Aircraft Flux Raw Data from FIFE Boundary Layer Campaign
Updated 1mo ago
8filesBIN
Available on 2 platforms
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Description
NASA's Twin Otter aircraft collected raw flux data during the FIFE campaign to develop satellite-based algorithms for regional land-atmosphere exchange. Measurements were taken in the boundary layer using the eddy-correlation method at a 0-5 Hz frequency, capturing fluctuations in heat, momentum, carbon dioxide, and supporting meteorological variables. The dataset is part of a study to predict effects of soil and land use on greenhouse gas fluxes, surface energy, and water balance.
Use Cases
Validating satellite-derived estimates of sensible and latent heat flux using aircraft-measured temperature and water vapor mixing ratio.
Analyzing correlations between wind gusts (x, y, z directions) and scalar fluctuations to calculate momentum and CO2 fluxes.
Studying low-altitude boundary layer profiles using aircraft position, heading, altitude, and radiometric observations.
Comparing raw flux data (arithmetic means removed) with linearly detrended or high-pass filtered versions for methodological studies.
Strengths
Data collected using the established eddy-correlation method with a gust probe and inertial platform, a standard for turbulent flux measurement.
High-frequency sampling at 0-5 Hz allows capture of fine-scale atmospheric fluctuations relevant to flux calculations.
Aircraft enabled steady low-altitude trajectories less than 10 meters above ground, providing rare near-surface atmospheric data.
Limitations
Key metadata such as row count, file size, and specific column names are unavailable across all platforms.
Conflicting last updated dates exist: Data.gov lists 2026-03 13 (likely an error or placeholder), while NASA Earthdata lists 1989-10-31.
License is specified only as 'other-license-specified' on Data.gov, with no details provided on NASA Earthdata.
Provenance
Source
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Collection Method
Measurements gathered via instrumented Twin Otter aircraft flights using the eddy-correlation method.
Time Range
Campaign conducted during the FIFE (First ISLSCP Field Experiment) project, with data from 1989 or earlier.
Freshness
1989-10-31
Geography
Flights conducted over the FIFE study region, likely focused on a specific experimental site (details not specified).
License details are unclear ('other-license-specified'). The 2026 update date on Data.gov is implausible for a 1989-era dataset and represents a metadata conflict.