David N. Whiteman1, Belay B. Demoz2, Keith D. Evans2 and David O'C. Starr1
1NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
2University of Maryland, Baltimore County
The NASA/GSFC Scanning Raman Lidar (SRL) experiment was located on Andros Island, Bahamas during August and September, 1998 for the NASA sponsored Third Convection and Moisture Experiment (CAMEX3). The pourpose of this field campaing was to acquire precise measurements of atmospheric state both inside and in the vicinity of hurricanes in order to improve the modeling of hurricane development and movement. An extensive ground based set of instruments was established at Andros Island in addition to the SRL. These instruments were instruments were operational during the period of August 21 - 26 when hurricane Bonnie influenced the local conditions at Andros Island. These measurements constitute the best groung based measurements of water and aerosols ever acquired in the hurricane environment. Two significant drying episodes dur to the passage of the hurricane were measured. In addition, hurricane induced cirrus cloud on GOES satellite radiances were examined and the magnitude of the influence of thin cirrus clouds on GOES retrievals of water vapor were quantified.
