plane associated with a predefined range from the detector. The temperature map can then be used to calculate temperature gradients that in turn can be used to compute the average Richardson number over an atmospheric layer and other atmospheric conditions to predict the presence of clear air turbulence.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to an aircraft flight management system, and an aircraft flight safety system. An apparatus incorporating a passive detector is used for mapping temperature, and for predicting clear air turbulence conditions ahead of the aircraft.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Clear air turbulence (CAT) is a major safety concern for large commercial aircraft. CAT is a weather phenomenon that is associated with vertical wind shear and stable layers in the atmosphere. CAT results in a rapidly changing airflow over the lift surfaces of the aircraft. Should the forward velocity of the air over the lift surfaces suddenly decrease, the lift will decrease. In this situation, the aircraft may experience a forced descent due to the down flowing air mass and also by an apparent loss in forward air speed. It is thus desirable that an onboard weather system be capable of providing an advanced warning of such wind conditions.

Since the conditions that result in clear air turbulence are not visually apparent nor are they generally detectable by active sensors such as radar, there have been a number of attempts to detect wind shear and clear air turbulence conditions by passive detectors. In particular, attempts have been made to sense air temperature gradients, which are associated with air turbulence, by detecting the radiation emanating from the atmosphere ahead of the aircraft in the infrared and microwave spectral regions. The intensity of the detected radiation varies with the atmospheric temperatures along the line of sight of the detector. Typically these passive systems use a radiometer to measure the thermal radiation from one of the atmospheric gases such as carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), oxygen (O 2 ) or water vapor (H 2 O) to determine changes in the spatial temperature profile in front of the aircraft. Examples of such approaches based on the infrared emission of CO 2 are provided in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,475,963, 3,735,136, 3,780,293, 3,935,460, 4,266,130, 4,427,306, 4,937,447, 4,965,572, 4,965,573, 5,105,191, 5,276,326 and 5,285,070. Other approaches determine atmospheric temperature by measuring the microwave emission from O 2 as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,359,557, 3,380,055, 4,346,595, and 5,117,689. Systems for measuring atmospheric temperature based on infrared emission from H 2 O are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,266,130 and in the paper by Kuhn et al, “Clear Air Turbulence: Detection by Infrared Observations of Water Vapor” in Science, Vol. 196, p.1099, (1977). In addition, there have been several papers written describing these types of passive infrared systems including: S. M. Norman and N. H. Macoy, “Remote Detection of Clear Air Turbulence by Means of an Airborne Infrared System” AJAA Paper No. 65-459 presented at the AIAA Second Annual Meeting, San Francisco, Calif., Jul. 26-29, 1965; and R. W. Astheimer, “The Remote Detection of Clear Air Turbulence by Infrared Radiation” in Applied Optics Vol. 9, No. 8, p.1789 (1970).

In U.S. Pat. No. 4,346,595, Gary describes a microwave radiometer for determining air temperatures in the atmosphere at ranges of about 3 km from the aircraft for the purpose of detecting the height of the tropopause and the presence of temperature inversions. He teaches that by flying the aircraft above or below the tropopause or temperature inversion layer, it is possible to avoid CAT. Since the effective range of the microwave radiometer is relatively short, the system doesn't provide sufficient warning time for the aircraft to avoid the CAT condition. The present invention has detection ranges on the order of 100 km which will allow time for the aircraft to change altitude to avoid CAT.

A number of the above systems were not successful or were only partially successful because they were based solely on the measurement of atmospheric temperature in order to predict the presence of turbulence. A more reliable indication of atmospheric turbulence can be realized by determining the Richardson number, Ri. The use of the Richardson number to determine the stability of the atmosphere is well known in meteorology (see, for example, D. Djuric, Weather Analysis, Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, N.J., 1994, p. 64). In the present invention, the Richardson number is used to indicate the probability of CAT. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,117,689, Gary discussed the correlation of the reciprocal of the Richardson number with the occurrence of CAT conditions.

The Richardson number contains two components: (1) the vertical lapse rate of potential temperature and (2) the wind shear which is related to the horizontal temperature gradient. A number of the prior art discussions measure the vertical temperature lapse rate. Gary used the inertial navigation system (INS) to measure the East-West and North-South components of the wind to calculate the wind shear along with a microwave radiometer to measure the air temperature vertical lapse rate. This information is then used to calculate the Richardson number or its reciprocal. The deficiency of the system described in this patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,117,689) is that it determines the Richardson number at relatively close ranges (less than 3 km) and therefore does not provide advance warning of the CAT condition and that it measures the wind shear only at the aircraft.

Previous approaches for the determination of the range and probability of CAT can be summarized as follows:

U.S. Pat. No. 5,276,326 to Philpott determines turbulence as a function of temperature vs. range through the analysis of infrared radiometer signals at two or more discrete wavelengths. The temperature associated with a given range as a function of wavelength is then derived through a matrix inversion process. This transition is difficult and requires noise and error free input data to yield valid results. The present invention overcomes this difficulty by using only one wavelength. Gary overcomes the multiple wavelength difficulty in U.S. Pat. No. 4,346,595 by measuring effective temperature and range at a single wavelength, however no attempt is made to determine the probability of clear air turbulence using the Richardson number. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,117,689, Gary teaches the significance of the Richardson number in CAT prediction but does not suggest a method to derive Ri directly from radiometric measurements of horizontal and vertical temperature lapse rates obtained by combining azimuth and elevation scanning with the aircraft motion to produce a temperature map.

