Earth System Science Data (Aug 2023)
Spatially coordinated airborne data and complementary products for aerosol, gas, cloud, and meteorological studies: the NASA ACTIVATE dataset
- A. Sorooshian,
- A. Sorooshian,
- A. Sorooshian,
- M. D. Alexandrov,
- M. D. Alexandrov,
- A. D. Bell,
- R. Bennett,
- G. Betito,
- S. P. Burton,
- M. E. Buzanowicz,
- M. E. Buzanowicz,
- B. Cairns,
- E. V. Chemyakin,
- E. V. Chemyakin,
- G. Chen,
- Y. Choi,
- Y. Choi,
- B. L. Collister,
- A. L. Cook,
- A. F. Corral,
- E. C. Crosbie,
- E. C. Crosbie,
- B. van Diedenhoven,
- J. P. DiGangi,
- G. S. Diskin,
- S. Dmitrovic,
- E.-L. Edwards,
- M. A. Fenn,
- M. A. Fenn,
- R. A. Ferrare,
- D. van Gilst,
- J. W. Hair,
- D. B. Harper,
- M. R. A. Hilario,
- C. A. Hostetler,
- N. Jester,
- M. Jones,
- M. Jones,
- S. Kirschler,
- S. Kirschler,
- M. M. Kleb,
- J. M. Kusterer,
- S. Leavor,
- S. Leavor,
- J. W. Lee,
- H. Liu,
- K. McCauley,
- R. H. Moore,
- J. Nied,
- A. Notari,
- J. B. Nowak,
- D. Painemal,
- D. Painemal,
- K. E. Phillips,
- C. E. Robinson,
- C. E. Robinson,
- A. J. Scarino,
- A. J. Scarino,
- J. S. Schlosser,
- J. S. Schlosser,
- S. T. Seaman,
- C. Seethala,
- T. J. Shingler,
- M. A. Shook,
- K. A. Sinclair,
- K. A. Sinclair,
- W. L. Smith Jr.,
- D. A. Spangenberg,
- D. A. Spangenberg,
- S. A. Stamnes,
- K. L. Thornhill,
- K. L. Thornhill,
- C. Voigt,
- C. Voigt,
- H. Vömel,
- A. P. Wasilewski,
- H. Wang,
- E. L. Winstead,
- E. L. Winstead,
- K. Zeider,
- X. Zeng,
- B. Zhang,
- L. D. Ziemba,
- P. Zuidema
Affiliations
- A. Sorooshian
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
- A. Sorooshian
- Department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
- A. Sorooshian
- James C. Wyant College of Optical Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
- M. D. Alexandrov
- NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, New York, NY, USA
- M. D. Alexandrov
- Department of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- A. D. Bell
- Science Systems and Applications, Inc., Hampton, VA, USA
- R. Bennett
- Bay Area Environmental Research Institute, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, USA
- G. Betito
- Department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
- S. P. Burton
- NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, USA
- M. E. Buzanowicz
- Science Systems and Applications, Inc., Hampton, VA, USA
- M. E. Buzanowicz
- NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, USA
- B. Cairns
- NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, New York, NY, USA
- E. V. Chemyakin
- Science Systems and Applications, Inc., Hampton, VA, USA
- E. V. Chemyakin
- NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, USA
- G. Chen
- NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, USA
- Y. Choi
- Department of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Y. Choi
- NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, USA
- B. L. Collister
- NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, USA
- A. L. Cook
- NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, USA
- A. F. Corral
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
- E. C. Crosbie
- Science Systems and Applications, Inc., Hampton, VA, USA
- E. C. Crosbie
- NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, USA
- B. van Diedenhoven
- SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research, Leiden, the Netherlands
- J. P. DiGangi
- NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, USA
- G. S. Diskin
- NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, USA
- S. Dmitrovic
- James C. Wyant College of Optical Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
- E.-L. Edwards
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
- M. A. Fenn
- Science Systems and Applications, Inc., Hampton, VA, USA
- M. A. Fenn
- NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, USA
- R. A. Ferrare
- NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, USA
- D. van Gilst
- Bay Area Environmental Research Institute, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, USA
- J. W. Hair
- NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, USA
- D. B. Harper
- NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, USA
- M. R. A. Hilario
- Department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
- C. A. Hostetler
- NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, USA
- N. Jester
- NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, USA
- M. Jones
- Science Systems and Applications, Inc., Hampton, VA, USA
- M. Jones
- NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, USA
- S. Kirschler
- Institute of Atmospheric Physics, German Aerospace Center, Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany
- S. Kirschler
- Institute of Atmospheric Physics, University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- M. M. Kleb
- NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, USA
- J. M. Kusterer
- NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, USA
- S. Leavor
- Science Systems and Applications, Inc., Hampton, VA, USA
- S. Leavor
- NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, USA
- J. W. Lee
- NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, USA
