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 LiDAR Atmospheric Sensing Experiment (LASE) Imagery dataset is a browse-only dataset that consists of plotted reflectivity data collected by the LiDAR Atmospheric Sensing Experiment (LASE) during 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 the various aspects of tropical cyclones in the region. The LiDAR was mounted onboard the NASA DC-8 aircraft, and the daily browse files are available from August 21 through September 5, 1998 in GIF format.

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. 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.

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

The CAMEX-4 MIPS Ceilometer dataset was collected by the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) Mobile Integrated Profiling System (MIPS), which is a mobile atmospheric profiling system. It includes a 915 MHz Doppler profiler, lidar ceilometer, 12 channel Microwave Profiling Radiometer (MPR), Doppler Sodar, Radio Acoustic Sounding System (RASS), Field Mills, and surface observing station. This dataset contains 15 minute averaged 3-D wind profiles.The ceilometer gathered backscatter power and up to three cloud base heights.

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.

In support of the third Convection and Moisture Experiment (CAMEX-3), imagery from the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite 8 (GOES-8) was collected and archived. Three channels were archived: channel 1-- visible (0.65 microns), channel 2-- infrared (11 microns) and channel 3, which is known as the water vapor channel (6.75 microns).