The NAMMA DC-8 Dropsonde dataset were collected by the DC-8 dropsonde system, which uses an integrated, highly accurate, GPS-located atmospheric profiling dropsonde measuring and recording current atmospheric conditions in a vertical column below the aircraft. hese dropsondes, also known as dropwindsondes or parachute radiosondes, are small, lightweight (less than 1 lb) cylindrical instruments that fall freely through the atmosphere, slowed somewhat by a small inflatable parachute. These data files were generated during support of the NASA African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analyses (NAMMA) campaign, a field research investigation sponsored by the Science Mission Directorate of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). 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 GRIP DC-8 Dropsonde V3 dataset consists of atmospheric pressure, dry-bulb temperature, dew point temperature, relative humidity, wind direction, wind speed, and fall rate measurements taken during 16 research flights during the Genesis and Rapid Intensification Processes (GRIP) campaign from August 17, 2010 to September 22, 2010. The GRIP campaign was conducted to better understand how tropical storms form and how these storms develop into major hurricanes. The DC-8 Airborne Vertical Atmospheric Profiling System (AVAPS) deploys integrated, highly accurate, GPS-located atmospheric profiling dropsondes to measure and record current atmospheric conditions in a vertical column below the aircraft. The dropsondes are ejected from a tube in the underside of the DC-8 aircraft. As the dropsonde descends to the surface via a parachute, it continuously measures and transmits data to the aircraft using a 400 MHz meteorological band telemetry link. Pressure, temperature and relative humidity, as well as GPS-based wind data were collected from 328 dropsondes. These Dropsonde data are in ASCII-csv file format.

The CAMEX-4 DC-8 Dropsonde System dataset was collected by the DC-8 Dropsonde System (D8D) uses dropwindsonde and Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers to measure the atmospheric state parameters (temperature, humidity, windspeed/direction, pressure, and location in 3 dimensional space during the sonde's descent once each half second. Measurements are transmitted to the aircraft from the time of release until impact with the ocean's surface.

SOLVE1_Analysis_DC8_Data contains modeled trajectories and meteorological data along the flight path for the DC-8 aircraft collected during the SAGE III Ozone Loss and Validation Experiment (SOLVE). Data collection for this product is complete.The SOLVE campaign was a NASA multi-program effort of the Upper Atmosphere Research Program (UARP), Atmospheric Effects of Aviation Project (AEAP), Atmospheric Chemistry Modeling and Analysis Program (ACMAP) and Earth Observing System (EOS) of NASA’s Earth Science Enterprise (ESE). SOLVE’s primary objective was for calibrating and validating the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE) III satellite measurements, while examining the processes that controlled ozone levels at a mid- to high-latitude range. The major goal of SAGE III was to quantitatively assess ozone loss at high latitudes. SOLVE was a two-phase experiment, the first phase, SOLVE, occurred during the fall of 1999 through the spring of 2000. The second phase, SOLVE II, occurred during the winter of 2003.SOLVE took place in the Arctic high-latitude region during the winter. The polar ozone depletion processes cause by human-produced chlorine and bromine are most active in mid-to-late winter and early spring in the high Arctic. In order to conduct this validation experiment, NASA deployed the NASA ER-2 aircraft and NASA DC-8 aircraft. The ER-2 measured a variety of atmospheric data, including ozone (O3), H2O, CO2, ClONO2, HCl, ClO/BrO, and Cl2O2. The DC-8 aircraft measured ozone, ClO/BrO, and aerosol, among other atmospheric data. SOLVE also utilized balloon platforms, ground-based instruments, and collaborations with the German Aerospace Center’s (DLR) FALCON aircraft equipped with the OLEX Lidar to achieve the mission objectives. Overall, the campaign had 28 flights, with SOLVE featuring 17 total flights among the different aircrafts and SOLVE II featuring 11 flights.