Since the early 60's several theoretical studies and field experiments have established a link between CAT and meso- and synoptic-scale dynamics. These scales range from 10's of km to 1000 km. The systems include jet streams in association with upper level frontogenesis, gravity waves, mountain waves and Kelvin-Helmholtz Instability (KHI).

Both theoretical studies and laboratory experiments have established the fundamental importance of the Richardson number to the onset of atmospheric turbulence. The Richardson number is defined as $$ Ri = ( g θ ) ⁢   ⁢ ( ∂ θ ∂ z ) &LeftBracketingBar; ∂ V ∂ z &RightBracketingBar; 2 ( 1 )

where $$ θ = T ⁢ { 1000 p } R C p ( 2 )

and where θ is the potential temperature, ∂θ/∂z is the vertical gradient of the potential temperature (defined as the lapse rate), ∂V/∂z is the vertical wind shear, g is acceleration due to gravity, T is temperature in Kelvin, p is atmospheric pressure in millibars, R is the universal gas constant and C p is the specific heat of air at constant pressure. The studies by W. T. Roach (“On the influence of synoptic development on the production of high level turbulence,” Quart. J. R. Met. Soc., (1970) 96, 413), J. L. Keller (“Clear Air Turbulence as a Response to Meso- and Synoptic-Scale Dynamic Processes,” Monthly Weather Review, (1990) 118, 2228), both incorporated by reference herein, and others have concluded that although CAT occurs at unresolvable subgrid scales, the energy dissipation rate due to CAT may be determined by resolvable, gridscale dynamical processes. Roach and Keller, in particular, showed that the total Ri tendency, Γ, which is defined as the time rate of change of ln(Ri) following the motion, may be divided into nonturbulent and turbulent components, such that $$ Γ = D Dt ⁢ ln ⁢   ⁢ ( Ri ) = - Φ - ξ ( 3 )

The nonturbulent component, Φ, is a result of shearing and stretching deformations associated with meso-alpha and synoptic scale disturbances in the upper troposphere. The processes acting to modify ln(Ri) and attributed to ξ are due to the unresolvable subgrid phenomena associated with CAT; these include Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities with horizontal scales of a few km and random turbulent eddies of a few tens or hundreds of meters. With existing monitoring equipment, measurement of Ri with an appropriate resolution is difficult. Instead, measurement techniques are more likely acquiring a spatial average of Ri. The layered Richardson number, Ri L , is the average of Ri over an atmospheric layer. It is defined as $$ Ri L = ( g θ ) ⁢ ( Δ ⁢   ⁢ θ Δ ⁢   ⁢ z ) &LeftBracketingBar; Δ ⁢   ⁢ V Δ ⁢   ⁢ z &RightBracketingBar; 2 ( 4 )

where ΔV/Δz and Δθ/Δz are the values of the vertical wind shear and potential temperature lapse rate, respectively, averaged over the atmospheric layer. Currently, Ri L is calculated from wind and temperature fields obtained from numerical forecast models. Input data for the models are from radiosonde, satellite and pilot reports. The key input data, from the radiosonde, have spatial resolution of approximately 300 km and temporal resolution of 12 hours. Over oceanic areas the spatial resolution is much worse.

An important outcome of the Roach and Keller studies is that the value of Ri L =½ appears to be the layered-averaged analog to the Miles-Howard critical value of Ri=¼ which relates to the necessary condition for individual turbulent events. Another important outcome is a means to determine the rate at which energy is transformed from the nonturbulent meso scale to the turbulent scale. The rate, ε, at which energy is transformed from the nonturbulent to the turbulent scale is given by $$ ε = ( Δ ⁢   ⁢ v ) 2 ⁢ Φ 24 ( 5 )

where Δv is the change in the horizontal wind speed between the bottom and top of the layer. Keller discloses the critical link between Ri L and Ri and how sustained turbulent layers may develop in the free atmosphere. As a parcel of atmosphere with an arbitrarily large Ri enters a region where Φ>0, its Ri begins to decrease. If the parcel remains in this environment long enough, Ri will continue to decrease to the Miles-Howard critical value (Ri=¼) necessary for Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities and turbulence. Once turbulence occurs, vertical mixing would, after several minutes, increase Ri above ¼. If the parcel remains in the same environment, its Ri once again decreases beginning the cycle anew. The process is repeated until the parcel enters a region where Φ<0. While Ri would be varying dramatically over a short distance (on the order of 20 m), its variation averaged over a longer distance (100 m and up), Ri L , would be small. In addition, for the kinetic energy of the vertical shear to be available for transformation to the turbulent scale, the average Ri L =½ is necessary.

