A special set of analysis products for the Atlantic Stratocumulus Transition Experiment (ASTEX) region during June 1-28, 1992 was prepared by Ernst Klinker and Tony Hollingsworth of the European Centre for Medium-range Forecasting (ECMWF), and reformatted by Chris Bretherton of Univ. of Washington. These analyses, or more correctly initializations and very short range forecasts using the ECMWF T213L30 operational model, incorporate routine observations from the global network and special soundings from ASTEX that were sent to ECMWFduring ASTEX via the GTS telecommunication system. About 650 special soundings were incorporated, including nearly all soundings from SantaMaria, Porto Santo, and the French ship Le Suroit, most of the soundings taken on the Valdivia and Malcolm Baldridge, and almost noneof the soundings from the Oceanus. Surface reports from the research ships were also incorporated into the analyses after the first week of the experiment. Aircraft soundings were not included in the analyses. ECMWF has requested that anyone making use of this data set acknowledge them, and that those investigators publishing research that makes more than casual use of this data set contact Ernst Klinker or Tony Hollingsworth.The data have been decoded by Chris Bretherton into ASCII files, one for each horizontal field at a given level and base time. All data have the same horizontal resolution of 1.25 degrees in latitude and longitude and correspond to base (initialization) times of 00, 06, 12, or 18Z. Different fields have different lat/lon ranges and sets of available vertical levels, as tabulated below. Also, some fields are instantaneous (I) while others are accumulated (A) over the first 6 hours of a forecast initialized at the base time. This is tabulated in the 'time range' column below. Instantaneous fields are bestcompared with data at the base time, while accumulated fields are best compared with data three hours after the base time.Data Set Name ECMWF ECMWF Time Field Units field ID# range abbrev.----------- ------ ----- ----- ----- -----CLOUDS CLW 212 I Cloud liquid water kg/kg CF 213 I Cloud fraction 0-1(lat/lon range: 35W to 05W, 20N to 45N)(levels: 1010,1000,975,950,925,900,875,850,825,800,775,750,700,650,600,550,500,400,300,200,100 HPa)The ECMWF field abbreviation, ID#, field description and units aretaken directly from ECMWF Code Table 2, in case you ever need toconsult with ECMWF about this data set.

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 development of parameterizations requires an understanding of the processes that generate, maintain, and dissipate boundary layer clouds. This development is currently impeded by lack of understanding of the transition from stratocumulus clouds to trade cumulus clouds and the factors that control cloud type and amount in the boundary layer. ASTEX was designed to address key issues related to stratocumulus to trade cumulus transition and mode selection. ASTEX involved intensive measurements from several platforms operating from June 1-28, 1992 in the area of the Azores and Madeira Islands. The purpose was to study how the transition and mode selection are effected by 1) cloud-top entrainment instability, 2) diurnal decoupling and clearing due to solar absorption, 3) patchy drizzle and a transition to horizontally inhomogeneous clouds through decoupling, 4) mesoscale variability in cloud thickness and associated mesoscale circulations, and 5) episodic strong subsidence lowering the inversion below the LCL. Detailed descriptions of the scientific goals of ASTEX are in the FIRE Phase II: Research plan (1989) and in the ASTEX Operations Plan (1992). The Cloud Lidar System (CLS) instrument was flown aboard the NASA ER-2 airplane. This instrument was used to determine cloud altitudes. Information pertaining to the number of cloud layers detected; the heights of the boundaries for up to 5 cloud layers; geo-physical location information; and time were recorded.Four channels of data were recorded. The first channel recorded wave lengths at 532 nanometers in the parallel plane. The second channel recorded wave lengths of 532 nanometers in the perpendicular plane. The third channel recorded wavelengths of 1064 nanometers total. The forth channel was a linear amplifier which received the digitized signal from one of the three previously mentioned CLS detectors. The data are organized so that there is a single header record for the file. This header record is followed by a series of pairs of records. The first record of each pair contains the CLS calibrated data and the second record of the pair contains the CLS analyzed data.

The First ISCCP Regional Experiments (FIRE) 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 International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) data, GCM parameterizations, and higher space and time resolution cloud data. To-date, four intensive field-observation (IFO) 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 First ISCCP Regional Experiments (FIRE) 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 International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) data, GCM parameterizations, and higher space and time resolution cloud data. To-date, four intensive field-observation (IFO) 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.

