FIRE ASTEX MAGE: Oceanic Sulfur and Cloud Chemistry Data from Field Experiments

Four intensive field observation periods from 1986 to 1992, including the 1992 ASTEX/MAGE experiment in the eastern North Atlantic. The data were collected by NASA and multinational agencies to study marine stratocumulus cloud systems and sulfur chemistry. Concentrations were derived from ion chromatograms recorded from a ship and stored in liquid nitrogen for later analysis.

Use Cases

• Improving cloud and radiation parameterizations in GCMs based on coordinated satellite, airborne, and surface observations.
• Studying the impact of natural and anthropogenic sulfur on marine aerosol chemistry as described in the MAGE goals.
• Developing Lagrangian strategies for tracking chemical and meteorological evolution in a tagged airmass using ships, balloons, and aircraft.
• Estimating trace-gas and aerosol fluxes across the air/sea interface using new techniques tested during the experiment.
• Investigating factors influencing the formation and dissipation of marine stratocumulus clouds, a primary goal of ASTEX.

Strengths

• Data originates from four coordinated, multinational intensive field observation periods.
• Combines satellite, airborne, and surface observations with modeling studies.
• Specific experimental goals are clearly outlined, including studying cloud-chemistry interactions and air/sea fluxes.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• File formats include BIN, TAR, and ISO, which may require specialized tools for access.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Data derived from ion chromatograms recorded from a ship during field experiments, with samples stored in liquid nitrogen.

Time Range

Field observations conducted from 1986 to 1992.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 02:54:17.439406; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Marine stratocumulus IFOs off the southwestern coast of California and in the eastern North Atlantic Ocean.