NAMMA Aircraft Water Vapor Measurements from Diode Laser Hygrometer

Aircraft-based water vapor measurements were collected during the NASA African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analyses (NAMMA) field campaign in August 2006. The Diode Laser Hygrometer (DLH), a near-infrared spectrometer developed by NASA Langley and Ames Research Centers, recorded in situ data over West Africa and the Cape Verde Islands. This dataset provides derived quantities including water vapor mixing ratio, partial pressure, relative humidity, and flux.

Use Cases

• Analyzing the evolution of African Easterly Waves (AEWs) using time-series water vapor measurements.
• Studying the structure of Mesoscale Convective Systems through in situ humidity profiles.
• Calculating regional water and energy budgets from derived water vapor flux data.
• Comparing instrument precision against Lyman alpha and frost point hygrometer measurements.
• Investigating atmospheric moisture transport during the 2006 West African monsoon season.

Strengths

• Data was collected using a specialized NASA-developed instrument with precision exceeding contemporary Lyman alpha and frost point hygrometers.
• Measurements provide true in situ monitoring from aircraft platforms during a focused scientific campaign.
• Dataset is associated with a major NASA multidisciplinary field investigation (NAMMA).
• Cross-platform presence on Data.gov and NASA EarthData indicates recognized importance and curation.

Limitations

• Specific row counts, file sizes, and column names are not provided by any source.
• Conflicting last updated dates exist: Data.gov lists 2026-03 13 (future date), while NASA EarthData lists 2006-09-12.
• The license is ambiguously listed as 'other-license-specified' on Data.gov and is null on NASA EarthData.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Langley and Ames Research Centers.

Collection Method

In situ measurements gathered from aircraft platforms using a near-infrared tunable diode laser spectrometer.

Time Range

August 2006

Freshness

2006-09-12

Geography

West Africa, Cape Verde Islands, and surrounding Atlantic Ocean region.