FIRE ASTEX: Ceilometer Cloud Base Height Measurements from Porto Santo

Laser ceilometer data collected during the Atlantic Stratocumulus Transition Experiment (ASTEX) in June 1992. The instrument, operated by Colorado State University on Porto Santo, Madeira, measured cloud base height with a vertical resolution of 25 feet up to 25,600 feet. This dataset is part of the First ISCCP Regional Experiments (FIRE) designed to improve cloud and radiation models.

Use Cases

• Validate and improve cloud parameterizations in climate models based on in-situ cloud base height observations.
• Study the life cycle and physical processes of marine stratocumulus clouds based on time-series cloud detection data.
• Correlate surface-based cloud measurements with satellite and airborne data from the FIRE ASTEX campaign.

Strengths

• Data originates from a coordinated, intensive field observation period (IFO) combining satellite, airborne, and surface measurements.
• Instrument specifications are detailed, including a 25-foot vertical resolution and a maximum range of 25,600 feet.
• Dataset is part of a NASA-led experiment with clear scientific goals to improve general circulation models.

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 format includes BIN, TAR, and ISO files, which may require specialized tools for access and processing.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Measured by a Belfort Laser Ceilometer utilizing a Gallium-Arsenide laser.

Time Range

June 1992 (specifically June 1 - June 28, 1992 for the ASTEX IFO).

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 02:48:10.288037; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Porto Santo, Madeira, in the eastern North Atlantic Ocean.