NASA Spaceapps Aeronautical Challenge : Airtrail

The aeronautical 'Clouds or Contrail' challenge asked participants to give the approximate location of the user on the ground and the approximate location of the possible contrail above.

Contrails are clouds formed when water vapor condenses and freezes around small particles (aerosols) that exist in aircraft exhaust. Some of that water vapor comes from the air around the plane; and, some is added by the exhaust of the aircraft. The exhaust of an aircraft contains both gas (vapor) and solid particles.

With this in mind we used commercial flight data API's, weather data API's and satellite imagery to track the contrail data to the flight data and used the Appleman chart as reference for our plotting.

Our target audience are atmospheric and climate scientists as well as air traffic managers.

The Airtrail team consisted of:
Emma Phiri
Ntombi Masango
Roxanne Davids

Transcript

1. Airtrail Space Apps Aeronautical challenge// Clouds or Contrails April 24th, 2016
2. 2 What is a contrail? Contrail – condensation trail Causes - clouds formed when water vapor condenses and freezes around small particles (aerosols) that exist in aircraft exhaust. Some of that water vapor comes from the air around the plane; and, some is added by the exhaust of the aircraft. The exhaust of an aircraft contains both gas (vapor) and solid particles. How to use the Appleman chart: http://science-edu.larc.nasa.gov/contrail- edu/resources-activities- appleman_student.php
3. 3 Appleman Chart How to use the Appleman chart: http://science-edu.larc.nasa.gov/contrail- edu/resources-activities- appleman_student.php
4. 4 Clouds or contrails challenge Targeted User • Air traffic managers • Atmospheric and climate scientists Brief • Collect/report on the amount and type of contrails present. • Determine atmospheric conditions • Show when persistent contrails will be formed comparing against the Appleman chart Consideration • Relate weather pattern to aeroplane data • Automated database system.
5. 5 AIRTRAIL APP Clouds or contrails challenge Show when persistent contrails will be formed comparing against the Appleman chart and using flight data and location data
6. 6 Data/API's used
7. 7 Prototype Screens
8. 8 Thank you //