Hurricane Hunters
Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2015 7:44 pm
Here is a singlet of a story I'm working on for posting to FF.Net. I'm planning on a novel length story, and it will have some political undertones. I still have quite a bit of work to do on it, but the first part of the first chapter stands well by itself, and I'll post it here as a tease.
It began as a small mass of warm moisture that drifted off the top of a mountain on one of the many small islands in the Pacific. It drifted over a warm ocean current and began to pick up additional energy and moisture. Encountering the outer bands of one of the trade winds over the middle of the ocean north of the equator the cloud pattern took on a circular shape and winds began to wrap around a center. The clouds grew in size both outward and upwards and flashes of lightning discharged the considerable static electric charges that were now being produced by the increasing updrafts.
The surface rain and wind began to pick up as the storm grew in intensity. Its forward motion picked up speed as it steered on a north-west track. The disturbance grew stronger and became a tropical cyclone and was named Nangka. It was not the first storm of the season, nor would it be the last.
The typhoon reached category 5 strength as it neared the south-eastern coast of Japan, seeming aiming for a direct hit on the city of Miyazaki on the Japanese island of Kyushu. The city of over 350,000 people began to make preparations for the coming potential disaster. Already large waves were crashing on shore as the storm surge was being pushed ahead of the typhoon towards land.
The JMA and NOAA dispatched a joint Hurricane hunter mission into the storm to gain insight on its strength and future track. On board the WC-130J Hercules aircraft, the meteorologists endured the turbulence as the aircraft threaded its way between the spiral bands of clouds towards the eye wall of the storm. Normally carrying a crew of five, this mission included one extra person from the Japanese Ministry of Science who had brought along a new robotic weather probe. Now several hours out from the Misawa U.S. joint forces base, the hurricane hunter aircraft was nearing the outer periphery of Typhoon Nangka.
The Flight director glanced at the portly old man with the large nose and white hair. The frequently rapid changes in altitude that the plane was being subject to by the storm's up and down drafts didn't seem to phase him one bit as he adjusted the internal controls of the robotic dropsonde he had brought along with him on the flight.
How are you doing back there Hakase? the officer yelled behind him.
I've almost got it ready! the scientist yelled back. We should be able to steer the sensor package anywhere in the storm we want, the power pack should be good for a few hours at least. How far are we from the drop zone?
The navigator relayed their latest position to the pilots. About five minutes to the first eye crossing, the first officer replied.
Explain to me again about this new probe package, the Weather officer asked.
Your standard dropsonde is carried aloft by either a balloon or a parachute, the scientist explained. It will drift about inside the storm at the whim of the winds. This robotic probe has an aerodynamic body and a built in jet engine powered by a hydrogen-peroxide power source. It can maneuver about the storm to collect data from different positions. Its computer brain is based on a kokoro enabled A.I., it can make decisions about where to go based on the data readings it's collecting without intervention from a human operator. We'll be able to get more accurate data, and in less time than by dropping multiple probes.
We'll drop two of our standard instrument packages on the first crossing, the Systems Operator called back to the Japanese scientist, once I have the initial telemetry readings you'll see them come up on your computer station. You can then determine where you want us to fly towards for the initial release of your robotic probe.
Hai! the old man agreed.
Dropsonde point number one! the pilot spoke into the intercom.
Package away! relayed the systems officer.
The Weather officer, Systems operator and the scientist observed the flood of telemetry data as it poured in over the down link. Steer about ten degrees to your port side and climb up about 1000 feet, the scientist said. I've got the probe loaded into the 'bomb-bay' now!
OK, executing! the pilot replied.
Through the front windscreen the two pilots watched as flashes of lightning bounced from cloud to cloud. The yoke suddenly yanked itself from the pilot's hands as the plane responded to a massive wind shear causing it to drop several thousand feet in a matter of seconds before the two flight officers regained control.
She's a mean one, this storm! the first officer laughed.
Let's try again to get to those drop coordinates, the pilot replied as he pulled back on the yoke and advanced the propeller controls.
The aircraft fought against the wind, as it bounced around for a few minutes. I think I see some clear air ahead, the navigator relayed over the intercom.