- H. Liu
- National Institute of Aerospace, Hampton, VA, USA
- K. McCauley
- Department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
- R. H. Moore
- NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, USA
- J. Nied
- NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, USA
- A. Notari
- NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, USA
- J. B. Nowak
- NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, USA
- D. Painemal
- Science Systems and Applications, Inc., Hampton, VA, USA
- D. Painemal
- NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, USA
- K. E. Phillips
- NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, USA
- C. E. Robinson
- Science Systems and Applications, Inc., Hampton, VA, USA
- C. E. Robinson
- NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, USA
- A. J. Scarino
- Science Systems and Applications, Inc., Hampton, VA, USA
- A. J. Scarino
- NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, USA
- J. S. Schlosser
- Science Systems and Applications, Inc., Hampton, VA, USA
- J. S. Schlosser
- NASA Postdoctoral Program, NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, USA
- S. T. Seaman
- NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, USA
- C. Seethala
- Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
- T. J. Shingler
- NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, USA
- M. A. Shook
- NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, USA
- K. A. Sinclair
- NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, New York, NY, USA
- K. A. Sinclair
- Department of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- W. L. Smith Jr.
- NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, USA
- D. A. Spangenberg
- Science Systems and Applications, Inc., Hampton, VA, USA
- D. A. Spangenberg
- NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, USA
- S. A. Stamnes
- NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, USA
- K. L. Thornhill
- Science Systems and Applications, Inc., Hampton, VA, USA
- K. L. Thornhill
- NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, USA
- C. Voigt
- Institute of Atmospheric Physics, German Aerospace Center, Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany
- C. Voigt
- Institute of Atmospheric Physics, University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- H. Vömel
- National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO, USA
- A. P. Wasilewski
- NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, New York, NY, USA
- H. Wang
- Atmospheric Sciences and Global Change Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA
- E. L. Winstead
- Science Systems and Applications, Inc., Hampton, VA, USA
- E. L. Winstead
- NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, USA
- K. Zeider
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
- X. Zeng
- Department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
- B. Zhang
- National Institute of Aerospace, Hampton, VA, USA
- L. D. Ziemba
- NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, USA
- P. Zuidema
- Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-3419-2023
- Journal volume & issue
-
Vol. 15
pp. 3419 – 3472
Abstract
The NASA Aerosol Cloud meTeorology Interactions oVer the western ATlantic Experiment (ACTIVATE) produced a unique dataset for research into aerosol–cloud–meteorology interactions, with applications extending from process-based studies to multi-scale model intercomparison and improvement as well as to remote-sensing algorithm assessments and advancements. ACTIVATE used two NASA Langley Research Center aircraft, a HU-25 Falcon and King Air, to conduct systematic and spatially coordinated flights over the northwest Atlantic Ocean, resulting in 162 joint flights and 17 other single-aircraft flights between 2020 and 2022 across all seasons. Data cover 574 and 592 cumulative flights hours for the HU-25 Falcon and King Air, respectively. The HU-25 Falcon conducted profiling at different level legs below, in, and just above boundary layer clouds (< 3 km) and obtained in situ measurements of trace gases, aerosol particles, clouds, and atmospheric state parameters. Under cloud-free conditions, the HU-25 Falcon similarly conducted profiling at different level legs within and immediately above the boundary layer. The King Air (the high-flying aircraft) flew at approximately ∼ 9 km and conducted remote sensing with a lidar and polarimeter while also launching dropsondes (785 in total). Collectively, simultaneous data from both aircraft help to characterize the same vertical column of the atmosphere. In addition to individual instrument files, data from the HU-25 Falcon aircraft are combined into “merge files” on the publicly available data archive that are created at different time resolutions of interest (e.g., 1, 5, 10, 15, 30, 60 s, or matching an individual data product's start and stop times). This paper describes the ACTIVATE flight strategy, instrument and complementary dataset products, data access and usage details, and data application notes. The data are publicly accessible through https://doi.org/10.5067/SUBORBITAL/ACTIVATE/DATA001 (ACTIVATE Science Team, 2020).
