TOTE-VOTE: In Situ Meteorology and Navigation from NASA DC-8 Aircraft

Nineteen flights were conducted by NASA's DC-8 aircraft from December 1995 to February 1996 during the TOTE-VOTE campaign. The dataset contains in situ meteorology and navigation data, likely including measurements from instruments like the Microwave Temperature Profiler and Diode Laser Hygrometer. Its primary goal was to understand atmospheric transport processes between tropical, polar, and mid-latitude regions.

Use Cases

• Analyzing filament transport in/out of the arctic polar vortex based on in situ wind and navigation data.
• Studying background atmospheric transport processes from tropical/polar regions to midlatitudes using temperature and humidity profiles.
• Validating satellite or model data with high-resolution, aircraft-collected in situ measurements of pressure, altitude, and temperature.
• Investigating aerosol properties and ozone profiles using data from co-located instruments like DIAL and FSSP mentioned in the campaign description.

Strengths

• Data collection is explicitly stated as complete for the campaign.
• Covers a specific, well-documented scientific campaign (TOTE-VOTE) with 19 flights.
• Cross-platform presence (NASA Earthdata and Data.gov) signals importance and curation.

Limitations

• Column names and precise data structure are unknown, hindering immediate analysis.
• Conflicting 'last updated' metadata (1996 vs. 2026) creates uncertainty about provenance.
• No row count, file size, or sample data is provided to assess dataset scale.

Provenance

Source

NASA, Langley Atmospheric Science Data Center (LARC_ASDC)

Collection Method

In situ measurements collected onboard the NASA DC-8 aircraft.

Time Range

December 1995 to February 1996

Freshness

2026-04-09 21:21:04.915154

Geography

Pacific region