GPM Ground Validation NCAR Particle Probes OLYMPEX: Airborne Cloud Particle Data

NCAR Particle Probes OLYMPEX contains airborne measurements of cloud particle properties from the Olympic Mountains Experiment campaign. Data includes ice water content, particle concentration normalized by bin width, and total particle concentration, collected by three optical array probes on a University of North Dakota Citation aircraft. The dataset supports validation of satellite precipitation measurements from the Global Precipitation Mission.

Use Cases

• Validating satellite-based precipitation estimates from GPM using in-situ airborne particle measurements.
• Analyzing cloud microphysical properties, such as ice water content, from optical array probe data.
• Studying particle size distributions in clouds over complex terrain during the OLYMPEX field campaign.
• Comparing measurements from different probe types (2D-C, 2D-S, HVPS-3) flown on the same aircraft.

Strengths

• Data originates from a major NASA field campaign (GPM OLYMPEX), lending credibility.
• Includes measurements from multiple, specific instruments (2D-C, 2D-S, HVPS-3).
• Cross-platform presence on datagov and nasa_earthdata indicates established use.

Limitations

• Column names and row counts are not provided in any source, limiting understanding of data structure.
• Sources conflict on last update date (2015 vs. 2026), creating uncertainty about data currency.
• Metadata completeness is low; key details like author, exact size, and specific license terms are missing.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Collected from optical array probes flown on the University of North Dakota Citation aircraft.

Time Range

Selected dates in November and December 2015.

Freshness

Last updated dates conflict: 2015-12-20 on nasa_earthdata and 2026-04-10 on datagov.

Geography

Olympic Mountains region (implied by OLYMPEX campaign).