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    • Cloud Camera Data (FIFE)

    Metadata Updated: February 6, 2026

    The FIFE Cloud Camera Data Data Set was collected to document distribution of clouds during FIFE, evaluate algorithms for identifying presence of thin cirrus, and popcorn cumulus clouds, and evaluate the impact of these clouds on retrieval of surface fluxes from satellite data. Clouds could be remotely sensed from both the surface and from satellites. Unlike surface properties, cloud parameters are incompletely retrieved from above or below; there is no ground truth for cloud retrieval algorithms. A camera fitted with a whole-sky ("fish-eye") lens and positioned so that it points directly upwards can capture a full horizon-to-horizon image of the sky dome. Careful film and filter combinations permit differentiation of cloud types. The mathematical mapping of a spherical surface onto a flat surface uses nomenclature from the cartographic community, where the development of techniques for mapping the surface of the earth has a long history. Cartographic projections are precise, mathematically defined 'mappings' and, as a consequence, this nomenclature has been adopted in describing whole-sky camera photographs (Herbert 1986; McGuffie and Henderson-Sellers 1989). Analysis of the camera data showed considerable temporal variability indicating that synoptic observation of cloud was not adequate. There is indication that the NOAA station report convention (clear, scattered, broken, and overcast) from the nearest synoptic NOAA surface stations (Manhattan Airport, and Fort Riley airfield) were used instead of true okta cloud observations, in the NOAA data.

    Access & Use Information

    Public: This dataset is intended for public access and use. License: No license information was provided. If this work was prepared by an officer or employee of the United States government as part of that person's official duties it is considered a U.S. Government Work.

    Downloads & Resources

    Dates

    Metadata Created Date April 11, 2025
    Metadata Updated Date February 6, 2026

    Metadata Source

    Harvested from NASA Data.json

    Other Data Resources

    Additional Metadata

    Resource Type Dataset
    Metadata Created Date April 11, 2025
    Metadata Updated Date February 6, 2026
    Publisher ORNL_DAAC
    Maintainer
    Identifier 10.3334/ORNLDAAC/28
    Data Last Modified 2026-02-03
    Category Earth Science
    Public Access Level public
    Bureau Code 026:00
    Metadata Context https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema/catalog.jsonld
    Schema Version https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema
    Catalog Describedby https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema/catalog.json
    Harvest Object Id 558e4d93-390e-43c0-8cc2-d80cb40fc3cb
    Harvest Source Id 58f92550-7a01-4f00-b1b2-8dc953bd598f
    Harvest Source Title NASA Data.json
    Homepage URL https://search.earthdata.nasa.gov/search?q=fife_sur_met_cld_cam_28&ac=true
    Old Spatial {"WestBoundingCoordinate":-96.56,"NorthBoundingCoordinate":39.08,"EastBoundingCoordinate":-96.56,"SouthBoundingCoordinate":39.08},"CARTESIAN"
    Program Code 026:000
    Source Datajson Identifier True
    Source Hash 392b96032028ef7176fb7ce4d16afb10465846262a2c5398262c5fdfe05d9c0a
    Source Schema Version 1.1
    Spatial
    Temporal 1987-03-05/1987-03-05

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