ACTIVATE Falcon: In-Situ Meteorological and Navigational Aircraft Data

ACTIVATE_MetNav_AircraftInSitu_Falcon_Data contains meteorological and navigational measurements collected onboard the HU-25 Falcon aircraft during the NASA ACTIVATE field campaign. The dataset supports research into aerosol-cloud-meteorology interactions over the western North Atlantic Ocean, with data collected from 150 coordinated flights across six deployments between 2020 and 2022. Its in-situ measurements complement remote sensing data from a second aircraft to characterize the shallow cumulus cloud regime.

Use Cases

• Analyzing aerosol-cloud interactions using in-situ measurements of aerosol and cloud properties.
• Studying marine boundary layer meteorology based on wind, water vapor, and atmospheric state data.
• Classifying air masses using trace gas measurements for pollution analysis.
• Validating and improving climate models with coordinated in-situ and remote sensing flight data.

Strengths

• Data originates from a structured 5-year NASA Earth-Venture Sub-Orbital (EVS-3) campaign, indicating a high level of scientific planning.
• Collection includes 150 coordinated flights, providing a substantial observational sample.
• Implements a dual-aircraft strategy for near-coincident in-situ and remote sensing sampling.

Limitations

• Specific column names and data volume (rows, size) are not provided in any source, limiting technical assessment.
• Conflicting 'last updated' metadata (2022-06-20 vs. 2026-04-10) creates uncertainty about data currency.
• Instrument payload and exact trace gas measurements are described generally but not enumerated.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Collection Method

Collected via in-situ instrumentation onboard the HU-25 Falcon aircraft during coordinated flight patterns.

Time Range

2020 to 2022

Freshness

2026-04-10 19:15:35.398743

Geography

Western North Atlantic Ocean