FIRE Cirrus 1: NASA ER-2 Cloud Lidar Data from 1986

Cloud top and ground height calculations from the NASA ER-2 Cloud Lidar System during the First ISCCP Regional Experiment (FIRE) Cirrus field campaign. The data was collected by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration during an intensive observation period from October 13 to November 2, 1986. It was designed to improve understanding of cirrus cloud life cycles and their radiative properties for use in general circulation models.

Use Cases

• Validate and improve cloud height parameterizations in General Circulation Models (GCMs) based on the description's stated goal.
• Study cirrus cloud life cycles and physical processes using coordinated airborne observations mentioned in the description.
• Investigate relationships between satellite data and higher-resolution cloud measurements as referenced in the FIRE program objectives.

Strengths

• Data originates from a coordinated NASA field campaign with a clear scientific mission.
• The dataset is part of a multi-experiment program (FIRE) with four planned intensive field periods.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data is from a specific 1986 campaign; temporal coverage is limited.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

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

Time Range

October 13 to November 2, 1986

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 02:46:50.749630; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Wisconsin, USA (based on 'Wisconsin FIRE experiment' in description)