AirMSPI PODEX: Polarimetric Radiance Imagery of Clouds and Aerosols

Eight-wavelength radiometric and polarimetric images of clouds, aerosols, and Earth's surface were acquired by the Airborne Multiangle SpectroPolarimetric Imager (AirMSPI) during the Polarimeter Definition Experiment (PODEX) from January 14 to February 6, 2013. The Level 1B2 product contains map-projected data at wavelengths from 355 to 935 nm, including Stokes parameters Q and U for the 470, 660, and 865 nm bands. This dataset supports research into atmospheric particle properties and surface reflectance from an airborne platform.

Use Cases

• Validating satellite-based aerosol retrieval algorithms based on multi-angle polarimetric observations.
• Studying cloud droplet size distribution and phase using spectral radiance and polarization data.
• Analyzing surface bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) over California terrain.
• Developing forward models for polarized radiative transfer in the atmosphere.

Strengths

• Contains polarimetric data (Stokes Q, U, DOLP, AOLP) at three key wavelengths (470, 660, 865 nm), a specific capability for aerosol characterization.
• Covers a defined, intensive flight campaign (PODEX) over California from January 14 to February 6, 2013.
• Provides data at eight specific wavelengths from ultraviolet to shortwave infrared (355, 380, 445, 470, 555, 660, 865, 935 nm).

Limitations

• Conflicting metadata: one platform lists a last update date in 2026, while another lists 2013, casting doubt on data currency.
• Key structural metadata (column names, row count, file size) is missing from all source descriptions.
• Data is limited to a specific three-week campaign in early 2013 over a single region.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Acquired via the Airborne Multiangle SpectroPolarimetric Imager (AirMSPI) instrument during the PODEX flight campaign.

Time Range

January 14, 2013 to February 6, 2013

Freshness

2026-04-10 17:57:19.450948

Geography

Primarily California, USA, and surrounding areas, based out of NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center.