ATom: Global Airborne Organic Aerosol Measurements and Models, 2016-2017

ATom provides in situ airborne observations of submicron organic aerosol mass concentrations from two global deployments in 2016 and 2017. The data includes measurements from instruments like the High-Resolution Aerosol Mass Spectrometer and is paired with modeled concentrations from global chemistry models. Both observed and modeled data are provided at a 60-second temporal resolution by NASA.

Use Cases

• Validate global chemistry model outputs for organic aerosols based on the paired observed and modeled data.
• Analyze the spatial and temporal distribution of submicron organic aerosols based on global airborne in situ observations.
• Compare different representations of organic aerosol sources and chemistry based on the variety of model implementations included.
• Study aerosol composition and microphysical properties based on measurements from the HR-AMS, AMP, SP2, and PALMS instruments.

Strengths

• Data is provided at a high 60-second temporal resolution for detailed analysis.
• Pairs direct in situ observations from multiple advanced instruments with outputs from multiple global chemistry models.
• Covers two global deployment campaigns, providing a broad spatial and temporal snapshot.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count and total data volume are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Airborne in situ observations from the Atmospheric Tomography Mission (ATom) deployments and outputs from global chemistry models.

Time Range

Mid-2016 and early-2017

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 13:57:49.339779; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Global, along ATom flight tracks