Other researchers have shown that it is possible to delineate quantitatively the components of turbulence energy. For example, Kennedy and Shapiro (P. J. Kennedy and M. A. Shapiro, “Further Encounters with Clear Air Turbulence in Research Aircraft,” Journal of Atmospheric Sciences, (1980), 37, 986), incorporated by referenced herein, computed and accounted for the various terms in the turbulence energy budget.

An approximation of the turbulent kinetic energy is given by $$ ∂ E ∂ t ≅ - ⟨ vw ⟩ ⁢ ∂ V ∂ z + g Θ o ⁢ ⟨ w ⁢   ⁢ θ ⟩ - ε ( 6 )

where E is the turbulent kinetic energy (TKE), V is the wind vector, g is the gravitational acceleration, and Θ 0 is the potential temperature. The angle braces indicate average over space of v, the horizontal velocity perturbation, w the vertical velocity perturbation, and θ the potential temperature perturbation. ε is the TKE dissipation, and the first two terms are the TKE production due to wind shear and stability respectively.

A simple approach of closing the TKE equation is by using the relation between the covariance of the perturbation quantities and the eddy diffusivities of momentum and heat, so that $$ - ⟨ vw ⟩ = K M ⁢ ∂ V ∂ z ⁢ - ⟨ w ⁢   ⁢ θ ⟩ = K H ⁢ ∂ Θ ∂ z ( 7 )

where K M and K H are the eddy diffusivities for momentum and heat respectively.

An estimate of the dissipation, ε, can be obtained from Eq. (6) by assuming a steady-state condition. For this case, the dissipation, ε, equals the production. Solving Eq. (6) for ε yields $$ ε = K H ⁡ ( ∂ V ∂ z ) 2 ⁢ ( K M K H - Ri ) ( 8 )

and the ratio of the eddy viscosity (K M ) to the eddy thermal diffusivity (K H ) is the turbulent Prandtl number (Pr).

Studies such as those outlined above have led to the development of a number of algorithms for predicting the probability of detection (POD) of CAT and the false alarm ratio (FAR). The results from using these algorithms, as indicated below, supports the idea that i) mesoscale parameters could be used to infer CAT activity; and ii) the POD and FAR are limited by the spatial, and in particular, the temporal resolutions currently available from radiosonde and numerical model forecasts.

The inputs to the algorithms are derived from various numerical forecast models, such as the nested grid model (NGM) or the global aviation model (AVN), which are produced twice daily (0000 and 1200 UTC) at the National Meteorological Center in Washington, DC. The horizontal resolution of the NGM, for example, is 85 to 90 km over North America, with vertical resolution of 16 layers. The thickness of each NGM layer varies from about 35 mb near the surface to a maximum of 75 mb in the midtroposphere (near 450 mb).

Verification statistics correlated with the algorithms show excellent objective ability to detect or forecast areas of turbulence. Probability of detection statistics indicates that about 75% of CAT events can be predicted. The false alarm ratios suggest a 1 in every 4 or 5 events will be incorrect, based on pilot reports (PIREPS) over the United States. These statistics are not unexpected, however, since the input data are based on 6 and 12 hour forecasts from the numerical models.

Whereas the above mentioned algorithms use the wind field to derive some of the key input parameters, the present invention uses the temperature field. The invention will allow the use of real time measurement of temperature as compared with the 6 hr to 12hr forecast currently being used. In addition, the invention allows an aircraft (or arbitrary platform) to have the measurements centered at the aircraft. Finally, the invention permits horizontal scale measurements in the order of 10 km to 200 km, vertical scale measurement of between 100 and 500 meters, and temporal resolution on the order of minutes or less, a significant improvement over the current spatial and temporal resolutions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a method and apparatus for predicting clear air turbulence. The invention provides a system for passive measurement of atmospheric temperature using a detector for detecting the energy of a narrow wavelength band emanating from a volume of atmospheric gas. The resulting signal can be associated with an effective temperature. The effective temperature can be associated with an effective range. A variety of atmospheric gases emitting radiation in a variety of wavelength regions can be used to determine the effective temperature.

It is an additional object of the invention to provide a system utilizing a radiometer to detect the infrared radiation of a predetermined wavelength band of CO 2 associated with an effective range that corresponds to the wavelength band in order to measure the temperature of the atmosphere in a predetermined direction and associated with the effective range from the radiometer. A range of suitable wavelengths is 12.2 to 13 μm where the effective range is 90 to 120 km at an altitude of 35,000 ft.

Radiometers operating in other spectral regions may be used to measure atmospheric temperatures and temperature gradients. Therefore, another object of the invention is to provide a system utilizing a radiometer to detect the millimeter-wave radiation in a predetermined frequency band of atmospheric oxygen associated with an effective range that corresponds to that frequency band. The detected signal is a measure of the temperature of the atmosphere in a predetermined direction and associated with the effective range from the radiometer. For a millimeter-wave radiometer with a frequency passband centered at 50 GHz, the effective range is 40 to 50 km at an altitude of 35,000 ft.

