BOREAS AFM-03: Aircraft Flux and Moving Window Data

BOREAS AFM-03 data contains in-situ and remote sensing measurements from the NCAR Electra aircraft to study atmospheric fluxes and the planetary boundary layer. The dataset includes measurements of momentum, sensible and latent heat, carbon dioxide, and ozone fluxes across the BOREAS region. These measurements were used to tie together observations from both the Southern and Northern Study Areas.

Use Cases

• Calculating regional carbon and ozone budgets based on direct flux measurements.
• Modeling planetary boundary layer dynamics using in-situ and remote sensing data.
• Validating tower-based flux measurements from the SSA and NSA study sites.
• Analyzing spatial patterns of energy and momentum exchange over boreal landscapes.

Strengths

• Cross-platform presence on Data.gov and NASA Earthdata suggests recognized importance and curation.
• Data integrates multiple measurement types (fluxes, radiation, temperature, winds) for a holistic atmospheric study.
• Covers the entire BOREAS region, linking measurements from both major study areas.

Limitations

• Column names and a precise row count are not provided in any source, limiting understanding of data structure.
• Conflicting last-updated dates exist: Data.gov lists 2026-03-13, while NASA Earthdata lists 1994-09-16.
• Specific license terms under 'other-license-specified' are not detailed.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Collection Method

Collected via the NCAR Electra aircraft using in-situ and remote sensing instruments.

Time Range

1994

Freshness

2026-03-13 (from Data.gov, though this may be a metadata update; original data is from 1994)

Geography

BOREAS region, encompassing Southern (SSA) and Northern (NSA) Study Areas in boreal forests.