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Estimating the Effects of Sensor Spacing on Peak Wind Measurements at Launch Complex 39This paper presents results of an empirical study to estimate the measurement error in the peak wind speed at Shuttle Launch Complex 39 (LC-39) which results from the measurement being made by sensors 1,300 feet away. Quality controlled data taken at a height of 30 feet from an array of sensors at the Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) were used to model differences of peak winds as a function of separation distance and time interval. The SLF data covered wind speeds from less than ten to more than 25 knots. Winds measured at the standard LC-39 site at the normal height of 60 feet were used to verify the applicability of the model to the LC-39 situation. The error in the peak wind speed resulting from separation of the sensor from the target site obeys a power law as a function of separation distance and varies linearly with mean wind speed. At large separation distances, the error becomes a constant fraction of the mean wind speed as the separation function reaches an asymptotic value. The asymptotic average of the mean of the absolute difference in the peak wind speed between the two locations is about twelve percent of the mean wind speed. The distribution of the normalized absolute differences is half-Gaussian.
Document ID
19990036777
Acquisition Source
Kennedy Space Center
Document Type
Technical Memorandum (TM)
Authors
Merceret, Francis J.
(NASA Kennedy Space Center Cocoa Beach, FL United States)
Date Acquired
September 6, 2013
Publication Date
March 31, 1999
Subject Category
Meteorology And Climatology
Report/Patent Number
NAS 1.15:208544
NASA/TM-1999-208544
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
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