Another object of the invention is to provide a system for generating a temperature map using a passive directional detector which can determine, at predetermined time intervals, atmospheric temperatures in an azimuth plane associated with a predefined range from the detector. The temperature map can then be used to calculate temperature gradients that in turn can be used to compute the vertical wind shear as one of the inputs in the prediction of the presence of clear air turbulence.

A further object of the invention is to provide an aircraft clear air turbulence warning system that uses a passive detector on board the aircraft to generate signals representing horizontal temperature gradients and vertical temperature profiles that can be used to compute the average Richardson number over an atmospheric layer and other atmospheric parameters which in turn can be used to generate a warning when the turbulence exceeds a predetermined value.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of the preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is pictorial representation of a scanning array illustrating the operation of a radiometer in the invention of FIG. 1 at three time intervals;

FIG. 3 is a pictorial representation of a section of the atmosphere illustrating the operation of the radiometer of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 4 is a pictorial representation of an aircraft operating the radiometer of FIG. 1 in a horizontal scan mode;

FIG. 5 is a pictorial representation of an aircraft acquiring a horizontal temperature map according to the invention of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 6 is a pictorial representation of an aircraft operating the radiometer of FIG. 1 in a vertical scan mode;

FIG. 7 is pictorial representation of the atmospheric thermal gradient and its relationship to the vertical wind shear according to the invention;

FIG. 8 is a plot of the FASCODE modeling results showing the altitude variation of the effective range for a millimeter-wave radiometer operating at 50 GHz; and

FIG. 9 is an illustration of the observational geometry of the invention;

FIG. 10 is a geometric illustration of a method for calculating the temperature gradient from FIG. 9 ;

FIG. 11 is a geometric illustration of a method for calculating vertical shear of the horizontal wind from the temperature field; and

FIG. 12 is a geometric illustration of a method for calculating the flow curvature for an aircraft in flight.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION AND PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 provides an overview, in the form of a functional block diagram, of the operation of the preferred embodiment of the invention which in this case is an apparatus 10 for installation in an aircraft to detect clear air turbulence. Although the preferred embodiment of the invention is described in terms of its application to aircraft, the invention can have other applications some of which are described below. Installed in a forward, and partially sideways, looking location of the aircraft, such as the nose or a leading portion of a wing is a passive detector 12 , preferably a radiometer, for receiving infrared or millimeter-wave radiation from the atmosphere as indicated by a dashed line 14 . Also, as indicated by a block 16 , the radiometer 12 is connected to a directional scanning mechanism which permits the radiometer 12 to receive the radiation 14 from different directions in both the azimuth and vertical directions or in only the azimuth direction.

Shown at block 18 , the apparatus 10 will convert the sterance or energy L at a particular wave length λ of the radiation 14 as detected by the radiometer 12 into a value T eff which represents the temperature of the atmosphere at an effective range R eff from the aircraft. The concept of converting the radiation 14 into temperature T eff and the effective range R eff will be described below.

Then, as indicated at a block 20 , the T eff values obtained will be used to create a horizontal and/or vertical temperature map of atmospheric temperature ahead of the aircraft as illustrated in FIGS. 2-7 . As the aircraft progresses along its line of flight, the system data is collected as shown in FIG. 2 . The apparatus then generates a temperature map as indicated at 20 .

The temperature mapping 20 is used to compute horizontal temperature gradients ∇T, indicated at a block 22 , between the temperatures T, contained in the map 20 in a horizontal plane.

As represented by a block 24 and discussed below, the horizontal temperature gradients ∇T can be used to compute vertical wind shear for the flight level as well as levels above and below the aircraft. The vertical wind shear may then be used to compute the average Richardson number over an atmospheric layer, Ri L , also at various levels.

Effective use of the vertical wind shear information generated at 24 can be used to compute Ri L tendency and other atmospheric conditions at block 26 . The value of Ri L tendency is used to calculate the probability of clear air turbulence, as indicated by block 28 , that in turn can be used as an input to a clear air turbulence display or warning system as shown by block 30 .

The following is a more detailed description of the various elements and concepts of the invention as shown in the block diagram of FIG. 1 .

For example, FIG. 2 provides an illustration of the operation of the radiometer 12 in conjunction with the directional scan mechanism 16 . In this case the scan mechanism 16 directs the radiometer 12 so as to receive radiation 14 from what in effect are 3×3 arrays 34 a, 34 b and 34 c of points in the atmosphere ahead of the aircraft collecting sterance associated with an effective range R eff at time intervals t 0 , t 1 and t 2 . In the preferred embodiment of the invention, a middle row 36 of the arrays 34 a-c is located at the aircraft's flight level while an upper row 38 is located at a level intermediate between the flight level and an upper flight level and a lower row 40 is located at a level intermediate between the flight level and a lower flight level. The radiometer 12 can be any suitable commercially available radiometer that can measure atmospheric temperatures or temperature gradients. An infrared radiometer for detecting CO 2 emission in the 12 to 14 μm spectral region may be employed to determine atmospheric temperature or temperature gradients. For detecting CO 2 emission in the 4.0 to 4.3 μm band, a radiometer of the type described in the above referenced patents such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,937,447 to Barrett, which is hereby incorporated by reference, may be used. A millimeter-wave or microwave radiometer may be used to measure atmospheric temperatures or temperature gradients by detecting the emission from atmospheric oxygen in the frequency band between 49 and 70 GHz and in the vicinity of 118 GHz. Because of its longer wavelengths, the millimeter-wave spectral region has an advantage of having fairly good transmission in the presence of clouds, fog, dust, etc. In another preferred embodiment, only one horizontal temperature map at one level is used for determining the temperature gradient.

