Airborne Lidar CO2 Weighting Functions for Eastern USA Campaigns

Vertical weighting function coefficients for column-average carbon dioxide concentrations were measured during four airborne campaigns from Summer 2016 to Spring 2018. The Multi-functional Fiber Laser Lidar instrument collected data at a 0.1-second frequency from a C-130 Hercules aircraft flying at altitudes up to 8 km over central and eastern U.S. regions. This dataset was produced by NASA for the Atmospheric Carbon and Transport (ACT-America) project.

Use Cases

• Analyzing the vertical sensitivity of lidar-derived column CO2 to different atmospheric layers using the weighting function vectors.
• Validating satellite-based CO2 retrievals by comparing with high-resolution, geographically-tagged airborne measurements.
• Studying seasonal variations in atmospheric carbon dioxide transport across the central and eastern United States.
• Investigating the relationship between meteorological conditions and the measured weighting coefficients for CO2 profiles.

Strengths

• Data was collected at a high temporal resolution of 0.1 seconds during flight campaigns.
• Measurements cover four distinct seasonal campaigns over a multi-year period (2016-2018).
• Includes precise geolocation data (geographic coordinates and altitude) for each measurement point.

Limitations

• Specific row count, file size, and complete column schema are not provided by any source.
• Sources conflict on the last updated date, with one listing 2018-05-20 and others listing a future date of 2026-03-13.
• The dataset does not include measurements from the Summer 2019 ACT-America campaign.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Atmospheric Carbon and Transport (ACT-America) project.

Collection Method

Airborne measurement using a Multi-functional Fiber Laser Lidar (MFLL) onboard a C-130 Hercules aircraft.

Time Range

Summer 2016, Winter 2017, Fall 2017, Spring 2018.

Freshness

Last updated dates conflict: 2018-05 20 vs. 2026-03-13.

Geography

Central and eastern regions of the United States.