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First ISCCP Regional Experiment (FIRE) Marine Stratocumulus NASA ER-2 Cloud Lidar System Data

Published by NASA/LARC/SD/ASDC | National Aeronautics and Space Administration | Catalog Last Checked: May 18, 2026 at 03:38 PM | Dataset Last Updated: May 11, 2026
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 seek the 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 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. This data set contains cloud top height and ground height calculations from the NASA ER-2 Cloud Lidar System (CLS). These data were collected during the FIRE Marine Stratocumulus experiment in July 1987; the parameters collected included time, position, and plane height. Undetected cloud tops and ground heights are signified by values of -9.9 after decoding.

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Complete Metadata
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description 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 seek the 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 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. This data set contains cloud top height and ground height calculations from the NASA ER-2 Cloud Lidar System (CLS). These data were collected during the FIRE Marine Stratocumulus experiment in July 1987; the parameters collected included time, position, and plane height. Undetected cloud tops and ground heights are signified by values of -9.9 after decoding.
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identifier 10.5067/ASDC_DAAC/FIRE/0127
keyword 
                                            [
  "earth-science-altitude-atmosphere-station-height",
  "earth-science-clouds-atmosphere-cloud-properties-cloud-height",
  "earth-science-clouds-atmosphere-cloud-types"
]
license https://www.usa.gov/government-works
modified 2026-05-11
programCode 
                                            [
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]
publisher 
                                            {
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  "@type": "org:Organization"
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spatial 
                                            "["CARTESIAN",[{"Boundary":{"Points":[{"Latitude":30.2,"Longitude":-124.98},{"Latitude":30.2,"Longitude":-118.37},{"Latitude":39.87,"Longitude":-118.37},{"Latitude":39.87,"Longitude":-124.98},{"Latitude":30.2,"Longitude":-124.98}]}}]]"
temporal 1987-07-08/1987-07-18
theme 
                                            [
  "Earth Science"
]
title First ISCCP Regional Experiment (FIRE) Marine Stratocumulus NASA ER-2 Cloud Lidar System Data

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