Real-Time Reconnaissance Data Display System

The Real-Time Reconnaissance DataDisplay System is a Python and IDL based data distribution and visualization system for viewing data collected from instrumentation on the NOAA aircraft. Python scripts on the aircraft process the data and send it to a server on the ground which relays the data based on a subscription model.

The display application is an IDL based user interface that was created for the National Hurricane Center (NHC) to display the critical parameters in which their forecasters were most interested. This display presents a GIS map showing the aircraft track, flight level wind vector, flight level wind speed, SFMR wind speed, surface pressure estimates, boundary layer wind ratio and vertical wind speed. It also displays these parameters in real-time and historical mode XY plots. The image on the right shows the Real-Time Reconnaissance Data Display operating in storm relative mode.

AAMPS Real-Time Display

The AAMPS Real-Time Data Display Application is a web-based, platform independent graphical display that allows users to visualize historical and live data generated by the AAMPS system. It can display up to 32 simultaneous plots, each with its own set of plotted parameters. The application produces several different plot types. The various property controls for each individual plot and each data source within a plot provide for maximum customization.

The application uses the AAMPS API and message set to receive its information about the available data parameters. It has no hard coded information with regard to the available data. All of the information about the data parameters - parameter names, descriptions, data rates, units of measure, and minimum and maximum values for each parameter are provided to the Data Display by the AAMPS Main Data Station (MDS) at startup.

Storm Analyzer

The Storm Analyzer System (SAS) was Remote Sensing Solutions original real-time display application. The Storm Analizer System was initially designed for Dr. Paul Chang at NOAA / NESDIS / ORA to acquire data from the serial 1 Hertz data stream on the NOAA WP-3D aircraft and from University of Massachusetts instruments. The SAS distributes these data over a network to be visualized by end users via a standard web browser.

In 2004, 2005 and 2006, the Storm Analyzer System was deployed on the NOAA WP-3D N42RF aircraft as part of the NOAA HRD Hurricane Field Program and the NOAA / NESDIS / ORA Ocean Winds Experiment. Two ground-based Storm Analyzer Systems were also deployed. The ground-based systems provided users, such as forecasters at NHC and researchers at NOAA HRD, with real-time visualization of the 1 Hz data stream aboard the aircraft for the first time. Allowing the users to view the aircraft data at the same time as those researchers on the aircraft, the user was given a "virtual seat" on the aircraft despite his/her location, which could be anywhere with internet access.

Shown on the right is a screen capture from the Storm Analyzer Data displaying data from the NOAA WP-3D N42RF aircraft during a mission through Hurricane Ivan on 13 Sept. 2004. The Storm Analyzer has been superceded by the Real Time LF Data Display and AAMPS Real Time Display applications. For more information on the Storm Analyzer, follow the link below.

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