TCSP HAMSR Microwave Sounder Data for Tropical Cyclone Genesis

25-channel microwave atmospheric sounder data was collected by a NASA ER-2 aircraft during the Tropical Cloud Systems and Processes (TCSP) mission. The instrument provides calibrated radiance measurements across three frequency bands for temperature and water vapor profiling. This dataset supports research into the formation and intensification of tropical storms and hurricanes.

Use Cases

• Profiling atmospheric temperature using 8-channel band near 50-GHz radiance data.
• Sounding water vapor concentration using 7-channel band near 183 GHz radiance data.
• Assessing precipitation scattering effects via the 10-channel band near 118 GHz.
• Studying cyclogenesis by analyzing the interaction of temperature, humidity, and pressure fields.
• Calibrating or validating other remote sensing instruments with its high radiometric sensitivity.

Strengths

• Instrument features continuous self-calibration with internal targets for consistent data.
• Provides high radiometric sensitivity, typically 0.1 K and up to 0.25 K for stratospheric channels.
• Calibration accuracy is estimated at better than 1 K for temperature and 2 K for water vapor sounding.
• Data is hosted on multiple authoritative platforms (Data.gov, NASA Earthdata), indicating recognized importance.

Limitations

• Key metadata like row count, file size, and specific column names are unavailable across all sources.
• Sources conflict on the 'last updated' date, with one listing 2005-07-27 and others listing 2026-03-12.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Collection Method

Data gathered by the High Altitude MMIC Sounding Radiometer (HAMSR) mounted on a NASA ER-2 research aircraft.

Time Range

July 2005 (Regular processing began 12 July, schedule maintained through end of July).

Freshness

2026-03 12 21:11:50.991386

Geography

Areas flown by the NASA ER-2 during the TCSP mission, focused on tropical storm regions.