| | 40 | |
| | 41 | == Sit Rep 02.11.14 == |
| | 42 | ''Today (02.11.14) we once again deployed for a dawn take-off but our eyes-on-the-ground at Danum Valley (Abdulla), was able to inform us of heavy cloud cloud. This was of course only evident in daylight. However, condition were steadily improving and his observations from the previous day in Danum Valley indicated that condition may clear later in the day. We took-off at 10:00 hrs and were able to collect ten flight lines of very good data from the key area around the research centre in the period around solar noon. This survey supported MA14-11 with the key area also supporting RG13-06 (the BALI NERC grant funded project). Tomorrow (03.11.14) we hope to deploy at 07:00 hrs to make full use of this potential opportunity of relatively cloud free conditions to complete the survey of this site.'' |
| | 43 | |
| | 44 | == Sit Rep 30.10.14 == |
| | 45 | ''Today (30.10.14) we were able to fly 42 flight lines over the Maliau Basin. Take-off was once again just after dawn and allowed us to complete the data collection (LiDAR, Fenix and Owl) for this site before the build-up of cloud covered the study area. Completion of this area is a huge relief as we have been aware that is was the most prone area to persistent cloud and it forms a significant study area for the NERC Biodiversity and Land-Use Impacts on Tropical Ecosystem Function (BALI) project. Our dedicated representative on the ground (Abdulla) is now able to return to Danum Valley (also in Sabah) where we intend to collect the next set of airborne data.'' |
| | 46 | |
| | 47 | == Sit Rep 25.10.14 == |
| | 48 | ''Today (25.10.14) our five hour flight started with another dawn take-off from Kota Kinabalu. It is with great relief that I can report that it yielded a three hour survey, with LiDAR, Fenix and digital photography, that concluded our data collection from the SAFE a site (in support of the NERC BALI project). We collected data at three different altitudes, ~3000ft, 7000ft and 9000ft, and were able to make full use of the experience that we have gained from flying this site in terms of the relative speed of cloud build up over the different areas . Tomorrow, the crew will take a well needed rest while our stalwart colleague (Abdulla), who has been manning the gps and sun photometer in the field, relocates to the Malaiu Basin (also in support of the NERC BALI project). This will be our focus of operations on Monday.'' |
| | 49 | |
| | 50 | == Sit Rep 18.10.14 == |
| | 51 | ''Yesterday (17.10.14) we continued our strategy of early morning data acquisitions from the SAFE site (in support of BALI, the core NERC grant). With engine start at 07:00 (local) within a 4 hour flight we had 3 hours of data collection on site. During this time we completed the last 5 five of 25 long altitude lines that formed an overview of the SAFE site and three of various mid altitude areas within the SAFE site. These data comprised of LiDAR, Fenix (VNIR & SWIR), Owl (LWIR - for some lines) and digital photography. Last night we were rewarded with a particularly spectacular sunset.'' |
| | 52 | |
| | 53 | ''Today (18.10.14) we took off 15 minutes earlier and managed 2 hours on site before the cloud closed in. In this case one of the team was suffering from an ear infection so the sortie was achieved with a reduced complement of crew. This made operating in this dynamic environment even more challenging. Nevertheless, we completed two more of the mid altitude areas and two areas at a higher altitude relating to the hydrological component of the project. These data comprised of LiDAR, Fenix (VNIR & SWIR) and digital photography.'' |
| | 54 | |
| | 55 | ''Currently we are investigating if the cloud cover is absent at night. If so then this would allow us to consider the collection of one pass of LiDAR data at night for those projects where two passes are planned (double passes are planned as a means to increase the LiDAR point density). If successful it would still leave one pass in daytime conditions to collect coincident data from the imaging spectometers.'' |