Referring also to FIG. 1 and FIG. 3 , the temperature conversion 18 of each point in the arrays 34 a-c is accomplished by translating the radiance L(λ) received by the radiometer 12 , where the wavelength is λ, into a signal that is associated with a temperature T eff of the volume of air seen by the radiometer. The temperature, T eff , is associated with the effective range, R eff that is the weighted average distance of the signal reaching the radiometer 12 . This use of R eff is only useful in conditions for which R eff does not vary significantly during aircraft flight across reasonable distances at a fixed altitude. It has been found that R eff does not vary significantly for normal flight conditions, i.e., R eff is determined by only the wavelength λ, the altitude and latitude of the aircraft, the elevation angle of the radiometer's line of sight and the particular time of year. This has been verified through the use of the FASCODE program. The FASCODE program is a computer model of atmospheric transmission and radiance in the infrared and millimeter-wave spectral regions. This program is described and identified in the aforementioned Barrett, U.S. Pat. No. 4,937,447. The following Table 1 is a table illustrating the FASCODE (using the mid-latitude, winter atmosphere model) computed effective range R eff vs. λ in the case that λ falls within the preferred band of wavelengths of CO 2 emission for a zenith angle of 90 degrees and an altitude of 35,000 ft.

TABLE 1
Wavelength (μm) Effective Range (km)
12.2            121
12.3            106
12.4            98.2
12.5            84.4
12.6            76.6
12.7            918
12.8            105
12.9            106
13.0            89.3

The FASCODE program has also been used to calculate effective range values for the millimeter-wave (mmW) region based on the detection of radiation from atmospheric oxygen at a wavelength of about 6.0 mm (50 GHz). Calculations were carried out using the mid-latitude summer atmosphere model with the zenith angle of the mmW radiometer line-of-sight set at 89 degrees. A plot of the altitude variation of the effective range for the mmW radiometer is shown in FIG. 8 . These calculations are based on a radiometer center frequency of 50 GHz with a full width at half maximum (FWHM) transmission of about 1 GHz. The effective range varies from less than 6 km for altitudes less than 10,000 ft to greater than 42 km for altitudes greater than 35,000 ft.

It has been found that the wavelength 12.2 μm of CO 2 is particularly effective at measuring T eff associated with a range R eff of approximately 120 km for one altitude and latitude. It should be noted that one of the advantages of the invention is that it makes use of previously computed values of R eff so that it is possible to provide accurate maps of atmospheric temperature. Also it is possible to store tables of R eff vs. Altitude and λ vs. R eff such as shown in the Table 1 above in order to adjust the sensitivity of the system and the effective range for various conditions. Alternatively, it is possible to use more than one wavelength λ to measure more than one T eff at corresponding ranges R eff from the aircraft.

The operation of our apparatus may be illustrated by means of a numerical example. At 12.2 μm, the effective range is 121 km (Table 1) and the field of view of the IR radiometer is 0.10 degrees. At a distance corresponding to the effective range (121 km) in front of the aircraft, the field of view of the radiometer subtends a distance of 607 ft, which is the thickness of the atmospheric layer over which the atmospheric temperature is averaged. Therefore, the layered Richardson number, Ri L , as determined by Eq. 4, corresponds to an average value measured over an atmospheric layer 607 ft thick. For an aircraft at 35,000 ft cruising at 500 knots, the time required to traverse the distance corresponding to an effective range of 121 km is 7.8 minutes. This should provide sufficient warning time for the pilot to prepare the aircraft for the turbulence encounter and/or take evasive action.

The radiance L(λ) detected by the radiometer 12 is a function of the temperature of the naturally occurring CO 2 in the atmosphere. It is possible to associate the temperature of the air in ΔV vol shown in FIG. 3 with a given signal. The total signal, L(λ), is the sum of the contributions, L(λ) i of signal from each volume element i along the line of sight of the radiometer 12 . Thus $$ L ⁡ ( λ ) = ∑ i ⁢ L ⁡ ( λ ) i = ∑ i ⁢ S i ⁢ τ i ( 9 )

where S i is the radiance from a volume element i intercepted by the detector's line of sight and τ i is the transmission of the radiance between the volume element i and the detector. The temperature T eff is associated with L(λ), where T eff is the temperature of a blackbody source times a calibration factor which produces the same radiometer signal as L(λ). This calibration factor takes into account, that under certain conditions of high altitudes and/or elevation angles, the atmosphere behaves as a graybody emission source and not as a blackbody emission source. A transparency correction of the atmosphere is used to account for the graybody behavior (see B. L. Gary, “Observational Results Using the Microwave Temperature Profiler During the Airborne Antarctic Ozone Experiment,” Journal of Geophysical Research, (1989), 94, 11223). The effective distance R eff is defined according to the equation $$ R eff = ∑ i ⁢ R i ⁢ L ⁡ ( λ ) i ∑ i ⁢ L ⁡ ( λ ) i ( 10 )

