FIRE ASTEX: University of Washington C-131A 10Hz Cloud Microphysics Data

The First ISCCP Regional Experiment (FIRE) Atlantic Stratocumulus Transition Experiment (ASTEX) collected airborne data to study cloud processes. This dataset from the University of Washington's C-131A aircraft includes 10Hz measurements of cloud liquid water content, particle surface area, and effective droplet radius from a PVM-100A probe. Data was gathered during the ASTEX intensive field period from June 1 to June 28, 1992, in the eastern North Atlantic Ocean near the Azores and Madeira Islands.

Use Cases

• Modeling the stratocumulus-to-cumulus transition based on cloud microphysics measurements.
• Studying cloud-top entrainment instability using high-frequency liquid water content data.
• Analyzing the effects of diurnal decoupling and solar absorption on cloud properties.
• Investigating the role of patchy drizzle in cloud inhomogeneity and decoupling.
• Validating satellite-derived cloud properties with in-situ airborne observations.

Strengths

• Data collected during a coordinated, intensive field campaign combining satellite, airborne, and surface observations.
• Includes specific measurements from a PVM-100A probe: cloud liquid water content, particle surface area, and effective droplet radius.
• Covers a focused temporal range from June 1 to June 28, 1992, for the ASTEX mission.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment for large-scale modeling.
• Data format includes BIN, TAR, and ISO files, which may require specific tools for access and processing.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Airborne measurements collected aboard the University of Washington's Corsair 131A airplane using a cloud microphysics probe (PVM-100A).

Time Range

June 1 to June 28, 1992

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 02:53:17.452612; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Eastern North Atlantic Ocean, area of the Azores and Madeira Islands