Abstract:
Methods and apparatus for an in-flight air turbulence detection system. In one embodiment, a system includes an air turbulence detector and a transmitter to transmit turbulence information. In another embodiment, a system includes a receiver, a detection processing module, an aircraft ID module, and a route modification module.
Abstract:
A system and method for detecting turbulence includes several mobile platforms, a mobile platform velocity sensor, and several electromagnetic energy transmitters and receivers. The receivers receive the energy transmitted by the transmitter(s) after it has traveled along a path subject to the turbulence. The receivers detect alterations of the energy caused by the turbulence and filter the alterations for effects of the mobile platform velocity (on which either a transmitter or receiver is located). Additionally, the system may create a three-dimensional model of the. In another preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a method of detecting turbulence using a mobile platform. The method includes receiving electromagnetic energy that has traveled along a path subject to the turbulence and determining the alteration to the energy caused by the turbulence. The alterations are filtered of the effects of the velocity of the mobile platform on which the receivers are preferably located.
Abstract:
An apparatus for providing weather information onboard an aircraft includes a processor unit and a graphical user interface. The processor unit processes weather information after it is received onboard the aircraft from a ground-based source, and the graphical user interface provides a graphical presentation of the weather information to a user onboard the aircraft. Preferably, the graphical user interface includes one or more user-selectable options for graphically displaying at least one of convection information, turbulence information, icing information, weather satellite information, SIGMET information, significant weather prognosis information, and winds aloft information.
Abstract:
Turbulence predictions and alerts can be presented by exchanging information between a mobile unit (200) equipped on aircraft and a base station (100) placed fixedly on an airport (for instance, between a mobile unit and the nearest base station) even if no model of wind current is available beforehand. Each mobile unit (200) independently carries out sequences of data collection, decision and distribution at any time (at least before the service of aircraft), while a base station (100) carries out a sequence of summarizing collected data at regular intervals every day.
Abstract:
A method for processing and providing information relating to the effects of turbulent movements present in a fluid and perceived or perceivable by a moving vehicle when acted on by these turbulent movements comprises the steps of detecting on-board a first moving vehicle A a perceived level of turbulence TpA to which the vehicle is subject in that moment; calculating a parameter N indicative of the turbulence by applying to the perceived level of turbulence TpA a correction function f(TpA, k1A, k2A, k3A,.... knA) where k1A, k2A, k3A,....,knA are parameters considered to be indicative of the influence of the specific first moving vehicle A on the level of turbulence perceived in it; transmitting a pair of values formed by the parameter N and the position P of the first moving vehicle A at the moment when it is subject to the turbulence level TpA, so that they are received by a second moving vehicle B; calculating on-board the second moving vehicle B a predicted level of turbulence TpB by means of an inverse function f-1(N, k1B, k2B, k3B,....,knB), where k1B, k2B, k3B,....,knB are parameters considered to be indicative of the influence of the specific second moving vehicle B on the level of turbulence perceivable therein based on the parameter N; using the predicted level of turbulence TpB as an indication of the level of turbulence which would be perceived on the second moving vehicle B if it were to pass through said point P. Devices (11, 14) and electronic systems (10) applying this method are also described.
Abstract:
An Atmospheric Turbulence Detector utilizes a sensor to detect noise and extracts infrasound having frequencies below a specified infrasound frequency. A threshold is computed from the detection of infrasound in the vicinity of the sensor prior to the arrival of infrasound from the turbulence and an alarm is given when the infrasound from the turbulence exceeds the computed threshold. Range and direction of atmospheric turbulence are determined with the utilization of two sensors, measuring the phase difference between the detected infrasound of the two sensors, measuring amplitude differences of the infrasound detected at two separate locations.
Abstract:
Sodar systems and methods for acoustically sounding air are disclosed in which chirps longer than 300 ms - and preferably with durations of tens of seconds - are used along with matched filter and/or Fourier processing methods to derive phase signals indicative of air characteristics in range. A listen-while-transmit strategy is preferred, the direct signal being removed by subtracting the phase signals from two or more receivers located near the transmitter so as to be in the same noise environment. The resultant differential signals can be related to cross-range wind with range distance. In one example, apparatus (100) is employed comprising a reflector dish (102) over which one central loudspeaker 110 and four microphones (112, 114, 130 and 132) are mounted, the microphones preferably being located on cardinal compass points and having their axes (124, 126) slightly angled with respect to the vertical transmission axis (122).
Abstract:
This invention relates to a laser radar system which is installed in an aircraft (1) and transmits a laser beam from its output aperture (2) ahead of the aircraft (1) via beam (3) which samples the atmosphere ahead as scattered beam (4). When the transmitted beam (3) penetrates a region of the atmosphere affected by clear air turbulence (5) additional back scattering (6) occurs which allows for the detection of said clear air turbulence. On detection of the clear air turbulence (5) by the invention, the flight path of plane (1) is changed so as to avoid said turbulence (5).
Abstract:
Air turbulence (windshear as well as clear air turbulence) in navigable airspace is detected by remotely sensing changes in the spatial temperature profile of an air column ahead of an aircraft by repeatedly sensing the intensity of the thermal radiation from the column of atmospheric air in at least two spectral peaks in the 4.17 to 4.2 νm region of the CO2 spectral emission band, and comparing the relative intensity of the spectral peaks over time. Apparatus which includes a tunable Fabry-Perot etalon is provided for the practice of the method.