As indicated at 18 of FIG. 1 , the temperature T eff is associated with R eff and a map is generated at 20 with the temperature T eff at a distance R eff in the appropriate direction from the aircraft. For normal flight conditions, R eff does not vary significantly and is determined only by altitude, elevation angle and latitude for a given time of year. With respect to FIG. 3 , the altitude of ΔV vol for a R eff of 120 km will be about 1000 ft. above the flight level of the aircraft due to the earth's curvature assuming the radiometer 12 is directed toward the horizon.

FIGS. 4-6 , illustrate how the temperature mapping 20 can be accomplished. In FIG. 4 , an aircraft 42 having the radiometer 12 mounted in its nose causes the radiometer 12 to perform an azimuth scan of 180°. At each of the five positions shown in FIG. 4 , the radiometer 12 will detect the radiance 14 . In this manner a horizontal temperature map is generated. The radiometer can detect signals sufficiently fast that the motion of the aircraft can be ignored. FIG. 5 shows a series of locations indicated by a set of rectangular boxes 44 a-d that correspond to a set of time intervals t a-d as the aircraft 42 proceeds along its flight path, where the temperatures T eff detected for each location 44 a-d can be stored in memory. Similarly, as illustrated in FIG. 6 , the radiometer 12 in the aircraft 42 can perform a vertical scan so that temperatures of locations above and below the flight path can be mapped. As a result, it is possible to generate temperature maps for horizontal planes above and below the aircraft 42 .

By mapping the temperature fields 20 as described above, it is possible to compute horizontal temperature gradients ∇T as indicated at 22 of FIG. 1 . It is also possible, by using the vertical temperature mapping to calculate the temperature lapse rate ∂T/∂z for use in calculation of the Richardson Number for computing the probability of clear air turbulence.

As illustrated by FIG. 7 , one of the salient features of the invention is the capability of utilizing the temperature gradients computed at 22 to generate values representing vertical wind shear at a horizontal plane Z 1 . In this case, only a horizontal mapping at one level is needed. For example, a method according to the invention whereby the thermal wind concepts can be used to compute vertical wind shear, ∂V/∂z, as indicated at 24 of FIG. 1 , makes use of the following relation: $$ ∂ v ∂ z = f ⁢ ∂ V g ∂ z - V 2 ⁢ ∂ K ∂ z 2 ⁢ VK + f ( 11 )

where V is the gradient wind, V g is the geostrophic wind, f is the Coriolis parameter resulting from the earth's rotation, K is the curvature of the flow and ∂V g /∂z is the vertical shear of the geostrophic wind.

The flow curvature K in Equation 11 is the reciprocal of the radius of curvature of the streamline. Referring to FIG. 12 , K can be determined using Equation 12 below: $$ K = 1 R = δ ⁢   ⁢ θ δ ⁢   ⁢ s ( 12 )

In FIG. 12 , ABC represents the wind flow streamline. δθ represents the change in wind direction between aircraft location 1 and aircraft location 2 . For δθ of less than 20 degrees, the length of the arc ABC is the same as the length of the chord AC within 0.5 percent, where the chord AC represents the distance traveled by the plane from location 1 to location 2 . In Equation 12, δs equals the length of the chord AC.

The horizontal air flow in the atmosphere is said to be geostrophic when both the centripetal and tangential components of the flow's acceleration are zero. In U.S. patent application, Ser. No. 09/129,805, Equation 13 is used calculate vertical shear, based on the assumption that geostrophic atmospheric conditions exist. Both Equation 11, and Equation 13 shown below, can be found in any standard meteorological text, such as An Introduction to Dynamic Meteorology by James R. Holton. $$ ∂ V g ∂ z = g fT ⁢ k ⊗ ∇   ⁢ T ( 13 )

In Equation 13, g is the acceleration due to gravity, f is the Coriolis parameter resulting from the earth's rotation, T is the temperature at altitude Z 1 , ∇T is the vector representing the temperature gradient at level Z 1 , k is the unit vector parallel to the aircraft's local vertical and the symbol {circle around (x)} represents the vector cross-product operator.

Horizontal air flow is said to be gradient when centripetal acceleration is present with the tangential acceleration being zero. Under such conditions the flow curvature K is non-zero and can be calculated using Equation 12 and the vertical shear of the horizontal wind can be more accurately computed using Equation 11, as opposed to Equation 13. It should be noted that where the flow curvature K is zero, as in the case of geostrophic atmospheric conditions, Equation 11 properly reduces to Equation 13.