A special set of analysis products for the Atlantic Stratocumulus Transition Experiment (ASTEX) region during June 1-28, 1992 was prepared by Ernst Klinker and Tony Hollingsworth of the European Centre for Medium-range Forecasting (ECMWF), and reformatted by Chris Bretherton of Univ. of Washington. These analyses, or more correctly initializations and very short range forecasts using the ECMWF T213L30 operational model, incorporate routine observations from the global network and special soundings from ASTEX that were sent to ECMWFduring ASTEX via the GTS telecommunication system. About 650 special soundings were incorporated, including nearly all soundings from Santa Maria, Porto Santo, and the French ship Le Suroit, most of the soundings taken on the Valdivia and Malcolm Baldridge, and almost none of the soundings from the Oceanus. Surface reports from the research ships were also incorporated into the analyses after the first week of the experiment. Aircraft soundings were not included in the analyses. ECMWF has requested that anyone making use of this data set acknowledge them, and that those investigators publishing researchthat makes more than casual use of this data set contact Ernst Klinker or Tony Hollingsworth.The data have been decoded by Chris Bretherton into ASCII files, one for each horizontal field at a given level and base time. All data have the same horizontal resolution of 1.25 degrees in latitude and longitude and correspond to base (initialization) times of 00, 06, 12, or 18Z. Different fields have different lat/lon ranges and sets of available vertical levels, as tabulated below. Also, some fields are instantaneous (I) while others are accumulated (A) over the first 6 hours of a forecast initialized at the base time. This is tabulated in the 'time range' column below. Instantaneous fields are bestcompared with data at the base time, while accumulated fields are bestcompared with data three hours after the base time.Data Set Name ECMWF ECMWF Time Field Units field ID# range abbrev.----------- ------ ----- ----- ----- -----SURFACE DIAG LSP 142 A Large scale precipitation m/(6 hr) CP 143 A Convective precipitation m/(6 hr) BLD 145 A Boundary layer dissipation W/m^2 SSHF 146 A Surface sensible heat flux W/m^2 SLHF 147 A Surface latent heat flux W/m^2 TCC 164 I Total cloud cover 0-1 10U 165 I 10 meter u m/s 10V 166 I 10 meter v m/s 2T 167 I 2 meter temperature K 2D 168 I 2 meter dewpoint temperature K SSR 176 A Surface solar radiation W/m^2 STR 177 A Surface thermal radiation W/m^2 TSR 178 A Top solar radiation W/m^2 TTR 179 A Top thermal radiation W/m^2 EWSS 180 A U-stress N/m^2 NSSS 181 A V-stress N/m^2 E 182 A Evaporation m (H2O) CCC 185 I Convective cloud cover 0-1 LCC 186 I Low cloud cover 0-1 MCC 187 I Medium cloud cover 0-1 HCC 188 I High cloud cover 0-1 TSRU 208 I Top solar radiation upward W/m^2 TTRU 209 I Top thermal radiation upward W/m^2 TSUC 210 I Top solar radiation upward clear sky(lat/lon range: 35W to 05W, 20N to 45N; at surface pressure)The ECMWF field abbreviation, ID#, field description and units are taken directly from ECMWF Code Table 2, in case you ever need to consult with ECMWF about this data set.

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. Operations Plan (1992). The Cloud Lidar System (CLS) instrument was flown aboard the NASA ER-2 airplane. This instrument was used to determine cloud altitudes. Information pertaining to the number of cloud layers detected; the heights of the boundaries for up to 5 cloud layers; geo-physical location information; and time were recorded. Four channels of data were recorded. The first channel recorded wavelengths at 532 nanometers in the parallel plane. The second channel recorded wavelengths of 532 nanometers in the perpendicular plane. The third channel recorded wavelengths of 1064 nanometers total. The forth channel was a linear amplifier which received the digitized signal from one of the three previously mentioned CLS detectors. The data are organized so that there is a single header record for the file. This header record is followed by a series of pairs of records.The first record of each pair contains the CLS calibrated data and the second record of the pair contains the CLS analyzed 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 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 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 observationswith modeling studies to investigate the cloud properties and physical processes of the cloud system.The Belfort Laser Ceilometer was operated during FIRE ASTEX on Porto Santo, Madeira. It utilized a 20 watt near-infrared Gallium-Arsenide laser operating at a wavelength of 0.91 microns to detect cloud base height. It employed 1024 range gates which yield a vertical resolution of 25 feet up to a maximum range of 25,600 feet. The fields of view of the transmitter and receiver are approximately 1 degree.The ceilometer used a measured noise level to determine a count (-1,0,1) which is then summed for each gate. This histogram is the basic output from which the cloud base height is estimated.

The First ISCCP Regional Experiments (FIRE) 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 International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) data, GCM parameterizations, and higher space and time resolution cloud data. To-date, four intensive field-observation (IFO) 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. A subset of the ISCCP Stage DX Cloud Product (Revised Algorithm) are included for the FIRE ASTEX region.

