FIRE CIRRUS 2: NASA ER-2 Cloud Lidar Altitude Data

The First ISCCP Regional Experiment (FIRE) Atlantic Stratocumulus Transition Experiment (CIRRUS 2) dataset contains Cloud Lidar System (CLS) data collected by NASA's ER-2 airplane. The instrument recorded cloud altitudes, the number of cloud layers, and boundary heights for up to 5 layers across four calibrated data channels at 532nm and 1064nm wavelengths. Data were collected during the second cirrus intensive field-observation period from November 13 to December 7, 1991, in southeastern Kansas.

Use Cases

• Validate satellite-derived cloud property estimates based on the high-resolution airborne lidar data.
• Study cloud layer structure and life cycles based on recorded cloud altitudes and boundary heights.
• Improve physical process models for cirrus clouds based on the multi-wavelength backscatter measurements.
• Investigate relationships between ISCCP data and higher-resolution observations as described in the experiment goals.

Strengths

• Data originates from a coordinated NASA field experiment designed to improve climate models.
• Contains four calibrated data channels, including parallel and perpendicular plane measurements at 532nm and a total channel at 1064nm.
• Records detailed cloud structure, including heights for up to five distinct cloud layers.

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 for processing.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

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

Time Range

November 13 - December 7, 1991

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03 13 02:53:35.143567; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Southeastern Kansas, USA