Therefore, the relation represented by Equation 11 is used, in accordance with the present invention, to provide a more accurate computation of the vertical shear of the horizontal wind in atmospheric conditions when the flow is gradient, yet provide the same calculation when the flow is geostrophic.

Additionally, Equation 11 may be simplified to Equation 14 below since the term f(∂V g /∂z) is generally at least an order of magnitude larger than V 2 (∂V g /∂z). $$ ∂ V ∂ z = f ⁢ ∂ V g ∂   ⁢ z 2 ⁢ VK + f ( 14 )

This invention relates to the use of the temperature mapping function 20 along with the computation of vertical temperature gradients 22 to compute the probability of clear air turbulence 28 . In particular, the vertical temperature mapping 20 can be used to calculate the lapse rate ΔT/Δz for determination of the average layered Richardson number Ri L which is correlated with turbulent conditions. Ri L is a measure of the probability of CAT. For Ri L below 0.5, atmospheric turbulence occurs and CAT is likely. Severity of CAT increases with decreasing Ri L . Referring again to FIG. 1 , the probability of clear air turbulence is determined at 28 with the result displayed on the CAT display 30 .

The embodiment of the invention in FIG. 1 has been described in terms of its use in connection with an aircraft traversing temperature fields in its flight path. However, this type of apparatus can also be adapted for use in mapping temperature fields from a fixed geographical position. By using the radiometer 12 at a fixed site to scan temperature at the effective range R eff as described above over a period of time as the weather moves over the radiometer, it is possible to generate a map of the temperature fields for a wide area. The temperature map can then be used for warnings of wind conditions such as clear air turbulence and dry microburst conditions. Another use at a fixed position is to scan the temperature field in 360° azimuth and in elevation to determine wind differences, or CAT at one time.

Shown in FIG. 9 is the observational geometry of the invention. ABCDE is a semicircle centered at K, with ABCDE lying in the same horizontal plane. ABCDE represents one of several horizontal planes with separation ranging from 100 m to 300 meters. The temperatures at A,B,C,D and E are determined radiometrically as described above. F,G,H,J are located at the midpoints of BC, CD, DK, KB respectively. Together they form the rectangle FGHJ. The line xox′ bisects the sides FJ and GH, and the line yoy′ bisects the sides FG and HJ, and together xox′ and yoy′ form a rectangular coordinate system.

FIG. 10 illustrates how the temperature gradients may be determined and FIG. 11 illustrates how the vertical wind shear of the horizontal wind is determined from the temperature field.

From the described geometry, the key input parameters necessary to predict the probability of detection and the false alarm ratio of CAT can now be computed in accordance with the previously-cited equations. Further, it is also possible to compute the thermal vorticity: $$ ∂ ∂ p ⁢ ξ = R fp ⁢ ∇ 2 ⁢ T

As would be evident to one skilled in the art, it is possible to generate a map of Ri L and ε conditions at various altitudes and azimuths and ranges relative to a moving platform or a fixed location. When the moving platform is an aircraft, the map of atmospheric conditions gives the pilot an understanding of atmospheric conditions that surround the aircraft and what atmospheric conditions exist ahead, above and below the aircraft. This feature may be used to provide warning to the pilot and passengers of probable CAT and allow the aircraft to prepare for CAT or, alternatively, allow the pilot to modify the course of the aircraft to avoid the CAT. Additional meteorological parameters or combinations of meteorological parameters can be used to predict and avoid CAT.

Having described preferred embodiments of apparatus and methods for predicting clear air turbulence (which are intended to be illustrative and not limiting), it is noted that modifications and variations can be made by persons skilled in the art in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that changes may be made in the particular embodiments of the invention disclosed which are within the scope and spirit of the invention as outlined by the appended claims. Having thus described the invention with the details and particularity required by the patent laws, what is claimed and desired protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

1. An apparatus for determining atmospheric conditions based on the calculation of the layered average Richardson number, RiL, comprising:first temperature measurement means for measuring a plurality of temperatures at an altitude Z1; and means for calculating ∇T, the vector temperature gradient, over said altitude Z1; second temperature measurement means for determining Δθ/Δz , the vertical lapse rate of the potential temperature, where θ is the potential temperature and z is the vertical direction; wind shear computational means for determining ∂V/∂z, the vertical wind shear, said wind shear computational means generates said ∂V/∂z signal according to the relation ∂V∂z=f⁢∂Vg∂z-V2⁢∂K∂z2⁢VK+fwhere V is the gradient wind, Vg is the geostrophic wind, f is the Coriolis parameter resulting from the earth's rotation, K is the curvature of the flow which is the reciprocal of the radius of curvature of a streamline; and ∂Vg/∂z is the vertical shear of the geostrophic wind; and calculation means responsive to said second temperature measurement means and said wind shear means for calculating RiL using the equation: RiL=(gθ)⁢(Δ⁢ ⁢θΔ⁢ ⁢z)&LeftBracketingBar;Δ⁢ ⁢VΔ⁢ ⁢z&RightBracketingBar;2 where g is acceleration due to gravity.

