PACE Satellite Validation Data from ER-2 Aircraft Campaign

PACE-PAX ER-2 Analysis Data contains airborne measurements collected for validating the PACE satellite mission. The dataset originates from a 60-flight-hour campaign conducted in September 2024 over Southern and Central California and nearby coastal regions. It was produced by the LARC_CLOUD organization from NASA's ER-2 high-altitude aircraft.

Use Cases

• Validating PACE satellite radiometric and polarimetric properties using airborne remote sensing instrument data.
• Assessing spatial and temporal scale impacts on validation by comparing coordinated aircraft and satellite overpass measurements.
• Identifying potential errors or biases in PACE data products by targeting specific geometries and atmospheric conditions like high-aerosol loads.
• Refining retrieval parameters for ocean ecosystem and aerosol-cloud studies using in situ and remote sensing instrument suites from the ER-2.

Strengths

• Data collection was completed as part of a dedicated 60-flight-hour campaign for each of two aircraft.
• Campaign was specifically timed for validation, scheduled roughly 9 months after the launch of the PACE satellite.
• Measurements cover a defined geographic area over Southern and Central California and nearby coastal regions.

Limitations

• The specific number of data rows, columns, and total dataset size are unknown.
• Sample data and detailed file formats are unavailable, hindering initial assessment of data structure.
• Data is from a single campaign in September 2024, limiting temporal coverage to a specific season.

Provenance

Source

LARC_CLOUD organization via the nasa_earthdata platform.

Collection Method

Collected onboard NASA's ER-2 high-altitude aircraft using a suite of in situ and remote sensing instruments.

Time Range

September 2024.

Freshness

Data was last updated on 2024-09-29, indicating recent availability.

Geography

Southern and Central California and nearby coastal regions.