FIRE ACE: Arctic Cloud Light Scattering Measurements from CV580 Aircraft

Arctic region light scattering data collected by a 4-channel nephelometer onboard the University of Washington's CV580 aircraft during the First ISCCP Regional Experiment Arctic Cloud Experiment (FIRE ACE). The dataset was produced by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and last updated in March 2026. The experiment aimed to improve understanding of cloud life cycles and radiative properties for climate modeling.

Use Cases

• Validate and improve cloud radiative parameterizations in climate models based on in-situ light scattering measurements.
• Study the interaction of physical processes in Arctic cloud life cycles based on aircraft-collected data.
• Investigate relationships between high-resolution cloud data and satellite-derived products like ISCCP.
• Analyze atmospheric light scattering properties to understand cloud-aerosol interactions.

Strengths

• Data originates from a controlled scientific field campaign (FIRE ACE) designed for model validation.
• Includes measurements from a specialized 4-channel nephelometer instrument.
• Produced and hosted by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, a authoritative source.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count and dataset size are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data files are in specialized formats (BIN, TAR, ISO), which may require specific tools for access.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

In-situ measurements from a 4-channel nephelometer instrument flown on the University of Washington's CV580 aircraft.

Time Range

During the FIRE Arctic Cloud Experiment (ACE) field campaign.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 02:48:34.780226; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Arctic region.