FIRE ASTEX: Wind Profiler Data for Atlantic Cloud Studies

Wind profiler data from the 1992 Atlantic Stratocumulus Transition Experiment (ASTEX), part of the First ISCCP Regional Experiments (FIRE). The data were collected by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to improve cloud and radiation models in global climate simulations. The experiment combined coordinated satellite, airborne, and surface observations to study marine stratocumulus cloud systems.

Use Cases

• Calibrating satellite-derived cloud data based on coordinated surface observations mentioned in the description
• Modeling marine stratocumulus cloud life cycles based on the experiment's focus on cloud system physics
• Investigating wind interactions with cloud systems using profiler data from the described field campaigns

Strengths

• Data originates from a coordinated NASA field experiment designed for model validation
• Combines multiple observation types (satellite, airborne, surface) as described in the methodology

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment
• Data files include legacy formats (BIN, TAR, ISO) which may require specialized tools to access

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Coordinated field experiment combining satellite, airborne, and surface observations

Time Range

Primary field observation period June 1 - June 28, 1992

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 02:47:23.961403; freshness should be verified

Geography

Eastern North Atlantic Ocean