FIFE LIDAR Atmospheric Boundary Layer Height Profiles

Kansas data from the FIFE experiment contains Volume Imaging LIDAR (VIL) profiles for atmospheric boundary layer analysis. The University of Wisconsin system measured LIDAR return signals at a 90-degree elevation angle, enabling cloud identification up to 15 km AGL. This dataset provides unique 2-D and 3-D views of boundary layer structure and its temporal variations.

Use Cases

• Deriving 2-D and 3-D visualizations of Atmospheric Boundary Layer (ABL) structure from LIDAR reflectivity levels.
• Identifying cloud base and top heights up to 15 km above ground level from averaged signal profiles.
• Analyzing temporal variations in boundary layer structure for scaling studies in land-surface experiments.
• Investigating the representativeness of point and line samples for spatial scaling problems.

Strengths

• Data enables identification of cloud layers up to 15 km above ground level.
• Provides unique derived 2-D and 3-D visualizations of boundary layer structure.
• Cross-platform presence on NASA EarthData and Data.gov signals importance and curation.

Limitations

• Column names and exact row/size counts are unknown across all sources.
• Sources conflict on last updated date: one states 2026-03-13, another states 1989-10 31.
• Original data format and specific measurement intervals are not detailed.

Provenance

Source

University of Wisconsin Volume Imaging LIDAR (VIL) system, operated during FIFE.

Collection Method

LIDAR return signals measured at a 90-degree elevation angle were averaged and stored.

Time Range

1987-1989 (inferred from FIFE experiment period).

Freshness

2026-03-13 05:18:38.185027

Geography

FIFE experimental site in Kansas, USA.