Instrument

AVAPS
Airborne Vertical Atmospheric Profiling System

The Airborne Vertical Atmospheric Profiling System (AVAPS) is an airborne system that uses dropsondes and Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers to collect in situ atmospheric profiles. It provides temperature, pressure, and humidity measurements at 0.5-second intervals and wind data at 0.25-second intervals. AVAPS has a vertical resolution of about 10 meters and can launch dropsondes every 20 seconds. Developed by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) for the NASA Global Hawk, it can also be used on other aircraft, such as the DC-8 and P-3.

NASA's DC-8 flying laboratory passes Antarctica's tallest peak, Mount Vinson, on Oct. 22, 2012, during a flight over the continent to measure changes in the massive ice sheet and sea ice. Credit: NASA/Michael Studinger (Photography courtesy NASA Images)

Overview

Instrument Details

Measurement Type

Multi

Measurement/Variables

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Indicators > Humidity

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Pressure > Atmospheric Pressure Measurements

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Wind Profiles

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Pressure

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Wind Profiles > Wind Velocity/speed Profiles

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Temperature > Upper Air Temperature > Vertical Profiles

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Wind Profiles > Wind Direction Profiles

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Temperature

Vertical Measurement Regions

Full Column Profile

Temporal Resolution

0.25 s, 0.5 s

Spatial Resolution

10 m

Measurement Frequency

N/A

Calibration Details

Currently unavailable

Online Information

Lead Investigator
Gary Wick, Terry Hock, Jeffrey B. Halverson
Technical Contact
Gary Wick
Instrument Maker
Vaisala, NCAR
Funding Source
NOAA
Overview Publications
Overview Publication
Repositories
- Global Hydrology Resource Center DAAC (GHRC)
- data center outside NASA

Instrument Operation

Platform

Campaigns, where the platform was used with this instrument

Global Hawk

5 Campaigns · 30 Instruments

HS3

Hurricane and Severe Storm Sentinel

2012—2014

Subtropical Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico

view all deployment dates

· 15 Data Products

EPOCH

Eastern Pacific Origins and Characteristics of Hurricanes

2017

Pacific Ocean, Gulf of Mexico

view all deployment dates

· 4 Data Products

P-3

P-3 Orion

30 Campaigns · 153 Instruments

CAMP2Ex

Clouds, Aerosol, and Monsoon Processes-Philippines Experiment

2019

Philippines

view all deployment dates

· 12 Data Products

IMPACTS

Investigation of Microphysics and Precipitation for Atlantic Coast-Threatening Snowstorms

2020—2023

Eastern United States

view all deployment dates

· 73 Data Products

DC-8

Douglas DC-8

45 Campaigns · 182 Instruments

OLYMPEX

Olympic Mountains Experiment

2015—2016

Olympic Peninsula in U.S. Washington State

view all deployment dates

· 36 Data Products

TEFLUN

TExas and FLorida UNderflights

1998

Texas, Florida

view all deployment dates

· 0 Data Products

CAMEX

Convection and Moisture Experiment

1993—2001

US Atlantic coast, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean

view all deployment dates

· 70 Data Products

CPEX-CV

Convective Processes EXperiment - Cabo Verde

2022

Cabo Verde, Tropical East Atlantic Ocean

view all deployment dates

· 10 Data Products

RADEX

Radar Definition Experiment

2014—2015

Southeastern United States, North Carolina (NC); Olympic Peninsula, Washington (WA) State

view all deployment dates

· 22 Data Products

G-IV

Gulfstream IV

4 Campaigns · 7 Instruments

TOST

The Observing system Research and Predictability Experiment (THORPEX) Observing System Test

2003

Pacific Ocean, California, Hawaii (PTOST) Atlantic Ocean, Eastern United States, Canada (ATOST)

view all deployment dates

· 1 Data Product

G-III

Gulfstream III

19 Campaigns · 14 Instruments

WHyMSIE

Westcoast & Heartland Hyperspectral Microwave Sensor Intensive Experiment

2024

Western United States, Great Plains, Pacific Ocean

view all deployment dates

· 0 Data Products

ARCSIX

Arctic Radiation-Cloud-Aerosol-Surface Interaction EXperiment

2024

Greenland, Arctic Ocean

view all deployment dates

· 13 Data Products

Data Products

Filter data products from this instrument by specific campaigns, platforms, or formats.

Campaigns

Platforms

Formats

CAMP2Ex P-3 In-Situ Meteorological and Navigational Data10.5067/Airborne/CAMP2Ex_MetNav_AircraftInSitu_P3_Data_1

CampaignsClouds, Aerosol, and Monsoon Processes-Philippines Experiment

PlatformsP-3 Orion

FormatsICARTT

HURRICANE AND SEVERE STORM SENTINEL (HS3) GLOBAL HAWK ADVANCED VERTICAL ATMOSPHERIC PROFILING SYSTEM (AVAPS) DROPSONDE SYSTEM V210.5067/HS3/AVAPS/DROPSONDE/DATA202

CampaignsHurricane and Severe Storm Sentinel

PlatformsGlobal Hawk

FormatsASCII

GPM Ground Validation Upper Air Radiosonde OLYMPEX V1http://dx.doi.org/10.5067/GPMGV/OLYMPEX/RADIOSONDES/DATA101

CampaignsOlympic Mountains Experiment, Radar Definition Experiment

PlatformsBalloon Launch Site, Douglas DC-8

GPM Ground Validation Advanced Vertical Atmospheric Profiling System (AVAPS) OLYMPEX V1http://dx.doi.org/10.5067/GPMGV/OLYMPEX/AVAPS/DATA101

CampaignsOlympic Mountains Experiment, Radar Definition Experiment

PlatformsDouglas DC-8

CAMEX-3 AIRBORNE VERTICAL ATMOSPHERE PROFILING SYSTEM (AVAPS) V110.5067/CAMEX-3/DROPSONDE/DATA101

CampaignsConvection and Moisture Experiment

PlatformsDouglas DC-8