The First ISCCP Regional Experiments have been designed to improve data products and cloud/radiation parameterizations used in general circulation models (GCMs). Specifically, the goals of FIRE are (1) to seek the basic understanding of the interaction of physical processes in determining life cycles of cirrus and marine stratocumulus systems and the radiative properties of these clouds during their life cycles and (2) to investigate the interrelationships between ISCCP data, GCM parameterizations, and higher space and time resolution cloud data. To-date, four intensive field-observation periods were planned and executed: a cirrus IFO (October 13 - November 2, 1986); a marine stratocumulus IFO off the southwestern coast of California (June 29 - July 20, 1987); a second cirrus IFO in southeastern Kansas (November 13 - December 7, 1991); and a second marine stratocumulus IFO in the eastern North Atlantic Ocean (June 1 - June 28, 1992). Each mission combined coordinated satellite, airborne, and surface observations with modeling studies to investigate the cloud properties and physical processes of the cloud systems.Data were collected from the NCAR Electra aircraft during the FIRE Marine Stratocumulus experiment in July 1987. The data were produced by the NCAR Research Aviation Facility (RAF) Data Management Group, with the GENPRO-II data processing software. The format of these data include a header file and a data file which corresponds to all or part of a particular aircraft flight.

The First ISCCP Regional Experiments have been designed to improve data products and cloud/radiation parameterizations used in general circulation models (GCMs). Specifically, the goals of FIRE are (1) to seek the basic understanding of the interaction of physical processes in determining life cycles of cirrus and marine stratocumulus systems and the radiative properties of these clouds during their life cycles and (2) to investigate the interrelationships between ISCCP data, GCM parameterizations, and higher space and time resolution cloud data. To-date, four intensive field-observation periods were planned and executed: a cirrus IFO (October 13 - November 2, 1986); a marine stratocumulus IFO off the southwestern coast of California (June 29 - July 20, 1987); a second cirrus IFO in southeastern Kansas (November 13 - December 7, 1991); and a second marine stratocumulus IFO in the eastern North Atlantic Ocean (June 1 - June 28, 1992). Each mission combined coordinated satellite, airborne, and surface observations with modeling studies to investigate the cloud properties and physical processes of the cloud systems.These data were collected during the FIRE Marine Stratocumulus experiment on San Nicolas Island, California. They are as follows: cloud base height data measured with a ceilometer; processed CLASS sounding (CSD) data up to 2 kilometers (thermodynamic data only), raw CSD recorded at 3.3 second intervals (thermodynamic data only), and raw CSD at 10 second intervals (thermodynamic and wind data).

The First ISCCP Regional Experiments have been designed to improve data products and cloud/radiation parameterizations used in general circulation models (GCMs). Specifically, the goals of FIRE are (1) to improve basic understanding of the interaction of physical processes in determining life cycles of cirrus and marine stratocumulus systems and the radiative properties of these clouds during their life cycles and (2) to investigate the interrelationships between the ISCCP data, GCM parameterizations, and higher space and time resolution cloud data.To-date, four intensive field-observation periods were planned and executed: a cirrus IFO (October 13-November 2, 1986); a marine stratocumulus IFO off the southwestern coast of California (June 29-July 20, 1987); a second cirrus IFO in southeastern Kansas (November 13-December 7, 1991); and a second marine stratocumulus IFO in the eastern North Atlantic Ocean (June 1-June 28, 1992). Each mission combined coordinated satellite, airborne, and surface observations with modeling studies to investigate the cloud properties and physical processes of the cloud systems.Cirrus IFO-I was conducted from October 13 to November 2, 1986 in central Wisconsin. The NCAR Sabreliner aircraft measured radiation and microphysical properties of the cloud layers, in addition to temperature, moisture, and air motions.