I see it on the scope, the pilot agreed, adjusting his course. Should come up on your drop position in about thirty seconds, Hakase, he added.
The scientist watched on his computer tie in with the aircraft's navigation system, and he cross checked against the data readout the first two instrument packages were still feeding into the system. Ten seconds to drop, the old man announced.
Roger that, the systems operator replied.
Robotic probe away! the ministry scientist announced.
I've got control of it. the systems operator announced, your interface is working perfectly with our systems, data coming in now.
For about thirty seconds all seemed to be going well. Then suddenly a strong crosswind yanked the WC-130J into a spin.
Where did that come from! the first officer moaned as the two pilots fought to regain control.
Looks like we're caught in a horizontal funnel cloud! the weather officer announced, It just came out of nowhere, I didn't see anything on the scope till it was upon us!
The turbulence quickly grew worse as the aircraft alternately dived and and rolled.
G forces are building, she can't take much more of this! the pilot yelled. Strap yourselves in, it's going to be a wild ride!
A bolt of lightning hit the outboard port engine just as the aircraft was tossed into a roll. Three of the four huge bolts holding the engine mount to the wing sheared away as the engine caught fire.
Activate number 1 extinguisher! the first officer cried out reaching for the controls.
It's getting too rough in here, the pilot decided, I'm aborting the mission! He brought up the throttles on the three remaining engines and slowly rolled the plane into a 270 degree turn to exit the storm. The aircraft was then caught in yet another blast of turbulence, and the outer tip of the port wing snapped off.
The pilots struggled to keep the crippled aircraft flying, as it was now rapidly loosing altitude. They activated the automatic distress beacons, the first officer making mayday calls over the radio.
Suddenly a small two way microwave transceiver in the old scientist's pocket began to crackle with static as the squelch broke though.
Hakase! a voice came out of the radio, I'm coming!
The scientist pulled the transceiver from his pocket and held it to his face. Atom, what are you doing here? I told you not to follow me.
Sorry, Hakase, came the reply, but the storm looked too dangerous for your safety.
The aircraft continued to break up as the ailerons started to flutter and parts of them tore off the wings, followed by part of the rudder. The plane dipped into a spiral dive, gaining speed.
Brace for a rough water landing! the pilot yelled over the intercom as the flight crew tried to control the plane into a survivable crash landing.
Suddenly there was a gentle jolt, as if something had bumped into the aircraft. Gradually the spin and the dive flattened out as they broke though the clouds into clear air.
What just happened? the navigator asked.
I don't know. The pilot said dumbfounded, I didn't do anything, something seems to have pulled us to safety. It looks like we might be able to make it back to the air base.
The scientist hid the transceiver that he was speaking into from view.
Did they see me, Hakase? the voice asked.
I don't think so, the old man replied, where are you?
Under the aircraft just behind the wings, the voice answered, I'll help keep this aircraft flying until the pilot makes it back to the airbase and then I'll make my way back to Tokyo. See you back at the Ministry.
Hai, the scientist answered, and Atom, thanks for disobeying me!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Early the next morning Professor Ochanomizu sat in his office looking at the screen of his desktop computer. He was engaged in an on line conference with NOAA.
Congratulations on the first test of your robotic weather probe, Ochanomizu Hakase, Dr. Cirrus said. It seems that despite the mishap you experienced during your mission you and the Hurricane Hunter crew managed to gather enough data to understand this storm.
Thank you Dr. Cirrus, Ochanomizu replied. While I'm no expert on tropical weather phenomena, it seems to me that this typhoon is dangerously unique.
Indeed! Cirrus replied with a worried voice. We may have to extend the Saffir-Simpson scale to categorize this one, Nangka really deserves a category 6 rating as we've seen winds over 320 Km/h in the data stream.
Well judging by the final moments of our ride in that storm, I believe it, the professor replied.
Oh yeah, about that. Dr. Cirrus asked. I've seen the photos the flight crew took of their aircraft after they landed and I've read the maintenance report by the A&P mechanics. According to those reports you guys should have crashed, there wasn't enough metal left on the aircraft's control surfaces for it to have been controllable. You must have had a guardian angel flying along side of you.
