Perhaps the best high ozone/haze event of the summer is expected to develop over the Mid-Atlantic region this week. Therefore, we are planning a multi-day deployment of the aircraft initally to Raleigh, NC (RDU) on Tuesday August 7 and then to Richmond, VA (RIC) in support of ongoing research programs supported by NCDAQ and VADEQ, respectively.

Objectives of this series of flights will be to:
1. perform in situ evaluations of (VADEQ) profiler/RASS and (NCDAQ) tower data
2. characterize planetary boundary layer (PBL) height, dynamics and development
3. investigate regional-scale pollutant transport to large urban centers within the Mid-Atlantic region
4. investigate cross-corridor (transport corridor; metropolitan area) differences in air quality aloft
5. acquire in situ data for air pollution hindcasting and photochemical modeling

We anticipate a 3-day deployment Tuesday August 7 though Thursday August 9. At RDU on August 7 we will base at RIC out of Piedmont Hawthorne Aviation 919-840-2200 (ask for "N500Z Crew") and on August 8 at RIC out of Richmond Jet Center 804-226-7200. Area of operation for August 9 will be determined August 8 subject to prevailing weather conditions across the region. Flight crew hotel Tuesday and Wednesday nights is the Wyndham Richmond Airport 804-226-4300.

Check back at the end of the week for preliminary flight summaries.

Doddridge