FIRE ASTEX SOFIA: Radiosonde Measurements of Pressure, Temperature, Humidity, and Wind

Four intensive field-observation periods were conducted between 1986 and 1992 as part of the First ISCCP Regional Experiments. This dataset contains radiosounding measurements of pressure, temperature, humidity, and wind from the ASTEX campaign in the eastern North Atlantic Ocean in June 1992. The data was collected by French research groups under the SOFIA program and is provided by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Use Cases

• Validate satellite-derived flux estimates based on in-situ radiosonde measurements mentioned in the description
• Study energy transfer (heat, humidity, momentum fluxes) between the sea surface and the atmospheric boundary layer
• Investigate the life cycles and radiative properties of marine stratocumulus cloud systems
• Improve understanding of mesoscale structures responsible for spatial inhomogeneity of atmospheric fluxes

Strengths

• Data originates from a coordinated, multi-instrument field campaign designed for model validation
• Covers specific intensive observation periods, including a marine stratocumulus IFO in June 1992
• Focuses on core atmospheric variables: pressure, temperature, humidity, and wind

Limitations

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

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Radiosonde measurements collected during the ASTEX field campaign.

Time Range

Field campaigns occurred between 1986 and 1992, with the ASTEX data from June 1-28, 1992.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 02:53:45.476651; freshness should be verified

Geography

Eastern North Atlantic Ocean, with specific focus on the marine stratocumulus region.