The First ISCCP Regional Experiments have been designed to improve data products and cloud/radiation parameterizations used in general circulation models (GCMs). Specifically, the goals of FIRE are (1) to improve basic understanding of the interaction of physical processes in determining life cycles of cirrus and marine stratocumulus systems and the radiative properties of these clouds during their life cycles and (2) to investigate the interrelationships between the ISCCP data, GCM parameterizations, and higher space and time resolution cloud data.To-date, four intensive field-observation periods were planned and executed: a cirrus IFO (October 13-November 2, 1986); a marine stratocumulus IFO off the southwestern coast of California (June 29-July 20, 1987); a second cirrus IFO in southeastern Kansas (November 13-December 7, 1991); and a second marine stratocumulus IFO in the eastern North Atlantic Ocean (June 1-June 28, 1992). Each mission combined coordinated satellite, airborne, and surface observations with modeling studies to investigate the cloud properties and physical processes of the cloud systems.SOFIA (Surface of the Ocean, Fluxes and Interaction with the Atmosphere) is a research program carried out by French groups from the Centre de Recherches en Physique de l'Environnement (CRPE), Laboratoire l'Aerologie (LA)-Toulouse, Centre de Meteorologie Marine (CMM)-Brest, Institut Francais de Rechercher sur la Mer (IFREMER)-Brest, Service d'Aeronomie-Paris, and Laboratoire de Meteorologie Dynamique (LMD)-Palaiseau with cooperation from Centre National de Recherche Meteorologique (CNRM)-Toulouse.The scientific objective of SOFIA during ASTEX was the study of energy transfer (heat, humidity and momentum fluxes) between the sea surface and the atmospheric boundary layer at scales ranging from the local scale to the mesoscale (50 km). The general concept of the program was to develop a measurement strategy based on nested boxes in which instrumentation would be used to estimate and quantify fluxes. These instruments, from which flux estimates at different scales would be measured, were used in connection with satellite measurements to understand and, hence, to validate the satellite integration of fluxes, particularly in the presence of mesoscale oceanic andatmospheric structures responsible for spatial inhomogeneity of fluxes.

The First ISCCP Regional Experiments have been designed to improve data products and cloud/radiation parameterizations used in general circulation models (GCMs). Specifically, the goals of FIRE are (1) to seek the basic understanding of the interaction of physical processes in determining life cycles of cirrus and marine stratocumulus systems and the radiative properties of these clouds during their life cycles and (2) to investigate the interrelationships between ISCCP data, GCM parameterizations, and higher space and time resolution cloud data. To-date, four intensive field-observation periods were planned and executed: a cirrus IFO (October 13 - November 2, 1986); a marine stratocumulus IFO off the southwestern coast of California (June 29 - July 20, 1987); a second cirrus IFO in southeastern Kansas (November 13 - December 7, 1991); and a second marine stratocumulus IFO in the eastern North Atlantic Ocean (June 1 - June 28, 1992). Each mission combined coordinated satellite, airborne, and surface observations with modeling studies to investigate the cloud properties and physical processes of the cloud systems. This data set contains cloud top height and ground height calculations from the NASA ER-2 Cloud Lidar System (CLS). These data were collected during the FIRE Marine Stratocumulus experiment in July 1987; the parameters collected included time, position, and plane height. Undetected cloud tops and ground heights are signified by values of -9.9 after decoding.

