FIRE Cirrus Phase II: Aircraft-Based Atmospheric Measurements at 1 Hertz

The First ISCCP Regional Experiment (FIRE) Cirrus Phase II dataset contains high-frequency atmospheric measurements collected by the University of North Dakota's Citation aircraft. The data was gathered during the second cirrus intensive field observation in southeastern Kansas from November 13 to December 7, 1991. It was produced by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to improve cloud and radiation models.

Use Cases

• Modeling cirrus cloud life cycles based on coordinated satellite, airborne, and surface observations described in the experiment.
• Analyzing cloud microphysical characteristics based on measurements from PMS probes and a formvar replicator.
• Studying the three-dimensional wind field and turbulence intensity derived from inertial navigation and GPS data.
• Investigating atmospheric chemistry interactions based on available fast-response ozone and nitrogen dioxide monitors.

Strengths

• Data is part of a coordinated multi-platform experiment combining satellite, airborne, and surface observations.
• Aircraft instrumentation includes specialized modifications for atmospheric sampling, such as pylons, a nose boom, and optically-flat windows.
• Measurements were sampled at 1 Hertz, providing high temporal resolution for atmospheric processes.

Limitations

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

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Instrumented aircraft measurements from a modified Cessna Citation II platform.

Time Range

November 13 to December 7, 1991

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 02:45:11.567421; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Southeastern Kansas, USA