2. The apparatus recited in claim 1, further comprising calculation means responsive to said wind shear means for calculating the strength of the turbulence, ε, using the equation: ε=(KH⁢(Δ⁢ ⁢VΔ⁢ ⁢z))2⁢(KMKH-RiL).

3. The apparatus recited in claim 2, further comprising means for predicting clear air turbulence comprising:means for comparing RiL against a threshold value; means for determining whether ε is increasing or decreasing; and means for indicating the probability for clear air turbulence when RiL is equal to or less than the threshold value and ε is increasing.

4. The apparatus recited in claim 3, wherein said threshold value is 0.5.

5. The apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein said apparatus is positioned in an aircraft.

6. The apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein said apparatus is fixed to the ground.

7. The apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein said first temperature measurement means includes a passive infrared detector for generating a plurality of temperature signals.

8. The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said first temperature measurement means includes a passive millimeter wave or passive micrometer wave detector for generating a plurality of temperature signals.

9. The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said first temperature measurement means further determines said temperatures in a map at an effective range Reff from said apparatus.

10. The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said first temperature measurement means comprises:detector means for detecting radiation L(λ) having a wavelength λ from a predetermined direction; and computational means, responsive to said detector means, for computing a value Teff representing the temperature of the atmosphere at an effective range Reff from said detector means.

11. The apparatus recited in claim 10 wherein said detector means includes a passive infrared detector for detecting said radiation L(λ).

12. The apparatus recited in claim 10 wherein said detector means includes a passive millimeter wave or a passive micrometer wave detector for detecting said radiation L(λ).

13. The apparatus recited in claim 11 wherein said radiation L(λ) corresponds to the energy resulting from the emission of atmospheric CO2 at said wavelength λ from a portion of the atmosphere.

14. The apparatus recited in claim 11, wherein said wavelength λ is between 12.2 μm and 13.0 μm.

15. The apparatus recited in claim 11, wherein said wavelength λ is 12.3 μm.

16. The apparatus recited in claim 15, wherein said effective range Reff is approximately 120 km.

17. The apparatus recited in claim 10, further comprising mapping means, responsive to said computational means, for mapping said temperatures Teff along said predetermined direction.

18. The apparatus recited in claim 17, wherein said mapping means includes means for generating said values Teff at predetermined time intervals.

19. The apparatus recited in claim 17, wherein said mapping means includes scanning means for varying said predetermined direction in order to generate a planar temperature map.

20. The apparatus recited in claim 19, wherein said scanning means further varies said predetermined direction vertically so as to generate said temperature map for a plurality of altitudes.

21. The apparatus recited in claim 19, wherein said scanning means is geographically fixed and said temperature map represents isotherms at a predetermined altitude.

22. The apparatus recited in claim 21, wherein said predetermined altitude is a function of Reff.

23. The apparatus recited in claim 19, wherein said scanning means is secured to an aircraft and said predetermined direction is scanned in the azimuth plane resulting in a horizontal temperature map.

24. The apparatus recited in claim 23, wherein said scanning means further additionally varies said predetermined direction vertically so as to generate a plurality of said horizontal temperature maps for a plurality of altitudes.

25. The apparatus recited in claim 21, wherein said wavelength λ is between 12.2 μm and 13 μm and wherein said detector means includes an infrared radiometer and scanning means for scanning said radiometer in vertical and horizontal directions.

26. An apparatus for determining atmospheric conditions based on the calculation of the layered average Richardson number, RiL, comprising:first temperature measurement means for measuring a plurality of temperatures at an altitude Z1; means for calculating ∇T, the vector temperature gradient, over said altitude Z1; second temperature measurement means for determining Δθ/Δz, the vertical lapse rate of the potential temperature, where θ is the potential temperature and z is the vertical direction; wind shear computational means for determining ∂V/∂z, the vertical wind shear, said wind shear computational means generates said ∂V/∂z signal according to the relation ∂V∂z=f⁢∂Vg∂z2⁢VK+f where V is the gradient wind, Vg is the geostrophic wind, f is the Coriolis parameter resulting from the earth's rotation, K is the curvature of the flow and ∂Vg/∂z is the vertical shear of the geostrophic wind; and calculation means responsive to said second temperature measurement means and said wind shear means for calculating RiL using the equation: RiL=(gθ)⁢(Δ⁢ ⁢θΔ⁢ ⁢z)&LeftBracketingBar;Δ⁢ ⁢VΔ⁢ ⁢z&RightBracketingBar;2 where g is acceleration due to gravity.

27. The apparatus recited in claim 26, further comprising calculation means responsive to said wind shear means for calculating the strength of the turbulence, ε, using the equation: ε=(KH⁢(Δ⁢ ⁢VΔ⁢ ⁢z))2⁢(KMKH-RiL).

28. The apparatus recited in claim 27, further comprising means for predicting clear air turbulence comprising:means for comparing RiL against a threshold value; means for determining whether ε is increasing or decreasing; and means for indicating the probability for clear air turbulence when RiL is equal to or less than the threshold value and ε is increasing.