The First ISCCP Regional Experiments have been designed to improve data products and cloud/radiation parameterizations used in general circulation models (GCMs). Specifically, the goals of FIRE are (1) to improve the basic understanding of the interaction of physical processes in determining life cycles of cirrus and marine stratocumulus systems and the radiative properties of these clouds during their life cycles and (2) to investigate the interrelationships between the ISCCP data, GCM parameterizations, and higher space and time resolution cloud data. To-date, four intensive field-observation periods were planned and executed: a cirrus IFO (October 13 - November 2, 1986); a marine stratocumulus IFO off the southwestern coast of California (June 29 - July 20, 1987); a second cirrus IFO in southeastern Kansas (November 13 - December 7, 1991); and a second marine stratocumulus IFO in the eastern North Atlantic Ocean (June 1 - June 28, 1992). Each mission combined coordinated satellite, airborne, and surface observations with modeling studies to investigate the cloud properties and physical processes of the cloud systems.The ASTEX/MAGE experiment is a multinational effort to improve our capability for studying cloud-chemistry interactions and the air/sea fluxes that affect them. The primary purpose of ASTEX (with which MAGE collaborated) was to study the factors influencing the formation and dissipation of marine clouds. The specific goals of the MAGE atmospheric chemistry experiment in ASTEX included:- Develop and test a Lagrangian strategy for studying chemical and meteorological evolution in a tagged airmass, using ships, balloons, and aircraft.- Develop and test new techniques for estimating trace-gas and aerosol fluxes across the air/sea interface by comparison with traditional approaches.- Evaluate the impact of marine and continental aerosols on the formation and dissipation of stratocumulus clouds.- Compare the impacts of natural and anthropogenic sulphur, halogens, and hydrocarbons on marine aerosol chemistry.- Gain experience with multi-national and multi-agency field experiments as a means for addressing global tropospheric chemistry issues.

The First ISCCP Regional Experiments have been designed to improve data products and cloud/radiation parameterizations used in general circulation models (GCMs). Specifically, the goals of FIRE are (1) to improve basic understanding of the interaction of physical processes in determining life cycles of cirrus and marine stratocumulus systems and the radiative properties of these clouds during their life cycles and (2) to investigate the interrelationships between the ISCCP data, GCM parameterizations, and higher space and time resolution cloud data.To-date, four intensive field-observation periods were planned and executed: a cirrus IFO (October 13-November 2, 1986); a marine stratocumulus IFO off the southwestern coast of California (June 29-July 20, 1987); a second cirrus IFO in southeastern Kansas (November 13-December 7, 1991); and a second marine stratocumulus IFO in the eastern North Atlantic Ocean (June 1-June 28, 1992). Each mission combined coordinated satellite, airborne, and surface observations with modeling studies to investigate the cloud properties and physical processes of the cloud systems. The University of North Dakota owns and operates a Cessna Citation II aircraft (N77ND) for the purpose of atmospheric research. This aircraft type has a number of design and performance characteristics which make it an ideal platform for a wide range of atmospheric studies. A series of structural modifications have been made to the basic airplane. These include the following: pylons under the wing tips for a variety of probes in the undisturbed air flow away from the fuselage; a nose boom for wind measurement; a heated radome to prevent ice accumulation on the nose area; special mounts for upward and downward looking radiometers; side-facing camera mounts for time-lapse cameras; optically-flat glass windows for photography; and an air inlet port for air sampling inside the pressurized cabin. The research instrumentation available on the Citation for the second Cirrus IFO is described below. For more information about the UND Citation see http://cumulus.atmos.und.edu/ Cloud microphysical measurements were derived from data taken by the University of North Dakota Citation aircraft PMS 2D-C and 2D-P probes during the FIRE Cirrus IFO - II. Following are a list of parameters collected: VARIABLE DESCRIPTION UNITS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- IT1,IT2 MEASUREMENT TIME INTERVAL HH/MM/SS PS STATIC PRESSURE mb TEMP AMBIENT TEMPERATURES degrees C ALT PRESSURE ALTITUDE m USTAR VERTICAL VELOCITY NEEDED TO KEEP THE cm/s RELATIVE HUMIDITY CONSTANT DBARM MEDIAN PARTICLE MASS WEIGHTED DIAMETER cm DMAX MAXIMUM PARTICLE DIAMETER cm W1 DIFFUSIONAL GROWTH RATE IN CHANNEL 1 g/sec W2 DIFFUSIONAL GROWTH RATE IN CHANNEL 2 g/sec W3 DIFFUSIONAL GROWTH RATE IN CHANNEL 3 g/sec W4 DIFFUSIONAL GROWTH RATE IN CHANNEL 4 g/sec WTOT TOTAL DIFFUSTIONAL GROWTH RATE g/sec DT8 DEPLETION TIME (8 micron droplets) sec DT12 DEPLETION TIME (12 micron droplets) sec TMASS1 IWC IN CHANNEL 1 g/m^3 TMASS2 IWC IN CHANNEL 2 g/m^3 DPTC DEW POINT TEMPERATURE (EG&G) degreesC RH RELATIVE HUMIDITY (EG&G) % RIWC ICE WATER CONTENT g/m^3 XM1 ICE WATER CONTENT BASED ON SNOW HABIT g/m^3 XM2 ICE WATER CONTENT BASED ON SMALL SNOW g/m^3 HABIT XM3 ICE WATER CONTENT BASED ON LARGE SNOW g/m^3 HABIT R PRECIPITATION RATE mm/hr DBZ RADAR REFLECTIVITY FACTOR decibels VBAR MEAN REFLECTIVITY WEIGHTED WITH THE cm/s TERMINAL VELOCITY TTCONC TOTAL PARTICLE CONCENTRATION #/L CBIN1 PARTICLE CONCENTRATION WITHIN THE RANGE LE 200 #/L CBIN2 PARTICLE CONCENTRATION WITHIN 200-500 #/L THE RANGE CBIN3 PARTICLE CONCENTRATION WITHIN THE 500-800 #/L RANGE CBIN4 PARTICLE CONCENTRATION WITHIN THE #/L RANGE GT 800 CE8 COLLECTION EFFICIENCY (8 micron none droplets) CE12 COLLECTION EFFICIENCY (12 micron none droplets) TMASS3 IWC IN CHANNEL 3 g/m^3 TMASS4 IWC IN CHANNEL 4 g/m^3 TIMP # OF CRYSTAL-CRYSTAL COLUMNS sec^(1-) RHORH WATER VAPOR DENSITY g/cm^3 SI SUPERSATURA

