TRACE-A: Aircraft and Sonde Atmospheric Chemistry Measurements

From September 21 to October 24, 1992, NASA's TRACE-A campaign collected data over the Atlantic Ocean to investigate high tropospheric ozone concentrations. The dataset includes measurements from 19 instruments aboard a DC-8 aircraft, such as lidar for aerosols and ozone, spectrometers for trace gases (CO, CH4, N2O, CO2), and data from dropped ozonesondes. It represents a focused, multi-instrument snapshot of atmospheric composition and dynamics in a critical region.

Use Cases

• Analyzing ozone column and profile data from the Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) instrument.
• Studying correlations between trace gases like CO, CH4, and N2O measured by the DACOM IR Laser Spectrometer.
• Modeling atmospheric transport using kinematic trajectory data from the aircraft.
• Validating satellite retrievals with in-situ aircraft and ozonesonde measurements of temperature, pressure, and humidity.
• Investigating aerosol properties (Nadir IR/UV, Zenith IR/VS) and their role in atmospheric chemistry.

Strengths

• Data collection is complete for the campaign, providing a full temporal snapshot of the 1992 event.
• Includes measurements from 19 distinct scientific instruments, enabling multi-parameter analysis.
• Features data from multiple platforms: a DC-8 aircraft, ozonesondes, and rawinsondes.

Limitations

• Column names and specific data formats are not detailed in the provided metadata.
• Conflicting last-updated dates exist (1992 vs. 2026), creating uncertainty about data currency or reprocessing.
• Dataset size and row counts are unspecified across all sources.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in partnership with the Brazilian Space Agency (INPE).

Collection Method

Collected via instrumented NASA DC-8 aircraft flight paths and dropped ozonesonde/rawinsonde balloons.

Time Range

September 21 to October 24, 1992.

Freshness

2026-04-09 (from datagov platform, though this may reflect metadata update, not data collection)

Geography

Atlantic Ocean region between southern Africa and South America, with specific data collected in Brazil.