I guess we did, Ochanomizu laughed as Atom entered the office.
Hurricane Hunters
It began as a small mass of warm moisture that drifted off the top of a mountain on one of the many small islands in the Pacific. It drifted over a warm ocean current and began to pick up additional energy and moisture. Encountering the outer bands of one of the trade winds over the middle of the ocean north of the equator the cloud pattern took on a circular shape and winds began to wrap around a center. The clouds grew in size both outward and upwards and flashes of lightning discharged the considerable static electric charges that were now being produced by the increasing updrafts.
The surface rain and wind began to pick up as the storm grew in intensity. Its forward motion picked up speed as it steered on a north-west track. The disturbance grew stronger and became a tropical cyclone and was named Nangka. It was not the first storm of the season, nor would it be the last.
The typhoon reached category 5 strength as it neared the south-eastern coast of Japan, seeming aiming for a direct hit on the city of Miyazaki on the Japanese island of Kyushu. The city of over 350,000 people began to make preparations for the coming potential disaster. Already large waves were crashing on shore as the storm surge was being pushed ahead of the typhoon towards land.
The JMA and NOAA dispatched a joint Hurricane hunter mission into the storm to gain insight on its strength and future track. On board the WC-130J Hercules aircraft, the meteorologists endured the turbulence as the aircraft threaded its way between the spiral bands of clouds towards the eye wall of the storm. Normally carrying a crew of five, this mission included one extra person from the Japanese Ministry of Science who had brought along a new robotic weather probe. Now several hours out from the Misawa U.S. joint forces base, the hurricane hunter aircraft was nearing the outer periphery of Typhoon Nangka.
The Flight director glanced at the portly old man with the large nose and white hair. The frequently rapid changes in altitude that the plane was being subject to by the storm's up and down drafts didn't seem to phase him one bit as he adjusted the internal controls of the robotic dropsonde he had brought along with him on the flight.
How are you doing back there Hakase? the officer yelled behind him.
I've almost got it ready! the scientist yelled back. We should be able to steer the sensor package anywhere in the storm we want, the power pack should be good for a few hours at least. How far are we from the drop zone?
The navigator relayed their latest position to the pilots. About five minutes to the first eye crossing, the first officer replied.
Explain to me again about this new probe package, the Weather officer asked.
Your standard dropsonde is carried aloft by either a balloon or a parachute, the scientist explained. It will drift about inside the storm at the whim of the winds. This robotic probe has an aerodynamic body and a built in jet engine powered by a hydrogen-peroxide power source. It can maneuver about the storm to collect data from different positions. Its computer brain is based on a kokoro enabled A.I., it can make decisions about where to go based on the data readings it's collecting without intervention from a human operator. We'll be able to get more accurate data, and in less time than by dropping multiple probes.
We'll drop two of our standard instrument packages on the first crossing, the Systems Operator called back to the Japanese scientist, once I have the initial telemetry readings you'll see them come up on your computer station. You can then determine where you want us to fly towards for the initial release of your robotic probe.
Hai! the old man agreed.
Dropsonde point number one! the pilot spoke into the intercom.
Package away! relayed the systems officer.
The Weather officer, Systems operator and the scientist observed the flood of telemetry data as it poured in over the down link. Steer about ten degrees to your port side and climb up about 1000 feet, the scientist said. I've got the probe loaded into the 'bomb-bay' now!
OK, executing! the pilot replied.
Through the front windscreen the two pilots watched as flashes of lightning bounced from cloud to cloud. The yoke suddenly yanked itself from the pilot's hands as the plane responded to a massive wind shear causing it to drop several thousand feet in a matter of seconds before the two flight officers regained control.
She's a mean one, this storm! the first officer laughed.
Let's try again to get to those drop coordinates, the pilot replied as he pulled back on the yoke and advanced the propeller controls.
The aircraft fought against the wind, as it bounced around for a few minutes. I think I see some clear air ahead, the navigator relayed over the intercom.
I see it on the scope, the pilot agreed, adjusting his course. Should come up on your drop position in about thirty seconds, Hakase, he added.
