FIRE ASTEX: NASA ER-2 Cloud Lidar Measurements from the 1992 Atlantic Campaign

Cloud Lidar System (CLS) data collected by a NASA ER-2 aircraft during the Atlantic Stratocumulus Transition Experiment (ASTEX) in June 1992. The dataset records cloud altitudes, layer boundaries, and geophysical location information to study the transition from stratocumulus to trade cumulus clouds. It was produced by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration as part of the First ISCCP Regional Experiments (FIRE) to improve cloud parameterizations in climate models.

Use Cases

• Validate and improve cloud parameterizations in General Circulation Models (GCMs) based on high-resolution cloud altitude data.
• Study the physical processes of stratocumulus to trade cumulus transition based on multi-layer cloud boundary measurements.
• Analyze cloud-top entrainment instability and diurnal decoupling effects based on time-series lidar profiles.
• Investigate mesoscale variability in cloud thickness based on geolocated lidar observations over the eastern North Atlantic.

Strengths

• Data originates from a coordinated NASA field campaign (ASTEX) designed to address specific scientific goals.
• Instrument recorded four channels of data at 532nm (parallel/perpendicular) and 1064nm wavelengths.
• Campaign involved intensive, coordinated measurements from multiple platforms over a focused period.

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 is stored in legacy formats (BIN, TAR, ISO) which may require specialized tools for access.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Airborne measurements from the NASA ER-2 airplane using the Cloud Lidar System (CLS) instrument.

Time Range

Primary data collection during the ASTEX intensive field observation from June 1-28, 1992.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 02:53:59.038190; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Eastern North Atlantic Ocean, specifically the area around the Azores and Madeira Islands.