First ISCCP Regional Experiment (FIRE) Cirrus Phase II University of North Dakota Citation Aircraft 5 Second Data

FIRE_CI2_CITATN_5SEC data are First ISCCP (International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project) Regional Experiment (FIRE) Cirrus 2 University of North Dakota Citation Aircraft 5 Second Data in Native format. The First ISCCP Regional Experiments were designed to improve data products and cloud/radiation parameterizations used in general circulation models (GCMs). Specifically, the goals of FIRE were to: improve 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 investigate the interrelationships between the ISCCP data, GCM parameterizations, and higher space and time resolution cloud data. Four intensive field-observation periods were planned and executed: a cirrus Intensive Field Observation (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 University of North Dakota owns and operates a Cessna Citation II aircraft (N77ND) for the purpose of atmospheric research. This aircraft type has a number of design and performance characteristics which make it an ideal platform for a wide range of atmospheric studies. A series of structural modifications have been made to the basic airplane. These include the following: pylons under the wing tips for a variety of probes in the undisturbed air flow away from the fuselage; a nose boom for wind measurement; a heated radome to prevent ice accumulation on the nose area; special mounts for upward and downward looking radiometers; side-facing camera mounts for time-lapse cameras; optically-flat glass windows for photography; and an air inlet port for air sampling inside the pressurized cabin. The research instrumentation available on the Citation for the second Cirrus IFO is described below.

The data contained in the following file is 1/5 hertz data from the UND Citation II Weather Research Aircraft. Each record has one value of one hundred and thirteen variables. The data order is Number Variable Units:
1. Date yymmdd;
2. True Air Speed meters/sec;
3. INS Ground Speed meters/sec;
4. INS Wind velocity meters/second;
5. Calculated Wind velocity meters/second;
6. INS Wind direction degrees;
7. Calculated Wind direction degrees;
8. INS True heading degrees;
9. Magnetic heading degrees;
10. Drift angle degrees;
11. Pitch angle degrees;
12. Roll angle degrees;
13. Static pressure millibars;
14. INS Altitude meters;
15. Pressure Altitude meters;
16. Vertical acceleration meters/second/second;
17. Air temperature, Rosemount Celsius;
18. Air temperature, Reverse Flow Celsius;
19. Dew Point Celsius;
20. Attack millibars;
21. SideSlip millibars;
22. J. W. Liquid Water grams/cubic-meter;
23. Pitotpressure, Nose millibars;
24. Pitotpressure, Wing millibars;
25. Ice detector volts;
26. Ice detector Liquid WAter grams/cubic-meter;
27. Angle of attack degrees;
28. INS Latitude degrees;
29. INS Longitude degrees;
30. Vertical velocity meters/second;
31. Vertical wind meters/second;
32. Angle of sideslip degrees;
33. Vapor Pressure millibars;
34. Mixing Ratio grams/kilogram;
35. Temperature, Reverse Flow (uncorrected) Celsius;
36. Equivalent Potential Temperature kelvin;
37. Potential Temperature kelvin;
38. Virtual Potential Temperature kelvin;
39. Total Mixing Ratio grams/kilogram;
40. Wet Equivalent Potential Temperature kelvin;
41. Vertical Wind Angle degrees;
42. VOR degrees;
43. DME Nautical Miles;
44. Heater Flag Volts;