Sensor network for polar research aircraft

• Main Authors: Thomas Garbrecht, Andreas Herber, Daniel Steinhage, Oliver Zielinski
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Published: OPTIMARE Sensorsysteme AG 2006
• Subjects: airborne measurements; data acquisition system; polar environment; ASTAR2004; Arctic; Antarctic; Medusa; Alfred Wegener Institute; Antarc*; Memoirs of National Institute of Polar Research; Polar Research
• Online Access: https://nipr.repo.nii.ac.jp/?action=repository_uri&item_id=2513; http://id.nii.ac.jp/1291/00002513/; https://nipr.repo.nii.ac.jp/?action=repository_action_common_download&item_id=2513&item_no=1&attribute_id=18&file_no=1

Scientific observations from the disciplines of geophysics, meteorology, air chemistry and oceanography can easily be realized by means of airborne sensor systems over large remote areas and up to high altitudes. The Foundation Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) owns two research aircraft of type Dornier 228-101 for scientific and logistic applications during Arctic and Antarctic surveys. Since May 2001 the OPTIMARE Sensorsysteme AG is responsible for the scientific equipment onboard both aircraft. The main task of this contract is the maintenance and integration of existing and new sensors together with the operation on polar expeditions. The data acquisition system MEDUSA-P was developed and integrated at both aircraft. MEDUSA-P originally was designed for airborne routine oil spill detection and was adapted to the operational conditions at the polar environment, where temperature, flight altitude and rough landing strips were the most challenging aspect. MEDUSA-P facilitates the integration of scientific sensors into the data network onboard the aircraft by a simple add-on architecture. Meanwhile, it was successfully operated during seven surveys in the disciplines of geophysics, meteorology and air chemistry.