OWLETS-1: Aircraft-Based Atmospheric Measurements Over Chesapeake Bay

Twelve intensive measurement days from July 5 to August 3, 2017, captured ozone and pollutant gradients over the Chesapeake Bay. The Ozone Water-Land Environmental Transition Study (OWLETS-1) campaign used a Sherpa aircraft equipped with the GeoTASO instrument to collect trace gases, greenhouse gases, and navigational data. This dataset supports research on fundamental atmospheric processes at the challenging land-water interface.

Use Cases

• Analyzing ozone concentration gradients between land and water based on synchronous vertical measurements.
• Validating and calibrating satellite air quality instruments using GeoTASO aircraft remote sensing data.
• Studying the transport and mixing of trace gases and greenhouse gases in a coastal environment.
• Investigating meteorological influences on pollutant distributions using aircraft navigational and housekeeping data.

Strengths

• Features data from the GeoTASO instrument, a direct precursor to the TEMPO satellite, enhancing its relevance for validation studies.
• Campaign employed a unique multi-platform approach, combining aircraft, lidars, drones, and ship-based measurements for a comprehensive observational strategy.
• Provides synchronous measurements from two fixed research sites and mobile observations, specifically designed to capture land-water transition phenomena.

Limitations

• Column names and specific data structure are not provided in the available metadata, complicating initial data exploration.
• Conflicting 'last updated' dates (2017-09-12 and 2026-04-09) across entries create uncertainty about metadata maintenance.
• Dataset size and row counts are listed as unknown or None, limiting assessment of data volume.

Provenance

Source

NASA Langley Research Center Atmospheric Science Data Center (LARC_ASDC).

Collection Method

Collected via remote sensing and in-situ instrumentation onboard a Sherpa aircraft during a dedicated field campaign.

Time Range

July 5, 2017 – August 3, 2017

Freshness

2026-04-09 23:36:09.601099

Geography

Chesapeake Bay region, with primary sites at NASA LaRC (land) and the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel (water).