The First ISCCP Regional Experiments have been designed to improve data products and cloud/radiation parameterizations used in general circulation models (GCMs). Specifically, the goals of FIRE are (1) to improve basic understanding of the interaction of physical processes in determining life cycles of cirrus and marine stratocumulus systems and the radiative properties of these clouds during their life cycles and (2) to investigate the interrelationships between the ISCCP data, GCM parameterizations, and higher space and time resolution cloud data.Radiosonde data were collected during the FIRE ASTEX for time period June 1, 1992 through June 20, 1992 from the Le Suroit (ship). There are 3 sets of interpolated sounding data. They are 5-second, 20-meter, and 2-millibar.Each file contains a 5-line header. The first line is the site name (up to 16 characters), the next line is the latitude and longitude at the time of launch, the third contains the date-time group at launch in YYMMDDHHMM format. Lines 4 and 5 describe the data to follow, which comprise no more that 1500 additional lines. The data are: minutes, seconds past launch, ascent rate, height, pressure, temperature, relative humidity, dew point, mixing ratio and wind speedand direction.

The First ISCCP Regional Experiments have been designed to improve data products and cloud/radiation parameterizations used in general circulation models (GCMs). Specifically, the goals of FIRE are (1) to improve the basic understanding of the interaction of physical processes in determining life cycles of cirrus and marine stratocumulus systems and the radiative properties of these clouds during their life cycles and (2) to investigate the interrelationships between the ISCCP data, GCM parameterizations, and higher space and time resolution cloud data.Radiosonde data were collected during the FIRE ASTEX for time period June 7, 1992 through June 28, 1992 from the Malcolm Baldridge (ship).There are 3 sets of interpolated sounding data. They are 5-second, 20-meter, and 2-millibar.Each file contains a 5-line header. The first line is the site name (up to 16 characters), the next line is the latitude and longitude at the time of launch, the third contains the date-time group at launch in YYMMDDHHMM format. Lines 4 and 5 describe the data to follow, which comprise no more that 1500 additional lines. The data are: minutes, seconds past launch, ascent rate, height, pressure, temperature, relative humidity, dew point, mixing ratio and wind speedand direction.

