OTTER: Atmospheric Optical Thickness from Aircraft

NASA's OTTER project collected airborne sun photometer data from 1990 through 1991 to quantify atmospheric optical depth. This dataset was specifically designed to provide a quantitative atmospheric correction for remotely sensed data of forest reflectance and radiance. Its cross-platform presence on data.gov and NASA EarthData signals its established role in atmospheric and remote sensing research.

Use Cases

• Calibrating satellite-derived forest reflectance based on measured atmospheric optical depth.
• Validating atmospheric correction algorithms for airborne remote sensing campaigns.
• Analyzing temporal trends in atmospheric aerosol loading over a two-year period.
• Studying the relationship between atmospheric conditions and surface radiance measurements in forested areas.

Strengths

• Data collected over a defined two-year period (1990-1991), providing a temporal baseline.
• Produced by a authoritative source, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
• Has maintained relevance, evidenced by its listing on multiple major data platforms.

Limitations

• Column names and detailed data structure are unknown, limiting immediate usability.
• Conflicting 'last updated' dates (1990 vs. 2026) create uncertainty about metadata maintenance.
• Exact row count and file sizes are not documented across all sources.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Airborne sun photometer measurements.

Time Range

1990 through 1991

Freshness

2026-04-09 23:25:43.233127

Geography

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