DISCOVER-AQ Texas: Aircraft Trace Gas Measurements for Satellite Validation

DISCOVER-AQ_Texas_TraceGas_AircraftInSitu_P3B_Data contains in situ trace gas measurements collected onboard a NASA P-3B aircraft during the 2013 Houston deployment of the DISCOVER-AQ field study. The dataset includes measurements from instruments like DACOM, TD-LIF, DFGAS, LICOR-6252, PTR-MS, Chemiluminescence, and Ultraviolet Pulsed Fluorescence (UVPF). It was produced by NASA Langley, Goddard, and Ames Research Centers in collaboration with universities to improve the use of satellites for monitoring ground-level air quality.

Use Cases

• Validate satellite column observations of ozone, nitrogen dioxide, and formaldehyde based on in situ aircraft measurements.
• Analyze diurnal variability of trace gases near the surface based on targeted airborne observations.
• Model urban plume dynamics and steep pollution gradients based on spiral profiling data.
• Correlate surface-level pollution with atmospheric column data based on coordinated aircraft and ground measurements.

Strengths

• Data collection is complete for the Texas deployment.
• Includes measurements from multiple specialized instruments (DACOM, TD-LIF, DFGAS, LICOR-6252, PTR-MS, Chemiluminescence, UVPF).
• Part of a coordinated four-year NASA campaign (DISCOVER-AQ) involving multiple aircraft and ground sites.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data is specific to the 2013 Houston deployment; other regions are separate datasets.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

In situ measurements collected onboard NASA P-3B aircraft during spiral profiling flights.

Time Range

2013

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 03:20:23.188953; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Houston, Texas, USA