Airborne Laser Nephelometer Data for PACE Satellite Validation

September 2024 data from the PACE-PAX airborne campaign over Southern and Central California. The Laser Imaging Nephelometer (LI Neph) was flown on the CIRPAS Twin Otter aircraft to collect in-situ atmospheric measurements. This dataset was produced by LARC_CLOUD for validating and refining data products from the PACE satellite mission.

Use Cases

• Validate PACE satellite aerosol optical property retrievals using direct in-situ LI Neph scattering measurements.
• Assess spatial and temporal scale impacts on validation by comparing airborne time-series data with satellite overpasses.
• Study high-aerosol load events over land and ocean as targeted during the campaign's specific process-focused flights.
• Analyze aerosol layer structures and properties from the coordinated flight data collected within the PACE instrument swath.

Strengths

• Data collected during a dedicated 60-flight-hour campaign specifically designed for satellite validation.
• Measurements are coordinated with PACE satellite overpasses, NASA ER-2 aircraft, and ground-based observations for cross-comparison.

Limitations

• Limited temporal coverage to a single campaign month (September 2024), restricting seasonal analysis.
• Geographic scope is confined to Southern and Central California and nearby coastal regions, not globally representative.
• Specific data volume, resolution, and instrument error metrics are not provided in the description.

Provenance

Source

NASA's LARC_CLOUD via the nasa_earthdata platform.

Collection Method

In-situ data collected by the Laser Imaging Nephelometer (LI Neph) onboard the CIRPAS Twin Otter aircraft.

Time Range

September 2024.

Freshness

Data collection is complete, with the record last updated in September 2024.

Geography

Southern and Central California and nearby coastal regions.