COMEX: AJAX Airborne Greenhouse Gas Profiles, 2014-2015
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Description
From 2014 to 2015, the COMEX project collected airborne in-situ measurements of greenhouse gases over California, Nevada, and the coastal Pacific Ocean. The dataset provides a catalog of filenames, spatiotemporal bounds, and download URLs for accessing high-frequency CO2, CH4, and H2O data, along with ancillary O3, formaldehyde, and meteorological profiles. It was created to support satellite validation by characterizing atmospheric structure over ocean and land with vertical profiles to at least 5000 meters.
Use Cases
Validating satellite-derived CO2 and CH4 column measurements based on in-situ airborne profiles.
Analyzing vertical structure of greenhouse gases over coastal and inland regions based on flight path data.
Studying correlations between primary GHGs and ancillary species like ozone and formaldehyde from co-located measurements.
Assessing spatial and temporal variability of atmospheric methane over California and Nevada from repeat flight tracks.
Strengths
Provides high-frequency in-situ measurements (2 Hz or 10 Hz) for key greenhouse gases.
Includes vertical profile data up to at least 5000 meters altitude, capturing atmospheric structure.
Designed explicitly for satellite validation, indicating a controlled, purpose-driven collection methodology.
Limitations
The dataset is a metadata catalog (filenames, bounds, URLs), not the actual AJAX measurement data, which must be accessed separately.
Conflicting 'last updated' dates (2015 on NASA Earthdata vs. 2026 on Data.gov) create uncertainty about metadata freshness.
Column names and specific data formats for the referenced files are not described in the provided metadata.
Provenance
Source
NASA's Atmospheric Science Data Center (ASDC), from the Alpha Jet Atmospheric eXperiment (AJAX) partnership between NASA Ames Research Center and H211, L.L.C.
Collection Method
In-situ measurements collected via a Picarro GHG sensor mounted on a Dassault-Breguet/Dornier Alpha Jet aircraft.
Time Range
2014-2015
Freshness
2026-04-10 04:07:09.037713
Geography
California, Nevada, and the coastal Pacific Ocean, USA
License is listed as 'other-license-specified'; users must check the specific terms for the AJAX data accessed via the provided URLs. The actual scientific data is hosted externally on NASA Earthdata.