The First ISCCP Regional Experiments have been designed to improve data products and cloud/radiation parameterizations used in general circulation models (GCMs). Specifically, the goals of FIRE are (1) to seek the basic understanding of the interaction of physical processes in determining life cycles of cirrus and marine stratocumulus systems and the radiative properties of these clouds during their life cycles and (2) to investigate the interrelationships between ISCCP data, GCM parameterizations, and higher space and time resolution cloud data. To-date, four intensive field-observation periods were planned and executed: a cirrus IFO (October 13 - November 2, 1986); a marine stratocumulus IFO off the southwestern coast of California (June 29 - July 20, 1987); a second cirrus IFO in southeastern Kansas (November 13 - December 7, 1991); and a second marine stratocumulus IFO in the eastern North Atlantic Ocean (June 1 - June 28, 1992). Each mission combined coordinated satellite, airborne, and surface observations with modeling studies to investigate the cloud properties and physical processes of the cloud systems. The microphysical parameters in the data set were derived from 2D probe data collected by the NCAR aircraft during FIRE II. The 2D-C data are converted to size spectra according to the guidelines given in Heymsfield and Baumgardner (1985, Bull. Amer. Meteoro. Soc.), where one element is added to the size of a particle along the the flight direction to account for the probe's intrinsic start-up time. Size is determined as the maximum dimension ($D_{max}$) along the flight direction or optical array axis. The nominal size resolution for the Sabreliner 2D probe is 50 microns/per shadowed optical array element, for the King Air is 25 microns/bin. Sample area (SA) is derived using the depth of field estimates reported by Knollenberg (1970). Particles are binned into 32 size categories, nonuniformly spaced with higher resolution in the smaller classes. Particles within each size bin are subdivided into 10 ``area ratio (AR)'' bins, where AR represents the ratio of particle area to the area of discs of diameter $D_{max}$. The microphysical parameters in the data set were derived from 2D probe data collected by the NCAR Sabreliner during FIRE II. The derivation of the microphysical parameters is outlined in the later reference to Heymsfield (1977). The vertical velocity is the steady-state velocity in cm s-1 to keep the relative humidity at it's currently measured value. Differential growth rate represents the growth rate of the particle population of different sizes at the current relative humidity. The Total differential growth rate is the sum of the growth rate in all channels. The assumptions used for the IWC calculations are reported in Heymsfield; also, generic size to mass equations are used. Precipitation rate is calculated from particle size and terminal velocity data, integrated over the size spectrum. Concentration data are as derived above. Number of crystal-crystal collisions are derived from the data reported by Hindman and the crystal terminal velocities. Water vapor density andsupersaturation information in this data set should not be used--it is unreliable. Curve fits to the data using least squares methods are provided. VARIABLE DESCRIPTION UNITS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- IT1, ITMEASUREMENT TIME INTERVAL HH/MM/SS PS STATIC PRESSURE mb TEMP AMBIENT TEMPERATURE degreesC ALT PRESSURE ALTITUDE m USTAR VERTICAL VELOCITY NEEDED TO KEEP THE cm/s RELATIVE HUMIDITY CONSTANT DBARM MEDIAN PARTICLE MASS WEIGHTED DIAMETER cm DMAX MAXIMUM PARTICLE DIAMETER cm W1 DIFFUSIONAL GROWTH RATE IN CHANNEL 1 g/sec W2 DIFFUSIONAL GROWTH RATE IN CHANNEL 2 g/sec W3 DIFFUSIONAL GROWTH RATE IN CHANNEL 3 g/sec W4 DIFFUSIONAL GROWTH RATE IN CHANNEL 4 g/sec WTOT TOTAL DIFFUSTIONAL GROWTH RATE g/sec DT8 DEPLETION TIME (8 micron droplets) sec DT12 DEPLETION TIME (12 micron droplets) sec TM