The DC-8 Meteorological and Navigation Data CPEX-AW dataset is a subset of airborne measurements that include GPS positioning and trajectory data, aircraft orientation, and atmospheric state measurements of temperature, pressure, water vapor, and horizontal winds. These measurements were taken from the NASA DC-8 aircraft during the Convective Processes Experiment – Aerosols & Winds (CPEX-AW) field campaign. CPEX-AW was a joint effort between the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the European Space Agency (ESA) with the primary goal of conducting a post-launch calibration and validation activities of the Atmospheric Dynamics Mission-Aeolus (ADM-AEOLUS) Earth observation wind Lidar satellite in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. Data are available from August 17, 2021 through September 4, 2021 in ASCII format.

The NAMMA Raw DC-8 Dropsonde dataset consists of high-resolution vertical profiles of ambient pressure, temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and wind direction obtained by the DC-8 dropsonde system during the NASA African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analyses (NAMMA) field campaign. The NAMMA field campaign was based in the Cape Verde Island, 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 DC-8 dropsonde system uses an integrated, highly accurate, Global Positioning System (GPS)-located atmospheric profiling dropsonde measuring and recording current atmospheric conditions in a vertical column below the aircraft. Data files are available in ASCII format for the period of August 7, 2006 through September 12, 2006.

DC3_MetNav_AircraftInSitu_NSF-GV-HIAPER_Data are in-situ meteorological and navigational data collected onboard the NSF/NCAR GV-HIAPER aircraft during the Deep Convective Clouds and Chemistry (DC3) field campaign. Data collection for this product is complete.The Deep Convective Clouds and Chemistry (DC3) field campaign sought to understand the dynamical, physical, and lightning processes of deep, mid-latitude continental convective clouds and to define the impact of these clouds on upper tropospheric composition and chemistry. DC3 was conducted from May to June 2012 with a base location of Salina, Kansas. Observations were conducted in northeastern Colorado, west Texas to central Oklahoma, and northern Alabama in order to provide a wide geographic sample of storm types and boundary layer compositions, as well as to sample convection.DC3 had two primary science objectives. The first was to investigate storm dynamics and physics, lightning and its production of nitrogen oxides, cloud hydrometeor effects on wet deposition of species, surface emission variability, and chemistry in anvil clouds. Observations related to this objective focused on the early stages of active convection. The second objective was to investigate changes in upper tropospheric chemistry and composition after active convection. Observations related to this objective focused on the 12-48 hours following convection. This objective also served to explore seasonal change of upper tropospheric chemistry.In addition to using the NSF/NCAR Gulfstream-V (GV) aircraft, the NASA DC-8 was used during DC3 to provide in-situ measurements of the convective storm inflow and remotely-sensed measurements used for flight planning and column characterization. DC3 utilized ground-based radar networks spread across its observation area to measure the physical and kinematic characteristics of storms. Additional sampling strategies relied on lightning mapping arrays, radiosondes, and precipitation collection. Lastly, DC3 used data collected from various satellite instruments to achieve its goals, focusing on measurements from CALIOP onboard CALIPSO and CPL onboard CloudSat. In addition to providing an extensive set of data related to deep, mid-latitude continental convective clouds and analyzing their impacts on upper tropospheric composition and chemistry, DC3 improved models used to predict convective transport. DC3 improved knowledge of convection and chemistry, and provided information necessary to understanding the processes relating to ozone in the upper troposphere.

SOLVE2_Analysis_DC8_Data contains modeled trajectories and meteorological data along the flight path for the DC-8 aircraft collected during the SAGE III Ozone Loss and Validation Experiment II (SOLVE II). Data collection for this product is complete.The SOLVE campaign was a NASA multi-program effort of the Upper Atmosphere Research Program (UARP), Atmospheric Effects of Aviation Project (AEAP), Atmospheric Chemistry Modeling and Analysis Program (ACMAP) and Earth Observing System (EOS) of NASA’s Earth Science Enterprise (ESE). SOLVE’s primary objective was for calibrating and validating the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE) III satellite measurements, while examining the processes that controlled ozone levels at a mid- to high-latitude range. The major goal of SAGE III was to quantitatively assess ozone loss at high latitudes. SOLVE was a two-phase experiment, the first phase, SOLVE, occurred during the fall of 1999 through the spring of 2000. The second phase, SOLVE II, occurred during the winter of 2003.SOLVE took place in the Arctic high-latitude region during the winter. The polar ozone depletion processes cause by human-produced chlorine and bromine are most active in mid-to-late winter and early spring in the high Arctic. In order to conduct this validation experiment, NASA deployed the NASA ER-2 aircraft and NASA DC-8 aircraft. The ER-2 measured a variety of atmospheric data, including ozone (O3), H2O, CO2, ClONO2, HCl, ClO/BrO, and Cl2O2. The DC-8 aircraft measured ozone, ClO/BrO, and aerosol, among other atmospheric data. SOLVE also utilized balloon platforms, ground-based instruments, and collaborations with the German Aerospace Center’s (DLR) FALCON aircraft equipped with the OLEX Lidar to achieve the mission objectives. Overall, the campaign had 28 flights, with SOLVE featuring 17 total flights among the different aircrafts and SOLVE II featuring 11 flights.

