Aircraft Navigation Data for Cold-Season Precipitation Experiment

January 2012 data from the GPM Cold-season Precipitation Experiment (GCPEx) collected by a University of North Dakota Cessna Citation II research aircraft. This dataset provides in situ navigation and atmospheric measurements to validate satellite-based snowfall retrieval algorithms. It was produced by the Global Hydrology Resource Center Distributed Active Archive Center (GHRC DAAC).

Use Cases

• Validating multi-frequency active and passive microwave sensor estimates of falling snow using in situ aircraft measurements.
• Analyzing relationships between wind speed, turbulence, and atmospheric temperature profiles during cold-season precipitation events.
• Coordinating aircraft navigation data with ground-based remote sensing observations and model simulations of precipitating snow.

Strengths

• Data originates from a dedicated field campaign (GCPEx) designed to address specific shortcomings in satellite snowfall algorithms.
• Collected via a specialized research aircraft platform, providing direct in situ atmospheric measurements.
• Cross-platform presence on NASA Earthdata and Data.gov indicates recognized importance and curation.

Limitations

• Specific column names, row counts, and dataset size are not provided by any source.
• Conflicting last updated dates: one source reports 2026-03-13, another reports 2012-02-24, creating uncertainty about data currency.
• License information is inconsistent, listed as 'other-license-specified' on some platforms and 'None' on others.

Provenance

Source

University of North Dakota (UND) Cessna Citation II research aircraft, collected for the GPM Cold-season Precipitation Experiment (GCPEx).

Collection Method

In situ measurements gathered by an aircraft serving as a microphysics sampling platform.

Time Range

January 2012

Freshness

2026-03-13 02:18:47.848477

Geography

null