The Observing-system Research and predictability experiment ER2 MODIS Airborne Simulator

THORPEX_ER2_MAS data are THe Observing-system Research and Predictability EXperiment (THORPEX) ER_2 MODIS Airborne Simulator (MAS) Data in HDF covering Hawaii and the Pacific Ocean.THe Observing-system Research and predictability experiment (THORpex) is a ten-year international research program where the primary objective is to accelerate improvements in short range weather predictions and warnings over the Northern Hemisphere. The fifth in an ongoing series of ER-2 field experiments, THORpex is the primary over-water validation experiment for the GIFTS (Geosynchronous Imaging Fourier Transform Spectrometer) satellite. The MODIS Airborne Simulator (MAS) is an airborne scanning spectrometer that acquires high spatial resolution imagery of cloud and surface features from its vantage point on-board a NASA ER-2 high-altitude research aircraft. The MAS spectrometer acquires high spatial resolution imagery in the range of 0.55 to 14.3 microns. A total of 50 spectral bands are available in this range. A 50-channel digitizer which records all 50 spectral bands at 12 bit resolution became operational in January 1995. The MAS spectrometer is mated to a scanner sub-assembly which collects image data with an IFOV of 2.5 mrad, giving a ground resolution of 50 meters from 20000 meters altitude, and a cross track scan width of 85.92 degrees.