SARP 2018: NASA Airborne Science Data from Student Program

NASA's Student Airborne Research Program (SARP) collected this data onboard a DC-8 aircraft during its 2018 deployment. The dataset likely contains in-situ atmospheric measurements and remote sensing imagery used to study Earth system processes, including atmospheric chemistry, air quality, forest ecology, and ocean biology. Data collection supports the calibration of satellite observations and instrument prototyping.

Use Cases

• Analyzing atmospheric trace gas concentrations (e.g., methane, ozone) for air quality studies.
• Calibrating or validating space-borne satellite observations using airborne in-situ measurements.
• Studying aerosol properties and size distributions to understand their role in climate processes.
• Investigating spatial patterns in ocean biology or forest ecology using multi-spectral imagery.
• Prototyping new remote sensing instruments for potential future satellite missions.

Strengths

• Data originates from a major NASA Airborne Science Program flying laboratory, ensuring high-caliber instrumentation.
• Supports multiple research areas including atmospheric chemistry, forest ecology, air quality, and ocean biology.
• The associated SARP program has been active since 2009, indicating a established scientific framework.

Limitations

• Column names and specific data structure are not provided, limiting immediate usability.
• Conflicting 'last updated' dates exist between sources (2018-06-28 vs. 2026-04-09), creating uncertainty about metadata freshness.
• Dataset size (rows, file size) is unknown across all sources.

Provenance

Source

NASA LARC_CLOUD organization, collected during the Student Airborne Research Program (SARP) mission.

Collection Method

Data collected onboard the NASA DC-8 aircraft using scientific instruments operated by program participants.

Time Range

2018

Freshness

2026-04-09 22:17:13.913976

Geography

Coverage is determined by the flight paths of the NASA DC-8 aircraft during the 2018 SARP deployment; specific regions are not stated.