The FIFE Standard Pressure Level Radiosonde Data Set provides a set of standard level profiles (i.e., 5 mb pressure intervals) from over 450 radiosonde balloon flights, which occurred every one to three hours (daylight hours) during the FIFE IFCs. This derived profile data were computed to 5 mb pressure intervals through simple linear interpolation means. An assumption exists that a linear interpolation scheme may be used with sufficient accuracy to assign meteorological values at 5 mb pressure levels. Some errors are introduced using this method. Several new variables were computed from the original FIFE Radiosonde Data and are included in this derived data set. U (east-west) and V (north-south) winds have been computed from wind speed and direction, and potential temperature has been computed from pressure and temperature. These new parameters are desirable for initial conditions in numerical models as well as forcing functions in models, or as verification and comparison of numerical model's results.

The temperature profile data included in this data set was derived from the FIFE radiosonde data collected during the summer and fall of 1987 and the late summer of 1989 by Dr. Wilfred H. Brutsaert. These intensive radiosonde flights allowed the measurement of the atmospheric profiles of potential temperature and specific humidity. These data have been corrected for sensor delays, algorithm inconsistencies and have been interpolated to a set of standard pressure levels.

The NOAA Radiosonde Observations - 1989 (NCDC) Data Set contains radiosonde data obtained from the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC). These 396 days of data cover 13 months from October 1988 through October 1989. These data were collected using sondes released in Dodge City and Topeka Kansas, 337 km and 68 km, respectively, from the FIFE study area. Radiosonde observations were made to determine the pressure, temperature, and humidity from the surface to the point where the sounding was terminated. It is assumed that the use of these data is applicable to the FIFE study because these meteorological data are relatively stable in the horizontal domain. These data may be used as input to numerical models, as well as verification data for simulation studies.

The wind profile data described in this document were derived from the raw radiosonde data collected during FIFE by Dr. Wilfred H. Brutsaert during the summer and fall of 1987 and the late summer of 1989 The objective of this study was to calculate wind velocity and wind direction from successive horizontal positions of a radiosonde. These data have allowed the measurement of the atmospheric profiles of wind velocity and direction. The raw data have also been corrected for sensor delays and have been interpolated to a set of standard pressure levels. Successive horizontal positions of the radiosonde balloon in relation to its release point was used to calculate average wind speed and direction. The variables used to make these calculations were obtained from the FIFE Radiosonde Data. The balloon height was calculated by adding 10 m (i.e., the length of the string) to the height of the sonde. The horizontal distance of the sonde, together with the measured azimuth angle (also obtained from the FIFE Radiosonde Data), produced the horizontal position of the sonde. Finally, successive horizontal positions allowed the calculation of average wind velocity and direction over the interval. Note, as a result of the addition of 10 m for most flights, the height of the wind measurements in this data set is 10 meters higher than the companion values in the original FIFE Radiosonde Data.

The NAMMA Praia Cape Verde Radiosonde data used Sippican MarkIIa DGPS (LOS) radiosondes, which were launched in support of NASA African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analyses (NAMMA) mission. This mission was based in the Cape Verde Islands, 350 miles off the coast of Senegal in west Africa. Commencing in August 2006, NASA scientists employed surface observation networks and aircraft to characterize the evolution and structure of African Easterly Waves (AEWs) and Mesoscale Convective Systems over continental western Africa, and their associated impacts on regional water and energy budgets. The radiosondes released were Sippican MK-IIa units developed by Lockheed Martin. The atmospheric soundings were used to measure pressure, temperature, humidity, wind direction and speed and spatial coordinates. Data is grouped by ascending and descending flights and includes temperature, Skew-T, trajectory, wind and time series plots.

The BOREAS TF-04 team collected energy, carbon dioxide, and water vapor flux data at the BOREAS SSA-YJP site during the growing season of 1994. In addition, meteorological data were collected both above and within the canopy.