PEM-West-A_MetNav_AircraftInSitu_DC8_Data is the in situ meteorology and navigation data collected onboard the DC-8 aircraft during the Pacific Exploratory Mission (PEM) West A suborbital campaign. Data from the DC-8 Data Acquisition and Distribution System is featured in this collection. Data collection for this product is complete.During 1983-2001, NASA conducted a collection of field campaigns as a part of the Global Tropospheric Experiment (GTE) for developing advanced instrumentation to quantify atmospheric trace gases’ sources, sinks, and distribution. Among those was PEM, which intended to improve the scientific understanding of human influence on tropospheric chemistry. Part of the PEM field campaigns (PEM-West) were conducted over the northwestern Pacific region, considered the only major region in the northern hemisphere that is “relatively” free from direct anthropogenic influences. PEM-West was a part of the East Asian/North Pacific Regional Study (APARE). The overarching objectives of PEM-West were 1) to investigate the atmospheric chemistry of ozone (O3) and its precursors over the northwestern Pacific, including the examination of their natural budgets as well as the impact of anthropogenic sources; and 2) to investigate the atmospheric sulfur cycle over the region with emphasis on the relative importance and influence of continental vs marine sulfur sources. The two phases of PEM-West were conducted during differing seasons due to contrasting tropospheric outflow from Asia. The first phase, PEM-West A, was conducted over the western Pacific region off the eastern coast of Asia from September-October 1991, a season characterized by the predominance of flow from mid-Pacific regions. The second phase, PEM-West B, was conducted from February-March 1994, a period characterized by maximum air mass outflow. To accomplish its objectives, the PEM-West campaign deployed the NASA DC-8 aircraft across the northwestern Pacific to gather latitudinal, longitudinal, and vertical profile sampling, as well as extensive sampling in both the marine boundary layer and free troposphere. The aircraft was equipped with a comprehensive suite of in-situ instrument packages for characterization of photochemical precursors, intermediate products, and airmass tracers, including O3, nitric oxide (NO), peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN), nitrogen oxides (NOy), nonmethane hydrocarbons (NMHCs), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), acetic acid (CH3OOH), carbon monoxide (CO), and formaldehyde (CH2O). Collectively, these measurements enabled the analyses of the photochemical production/destruction of O3 and the distribution of precursor species. In addition, the DC-8 was equipped with instruments for collecting sulfur measurements, including dimethyl sulfide (DMS), carbonyl sulfide (COS), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and carbon disulfide (CS2). Instruments that collected aerosol composition and microphysical properties were also aboard the DC-8. Both missions deployed a Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) system for measurements of O3 vertical profiles above and below the aircraft. One highlight of the project was that flight nine of PEM-West A flew over Typhoon Mireille while it made landfall on the coast of Japan. This allowed for a flight by the DC-8 to study the role of typhoons in the transport of trace gases. Detailed descriptions related to the motivation, implementation, and instrument payloads are available in the PEM-West A overview paper and the PEM-West B overview paper. A collection of the publications based on PEM-West A and B observation are available in the Journal of Geophysical Research special issues: Pacific Exploratory Mission-West Phase A and Pacific Exploratory Mission-West, Phase B (PEM-West B).