Spatially coordinated airborne data and complementary products for aerosol, gas, cloud, and meteorological studies: the NASA ACTIVATE dataset
Authors: Sorooshian Armin , Alexandrov Mikhail D. , Bell Adam D. , Bennett Ryan , Betito Grace , Burton Sharon P. , Buzanowicz Megan E. , Cairns Brian , Chemyakin Eduard V. , Chen Gao , Choi Yonghoon , Collister Brian L. , Cook Anthony L. , Corral Andrea F. , Crosbie Ewan C. , van Diedenhoven Bastiaan , DiGangi Joshua P. , Diskin Glenn S. , Dmitrovic Sanja , Edwards Eva-Lou , Fenn Marta A. , Ferrare Richard A. , van Gilst David , Hair Johnathan W. , Harper David B. , Hilario Miguel Ricardo A. , Hostetler Chris A. , Jester Nathan , Jones Michael , Kirschler Simon , Kleb Mary M. , Kusterer John M. , Leavor Sean , Lee Joseph W. , Liu Hongyu , McCauley Kayla , Moore Richard H. , Nied Joseph , Notari Anthony , Nowak John B. , Painemal David , Phillips Kasey E. , Robinson Claire E. , Scarino Amy Jo , Schlosser Joseph S. , Seaman Shane T. , Seethala Chellappan , Shingler Taylor J. , Shook Michael A. , Sinclair Kenneth A. , Smith Jr. William L. , Spangenberg Douglas A. , Stamnes Snorre A. , Thornhill Kenneth L. , Voigt Christiane , Vömel Holger , Wasilewski Andrzej P. , Wang Hailong , Winstead Edward L. , Zeider Kira , Zeng Xubin , Zhang Bo , Ziemba Luke D. , Zuidema Paquita 
Published: August 2023

Abstract. The NASA Aerosol Cloud meTeorology Interactions oVer the western
ATlantic Experiment (ACTIVATE) produced a unique dataset for research into
aerosol–cloud–meteorology interactions, with applications extending from
process-based studies to multi-scale model intercomparison and improvement
as well as to remote-sensing algorithm assessments and advancements. ACTIVATE used two
NASA Langley Research Center aircraft, a HU-25 Falcon and King Air, to
conduct systematic and spatially coordinated flights over the northwest
Atlantic Ocean, resulting in 162 joint flights and 17 other single-aircraft
flights between 2020 and 2022 across all seasons. Data cover 574 and 592
cumulative flights hours for the HU-25 Falcon and King Air, respectively. The
HU-25 Falcon conducted profiling at different level legs below, in, and just
above boundary layer clouds (< 3 km) and obtained in situ
measurements of trace gases, aerosol particles, clouds, and atmospheric
state parameters. Under cloud-free conditions, the HU-25 Falcon similarly conducted
profiling at different level legs within and immediately above the boundary
layer. The King Air (the high-flying aircraft) flew at approximately ∼ 9 km and conducted remote sensing with a lidar and polarimeter while also
launching dropsondes (785 in total). Collectively, simultaneous data from both aircraft help to characterize the same vertical column of
the atmosphere. In addition to individual instrument files, data from the
HU-25 Falcon aircraft are combined into “merge files” on the publicly available
data archive that are created at different time resolutions of interest
(e.g., 1, 5, 10, 15, 30, 60 s, or matching an individual data product's start
and stop times). This paper describes the ACTIVATE flight strategy,
instrument and complementary dataset products, data access and usage
details, and data application notes.
The data are publicly accessible through https://doi.org/10.5067/SUBORBITAL/ACTIVATE/DATA001 (ACTIVATE Science Team, 2020).