The scientist watched on his computer tie in with the aircraft's navigation system, and he cross checked against the data readout the first two instrument packages were still feeding into the system. Ten seconds to drop, the old man announced.
Roger that, the systems operator replied.
Robotic probe away! the ministry scientist announced.
I've got control of it. the systems operator announced, your interface is working perfectly with our systems, data coming in now.
For about thirty seconds all seemed to be going well. Then suddenly a strong crosswind yanked the WC-130J into a spin.
Where did that come from! the first officer moaned as the two pilots fought to regain control.
Looks like we're caught in a horizontal funnel cloud! the weather officer announced, It just came out of nowhere, I didn't see anything on the scope till it was upon us!
The turbulence quickly grew worse as the aircraft alternately dived and and rolled.
G forces are building, she can't take much more of this! the pilot yelled. Strap yourselves in, it's going to be a wild ride!
A bolt of lightning hit the outboard port engine just as the aircraft was tossed into a roll. Three of the four huge bolts holding the engine mount to the wing sheared away as the engine caught fire.
Activate number 1 extinguisher! the first officer cried out reaching for the controls.
It's getting too rough in here, the pilot decided, I'm aborting the mission! He brought up the throttles on the three remaining engines and slowly rolled the plane into a 270 degree turn to exit the storm. The aircraft was then caught in yet another blast of turbulence, and the outer tip of the port wing snapped off.
The pilots struggled to keep the crippled aircraft flying, as it was now rapidly loosing altitude. They activated the automatic distress beacons, the first officer making mayday calls over the radio.
Suddenly a small two way microwave transceiver in the old scientist's pocket began to crackle with static as the squelch broke though.
Hakase! a voice came out of the radio, I'm coming!
The scientist pulled the transceiver from his pocket and held it to his face. Atom, what are you doing here? I told you not to follow me.
Sorry, Hakase, came the reply, but the storm looked too dangerous for your safety.
The aircraft continued to break up as the ailerons started to flutter and parts of them tore off the wings, followed by part of the rudder. The plane dipped into a spiral dive, gaining speed.
Brace for a rough water landing! the pilot yelled over the intercom as the flight crew tried to control the plane into a survivable crash landing.
Suddenly there was a gentle jolt, as if something had bumped into the aircraft. Gradually the spin and the dive flattened out as they broke though the clouds into clear air.
What just happened? the navigator asked.
I don't know. The pilot said dumbfounded, I didn't do anything, something seems to have pulled us to safety. It looks like we might be able to make it back to the air base.
The scientist hid the transceiver that he was speaking into from view.
Did they see me, Hakase? the voice asked.
I don't think so, the old man replied, where are you?
Under the aircraft just behind the wings, the voice answered, I'll help keep this aircraft flying until the pilot makes it back to the airbase and then I'll make my way back to Tokyo. See you back at the Ministry.
Hai, the scientist answered, and Atom, thanks for disobeying me!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Early the next morning Professor Ochanomizu sat in his office looking at the screen of his desktop computer. He was engaged in an on line conference with NOAA.
Congratulations on the first test of your robotic weather probe, Ochanomizu Hakase, Dr. Cirrus said. It seems that despite the mishap you experienced during your mission you and the Hurricane Hunter crew managed to gather enough data to understand this storm.
Thank you Dr. Cirrus, Ochanomizu replied. While I'm no expert on tropical weather phenomena, it seems to me that this typhoon is dangerously unique.
Indeed! Cirrus replied with a worried voice. We may have to extend the Saffir-Simpson scale to categorize this one, Nangka really deserves a category 6 rating as we've seen winds over 320 Km/h in the data stream.
Well judging by the final moments of our ride in that storm, I believe it, the professor replied.
Oh yeah, about that. Dr. Cirrus asked. I've seen the photos the flight crew took of their aircraft after they landed and I've read the maintenance report by the A&P mechanics. According to those reports you guys should have crashed, there wasn't enough metal left on the aircraft's control surfaces for it to have been controllable. You must have had a guardian angel flying along side of you.
I guess we did, Ochanomizu laughed as Atom entered the office.