The CAMEX-4 Aerosonde dataset contains temperature, humidity, and atmospheric pressure measurements collected to study the boundary layer below levels where traditional hurricane reconnasissance aircaft fly. The Aerosonde is an unmanned aerial vehicle with a wingspan of 2.9 meters (~9 feet) weighing approximately 14 kg (~31 lbs). Carrying a payload of air pressure, temperature and humidity probes, the aircraft can fly at altitudes from near the surface to 21,000 feet at speeds of 50-95 mph for periods of up to 30 hours. Controlled by dual computers and navigated by GPS, the Aerosonde is designed to economically collect meteorological data over a wide area.

The Atmospheric Emitted Radiance Interferometer (AERI) was used to make atmospheric temperature and moisture retrievals. AERI provides absolutely calibrated radiances which can be used for forward calculation comparisons of radiosonde and LIDAR (for CAMEX-3, the SRL) profiles and provides a reference to the airborne and ground based remote sensing instruments. Additionally, AERI radiances contain valuable temperature and water vapor information which can be used to retrieve planetary boundary layer thermodynamics. The University of Wisconsin-Madison, Space Science and Engineering Center was responsible for the AERI data collection during CAMEX-3 campaign.

The CAMEX-3 Meteorological Measurement System (MMS) dataset consists of atmospheric parameters measured by the MMS instruments aboard NASA DC-8 aircraft. The MMS consists of three major systems: an air-motion sensing system to measure air velocity with respect to the aircraft, an aircraft-motion sensing system to measure the aircraft velocity with respect to the Earth, and a data acquisition system to sample, process, and record the measured quantities. The MMS dataset consits of atmospheric pressure, temperature, and wind measurements collected during the CAMEX-3 mission to study hurricanes over the land and ocean in the U.S Gulf of America, Caribbean, and Western Atlantic Ocean.

The CAMEX-4 DC-8 Meteorological Measurement System (MMS) was collected by the MMS, which consists of three major systems: an air-motion sensing system to measure air velocity with respect to the aircraft, an aircraft-motion sensing system to measure the aircraft velocity with respect to the Earth, and a data acquisition system to sample, process, and record the measured quantities. The MMS data was collected during the CAMEX-4 campaign to study physical properties of atmospheric temperature.

The CAMEX-4 LIDAR Atmospheric Sensing Experiment (LASE) dataset was collected by the LASE instrument, which is an airborne DIAL (Differential Absorption Lidar) system used to measure water vapor, aerosols, and clouds throughout the troposphere. LASE operates by locking to a strong water vapor line and electronically tuning to any spectral position on the absorption line to choose the suitable absorption cross-section for optimum measurements over a range of water vapor concentrations in the atmosphere. During CAMEX-4, LASE operated from the NASA DC-8 using strong and weak water vapor lines in both the nadir and zenith modes, thereby simultaneously acquiring data below and above the aircraft.

The CAMEX-3 Scanning Raman LIDAR dataset collected data during the CAMEX-3 campaign on Andros Island during the period 6 August - 20 September 1998. The SRL instrument is designed to determine the composition and vertical distribution of several atmospheric constituents, specifically water vapor and aerosols.

The Advanced Vertical Atmospheric Profiling System (AVAPS) IMPACTS dataset consists of vertical atmospheric profile measurements collected by the Advanced Vertical Atmospheric Profiling System (AVAPS) dropsondes released from the NASA P-3 aircraft during the Investigation of Microphysics and Precipitation for Atlantic Coast-Threatening Snowstorms (IMPACTS) field campaign. IMPACTS was a three-year sequence of winter season deployments conducted to study snowstorms over the U.S Atlantic Coast (2020-2023). The campaign aimed to (1) Provide observations critical to understanding the mechanisms of snowband formation, organization, and evolution; (2) Examine how the microphysical characteristics and likely growth mechanisms of snow particles vary across snowbands; and (3) Improve snowfall remote sensing interpretation and modeling to significantly advance prediction capabilities. AVAPS uses a Global Positioning System (GPS) dropsonde to measure atmospheric state parameters (temperature, humidity, wind speed/direction, pressure) and location in 3-dimensional space during the dropsonde’s descent. The AVAPS dataset files are available from January 12, 2020, through February 28, 2023, in ASCII-ict format.

The GPM Ground Validation Advanced Vertical Atmospheric Profiling System (AVAPS) OLYMPEX dataset contains dropsonde vertical profiles of atmospheric pressure, air temperature, dew point temperature, relative humidity, wind direction and magnitude, and sensor location obtained during the Olympic Mountains Experiment (OLYMPEX). The AVAPS dropsondes were released during specific NASA DC-8 aircraft flights between November 12, 2015 and December 19, 2015. A total of 53 standard research dropsondes were launched in the Pacific ocean off the coast of Washington state collecting atmospheric profile observations. The AVAPS datasets are available in ASCII-eol text format.

The CAMEX-3 DC-8 Navigation Data Acquisition and Distribution System (DADS) data files contain information recorded by navigation and data collection systems onboard the NASA DC-8 aircraft. These data files contain typical navigation data (e.g. date, time, lat/lon, altitude), and meteorological parameters (e.g. wind speed and direction, temperature, saturation vapor pressure) collected in support of the third field campaign in the Convection And Moisture EXperiment (CAMEX) series, CAMEX-3. This field campaign took place from August to September 1998 based out of Patrick Air Force Base in Florida, with the purpose of studying various aspects of tropical cyclones in the region. These data are available in ASCII file format with browse imagery available in GIF file format. Each file contains data recorded at one second intervals for each flight.

CAPAC is a series of three instruments: the Forward Scattering Spectrometer Probe model 300 (FSSP-300), the Two Dimensional Optical Array Probes [Cloud and Precipitation Probes (2D-P)] and the CAPAC video. These instruments flew during CAMEX-3 upon the NASA DC-8 mounted on the left wing. Cloud and aerosol particles were exposed to laser light to measure particle size from 0.3 micrometer to 6.4 millimeter, and both size and shape between 40 micrometer and 6.4 millimeter particle diameter as function of particle size. The size distributions thus determined were integrated to yield particle surface area, and ice and liquid water contents in clouds and precipitation. CAPAC videos are a visual record of the particles and hydrometeors passing through the instrument housing. The purpose of the CAMEX-3 mission was to study hurricanes over land and ocean in the U.S. Gulf of America, Caribbean, and Western Atlantic Ocean in coordination with multiple aircraft and research-quality radar, lightning, radiosonde and rain gauge sites. For further information and to obtain this data, please contact GHRC at support-ghrc@earthdata.nasa.gov