A special set of analysis products for the Atlantic Stratocumulus Transition Experiment (ASTEX) region during June 1-28, 1992 was prepared by Ernst Klinker and Tony Hollingsworth of the European Centre for Medium-range Forecasting (ECMWF), and reformatted by Chris Bretherton of Univ. of Washington. These analyses, or more correctly initializations and very short range forecasts using the ECMWF T213L30 operational model, incorporate routine observations from the global network and special soundings from ASTEX that were sent to ECMWFduring ASTEX via the GTS telecommunication system. About 650 special soundings were incorporated, including nearly all soundings from Santa Maria, Porto Santo, and the French ship Le Suroit, most of the soundings taken on the Valdivia and Malcolm Baldridge, and almost none of the soundings from the Oceanus. Surface reports from the research ships were also incorporated into the analyses after the first week of the experiment. Aircraft soundings were not included in the analyses. ECMWF has requested that anyone making use of this data set acknowledge them, and that those investigators publishing researchthat makes more than casual use of this data set contact Ernst Klinker or Tony Hollingsworth.The data have been decoded by Chris Bretherton into ASCII files, one for each horizontal field at a given level and base time. All data have the same horizontal resolution of 1.25 degrees in latitude and longitude and correspond to base (initialization) times of 00, 06, 12, or 18Z. Different fields have different lat/lon ranges and sets of available vertical levels, as tabulated below. Also, some fields are instantaneous (I) while others are accumulated (A) over the first 6 hours of a forecast initialized at the base time. This is tabulated in the 'time range' column below. Instantaneous fields are bestcompared with data at the base time, while accumulated fields are best compared with data three hours after the base time.Data Set Name ECMWF ECMWF Time Field Units Field ID# range Abbrev.------------- ------ ----- ----- ----- -----BASIC Z 129 I Geopotential m^2/s^2 T 130 I Temperature K Q 133 I Specific humidity kg/kg U 131 I U[ eastward]-velocity m/s V 132 I V[northward]-velocity m/s W 135 I Vertical velocity Pa/s(lat/lon range: 85W to 15E, 70N to 10N)(levels: 1010,1000,975,950,925,900,875,850,825,800,775,750,700,650,600,550,500,400,300,200,100 hPa)The ECMWF field abbreviation, ID#, field description and units are taken directly from ECMWF Code Table 2, in case you ever need to consult with ECMWF about this data set.

A special set of analysis products for the Atlantic Stratocumulus Transition Experiment (ASTEX) region during June 1-28, 1992 was prepared by Ernst Klinker and Tony Hollingsworth of the European Centre for Medium-range Forecasting (ECMWF), and reformatted by Chris Bretherton of Univ. of Washington. These analyses, or more correctly initializations and very short range forecasts using the ECMWF T213L30 operational model, incorporate routine observations from the global network and special soundings from ASTEX that were sent to ECMWFduring ASTEX via the GTS telecommunication system. About 650 special soundings were incorporated, including nearly all soundings from Santa Maria, Porto Santo, and the French ship Le Suroit, most of the soundings taken on the Valdivia and Malcolm Baldridge, and almost none of the soundings from the Oceanus. Surface reports from the research ships were also incorporated into the analyses after the first week of the experiment. Aircraft soundings were not included in the analyses. ECMWF has requested that anyone making use of this data set acknowledge them, and that those investigators publishing researchthat makes more than casual use of this data set contact Ernst Klinker or Tony Hollingsworth.The data have been decoded by Chris Bretherton into ASCII files, one for each horizontal field at a given level and base time. All data have the same horizontal resolution of 1.25 degrees in latitude andlongitude and correspond to base (initialization) times of 00, 06, 12, or 18Z. Different fields have different lat/lon ranges and sets of available vertical levels, as tabulated below. Also, some fields are instantaneous (I) while others are accumulated (A) over the first 6 hours of a forecast initialized at the base time. This is tabulated in the 'time range' column below. Instantaneous fields are bestcompared with data at the base time, while accumulated fields are best compared with data three hours after the base time.Data Set Name ECMWF ECMWF Time Field Units field ID# range abbrev.----------- ------ ----- ----- ----- -----SURFACE SP 134 I Surface pressure Pa ST 139 I [Sea] surface temperature K(lat/lon range: 85W to 15E, 70N to 10N; at surface pressure)The ECMWF field abbreviation, ID#, field description and units are taken directly from ECMWF Code Table 2, in case you ever need to consult with ECMWF about this data set.