WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - NASA's new research aircraft has launched service in making studies on climate phenomena like severe hurricanes, landslides, and wildfires.
NASA's C-20A aircraft is a significant asset that can carry key instruments for understanding the science behind these phenomena.
Based at NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, the C-20A is a military version of the Gulfstream III business jet and operates as an airborne science aircraft for a variety of Earth science research missions.
Using this aircraft, scientists collect data to assess and model disaster impacts and to potentially make predictions about hazards.
In October, the plane was deployed to fly over areas affected by Hurricane Milton. With winds of up to 120 miles per hour, the hurricane had hit the Florida coast as a category 3 storm, and produced lightning, heavy rainfall, and a series of tornadoes. In the aftermath of the storm, the C-20A was outfitted with the Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle Synthetic Aperture Radar (UAVSAR) instrument to collect detailed data about the affected flood areas.
'Our team focused specifically on inland river flooding near dense populations, collecting data that could help inform disaster response and preparation in the future,' said Starr Ginn, C-20A aircraft project manager. 'By all indications, this rapid response to support Hurricane Milton recovery efforts was a successful coordination of efforts by science and aircraft teams.'
The UAVSAR was developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, and uses a technique called interferometry to detect subtle changes to Earth's surface. This detection system effectively measures the terrain changes or impacts before and after an extreme natural event.
When flown onboard an aircraft, radars like the UAVSAR can also provide more detail than satellite radars.
The C-20A team also used the UAVSAR in October to investigate the Portuguese Bend landslide in Rancho Pales Verdes. 'This helps us understand the different characteristics of the landslide body,' Ginn said.
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