ATom Campaign Actinic Flux and Photolysis Frequencies, 2016-2018

Global atmospheric data from the ATom campaigns provides spectrally resolved actinic flux and calculated photolysis frequencies for key chemical species. The dataset, produced by NASA, covers measurements from 2016 to 2018, capturing solar radiation's role in atmospheric chemistry. It includes down- and up-welling flux from the CAFS instrument across wavelengths of 280-650 nm.

Use Cases

• Calculating photodissociation rates for ozone, greenhouse gases, and biomass burning products using published cross sections and quantum yields.
• Analyzing spectrally resolved actinic flux (280-650 nm) to understand solar radiation drivers in atmospheric evolution.
• Studying the vertical and horizontal distribution of photolysis frequencies across global flight tracks from the ATom missions.
• Validating chemical transport models by comparing simulated photolysis rates with observed CAFS instrument data.

Strengths

• Data originates from four distinct NASA ATom campaigns, providing repeated global-scale atmospheric sampling.
• Measurements cover a specific and atmospherically critical spectral range from approximately 280 to 650 nanometers.
• Cross-platform presence on Data.gov and NASA EarthData indicates recognized importance and curation.

Limitations

• Key technical details like row count, file size, and specific column names are unavailable from all sources.
• Sources conflict on the last update date, with one listing 2018-05-21 and another listing a future date of 2026-03-13.
• The license is ambiguously listed as 'other-license-specified' without clear terms for reuse.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Collection Method

Measured by down- and up-welling Charged-coupled device Actinic Flux Spectroradiometers (CAFS) aboard aircraft during the ATom campaigns.

Time Range

2016-2018

Freshness

2026-03-13 14:07:03.625485

Geography

Global, from aircraft campaigns spanning remote regions of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, and the Arctic.