DATA VISUALIZATION
• + Synergy Tool
• + Map Explorer

AEROSOL OPTICAL DEPTH (V3)-SOLAR
• + Data Display
• + Download Tool
• + Download All Sites
• + Climatology Tables
• + Web Service

AEROSOL INVERSIONS (V3)
• + Data Display
• + Download Tool
• + Download All Sites
• + Web Service

SOLAR FLUX
• + Data Display

OCEAN COLOR
• + V3 Data Display
• + V3 Web Service
• + Download All Sites

LUNAR AOD (V3) - PROVISIONAL
• + Data Display
• + Download Tool
• + Download All Sites
• + Web Service

ZENITH RADIANCE (V3)
• + Web Service
CLOUD MODE (V2) - PROVISIONAL
• + Data Display

Aerosol measurement observations from ground-based sun photometers and sun/sky radiometers have played a critical role in developing, reformulating and validating satellite algorithms to characterize aerosol optical depth, modal aerosol retrievals and single scattering albedo among other parameters.   New and improved algorithms are being developed for current and future satellite missions that will place a greater demand on the accuracy and fidelity of the ground-based measurements for validation, multi data set synergism and long-term climate research.  Heretofore satellite validation studies using sun and sky scanning spectral radiometer measurements such as AERONET have relied on point observations extrapolated to a two dimensional domain to compare to the satellite retrieval.  Additionally few of the ground-based remote sensing measurements have had a rigorous comparison or validation against other ground-based measurements particularly in situ observations of aerosol size and absorption.  DRAGON campaigns will provide a data set to address satellite validation and in situ comparisons.

+ DRAGON White Paper

• Establish a mesoscale gridded network of sun photometers that encompasses, urban, agricultural, and maritime landscapes over the Houston metropolitan region of Texas
• Optimize the grid to validate/collaborate inversion products in conjunction with aircraft flights performing in situ measurements
• Optimize the gridded network to validate satellite retrievals from 50 m to 10 Km pixel resolution
• Supplement the gridded network with non gridded sites to capture aerosol variability
• Develop a geo-referenced database that will accommodate supplementary/complimentary data sets

The HD(CP)2 project will explore how different representations of atmospheric processes at their relevant (and usually small) spatial and temporal scales contribute to the overall skill in modeling clouds and precipitation. The observational component HOPE (HD(CP)2 Observational Prototype Experiment) was conducted in spring 2013 to provide input and evaluation data to high resolution (cloud) modeling. Measurements were done at such high resolution that even sub-grid variability in large eddy simulations (LES) can be addressed. By concentrating ground remote sensing instruments with coordinated scanning procedures within a small 10x10km area, HOPE measurements were intended to capture the properties of lower altitude clouds and their environment, especially during the developing stages of clouds and during the onset of precipitation.

The HOPE experiment was conducted from April to June 2013 near Jülich, about 50 km west of Cologne, Germany. Within the 10x10km center area during the experiment, in addition to one permanent site (JOYCE), two temporary sites (HOPE_Krauthausen, HOPE_Hambach) were established. All three sites were equipped with scanning lidar, radar and microwave instruments. In support of the HOPE campaign, the, AERONET group (at NASA-GSFC) provided four Cimel sun-/sky-photometer instruments. Two of the instruments were placed at the two temporary sites (HOPE_Krauthausen, HOPE_Hambach) as an AERONET Cimel is already established at the third (JOYCE) site. This assured RAMAN lidar systems at all three sites were complemented by CIMEL-sun-/sky-photometer sampling. The other two CIMEL instruments were deployed ca. 30km WSW upwind (RTHW_Aachen) and ca. 30km downwind ENE (HOPE_Inselhombroich) of the central facilities, to capture the larger scale (aerosol) variability.

Figure 1. DRAGON-Germany 2013 Site Distribution Download KMZ file.

DRAGON Text Lists

+ Level 1.0 AOD Data (TXT)
+ Level 1.5 AOD Data (TXT)
+ Level 2.0 AOD Data (TXT)

DRAGON Google Earth Distribution

+ Level 1.0 AOD Data (Google Earth KMZ)
+ Level 1.5 AOD Data (Google Earth KMZ)
+ Level 2.0 AOD Data (Google Earth KMZ)