First ISCCP Regional Experiment (FIRE) Cirrus 1 Surface Radiation Budget (SRB) Data over Canada

The First ISCCP Regional Experiments have been designed to improve data products and cloud/radiation parameterizations used in general circulation models (GCMs). Specifically, the goals of FIRE are (1) 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 (2) to investigate the interrelationships between the ISCCP data, GCM parameterizations, and higher space and time resolution cloud data.To-date, four intensive field-observation periods were planned and executed: a cirrus 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. Results from ISCCP analysis of B3 radiance data (sampled to 25 km). Unlike the standard ISCCP product, these data are reported at original pixel resolution and contain detailed information about the algorithm decision. Data covers the region from: 40 degrees North to 90 degrees North (+40 to +90), 70 degrees West to 110 degrees West (-70 to -110). (Polar projection covers 55S - 90S or 55N - 90N, maximum; Midlatitude maps cover 55S to 55N, maximum.)Spatially sampled imaging data. Nominal spatial resolution is 25 km. Pixel field of view is 4 km (NOAA data). Earth location (latitude +/- 90 degrees, longitude +/- 180 degrees) is obtained for each pixel from ancillary data.