ATom: Ultrafine Aerosol Formation in the Lower Stratosphere

NASA's ATom mission data combines in-situ aerosol and gas-phase observations from 2016-2018 with model outputs to study new particle formation. The dataset includes selected measurements from four seasonal deployments, derived thermodynamic properties, back trajectories, and results from the Model of Aerosols and Ions in the Atmosphere (MAIA). This synthesis supports investigations into sources and factors influencing ultrafine aerosols in the lowermost stratosphere.

Use Cases

• Modeling new particle formation rates in the stratosphere based on MAIA model outputs.
• Analyzing seasonal variations in ultrafine aerosol concentrations using the four-deployment time series.
• Studying the influence of thermodynamic properties on aerosol formation derived from the observations.
• Tracing air mass history for ATom-4 samples using the provided 48-hour back trajectories.

Strengths

• Includes data from four distinct seasonal deployments spanning 2016 to 2018, providing temporal coverage.
• Integrates multiple data types: direct observations, derived properties, back trajectories, and model outputs.
• Cross-platform presence on Data.gov and NASA EarthData suggests established curation and importance.

Limitations

• Key metadata such as specific column names, row counts, and exact file sizes are not provided by any source.
• The license is listed as 'other-license-specified' on Data.gov but is 'None' on NASA EarthData, creating ambiguity.
• The most recent update date conflicts between platforms (2026 vs. 2018), obscuring data freshness.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Atmospheric Tomography Mission (ATom).

Collection Method

In-situ aircraft observations from ATom deployments, with derived properties and model (MAIA) simulations.

Time Range

2016 to 2018, covering four seasons.

Freshness

Last updated dates conflict: 2026-03-13 (Data.gov) and 2018-05-21 (NASA EarthData).

Geography

Global, with a focus on the lowermost stratosphere.