SAFARI 2000 Lidar Data on African Biomass Burning Smoke

Dry Season 2000 data from two Micro-Pulse Lidar systems deployed in Mongu, Zambia and Skukuza, South Africa for the SAFARI 2000 experiment. The dataset captures the vertical distribution and optical properties of smoke from biomass burning in the region. It is provided by ORNL_CLOUD and is available across multiple data platforms.

Use Cases

• Analyzing the vertical profile of aerosol extinction from biomass burning smoke.
• Studying cloud vertical distribution and properties in smoke-affected atmospheres.
• Validating satellite retrievals of aerosol optical depth and cloud height over land.
• Investigating the temporal evolution of smoke plumes during the dry season.

Strengths

• Data from two distinct geographic locations (Mongu, Zambia and Skukuza, South Africa) provides regional comparison.
• Focused measurement period during the 2000 dry season targets peak biomass burning activity.
• Cross-platform presence on NASA EarthData and Data.gov indicates established use and curation.

Limitations

• Specific column names, row counts, and file sizes are not documented in the available metadata.
• Conflict in last updated dates: one source lists 2000-09-24, others list 2026-03-12, suggesting possible metadata inconsistency.

Provenance

Source

ORNL_CLOUD

Collection Method

Field measurements from deployed Micro-Pulse Lidar (MPL) systems.

Time Range

Dry Season 2000

Freshness

2026-03-12 21:48:40.319512

Geography

Mongu, Zambia and Skukuza, South Africa