Data: CLAMS 2001

Campaign Summary

CAR Data Summary

Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF) Data and Imagery
CLAMS BRDF data Note: under Construction

CAR Mission (Flight) Pages
(Click on flight number or map to load mission page)

10 July 2001 Flight #1870 Atlantic Ocean (Lighthouse BRDF)	12 July 2001 Flight #1871 Atlantic Ocean (Chemistry Profile)	14 July 2001 Flight #1872 NC, Atl.Oc. (Lighthouse BRDF)	16 July 2001 Flight #1873 Atlantic Ocean (Marginal BRDF)
17 July 2001 Flight #1874 NC, VA, Atl.Oc. (Golden Day)	23 July 2001 Flight #1875 Atlantic Ocean (Clear-Sky Overpass)	26 July 2001 Flight #1878 Atlantic Ocean (Clear-Sky Overpass)	30 July 2001 Flight #1879 Atlantic Ocean (Aerosol Profile)
31 July 2001 Flight #1880 NC, VA, Atl.Oc. (BRDF)	2 August 2001 Flight #1882 Atlantic Ocean (BRDF)

Flight track maps by U.Wash.

Campaign Objective
CLAMS is the Chesapeake Lighthouse and Aircraft Measurements for Satellites field campaign sponsored by CERES, MISR, MODIS-Atmospheres and the NASA/GEWEX Global Aerosol Climatology Project (GACP). The centerpiece of CLAMS is the Chesapeake Lighthouse sea platform 20 km east of Virginia Beach, at which NASA and NOAA make continuous, long-term measurements of radiation, meteorology, and ocean waves. Members of the CERES, MISR and MODIS instrument teams are collaborating to accomplish a common set of objectives tied to the validation of EOS data products. A first CLAMS campaign, currently being planned for July 2001 to validate Terra data products, is a shortwave closure experiment targeting clear (cloud-free) sky conditions and focused on obtaining 1. more accurate spectral and broadband radiative fluxes at the surface and within the atmosphere, 2. characterization of ocean optics in the vicinity of the lighthouse, and 3. description of the atmospheric aerosol amounts, micro-physical and optical properties, and their variability. The observation strategy being designed for CLAMS to accomplish these goals will help satisfy a more specific set of objectives which includes validating retrievals of aerosol properties from satellites. These objectives are: 1. comparisons with in-situ measurements, surface-based measurements, and sensor intercomparisons, 2. assessing the impact of scene variability on measurement uncertainty, on ten meter to tem kilometer spatial scales, 3. testing the impact of improved boundary specification using CLAMS measurements, and 4. improving retrievals in sunglint regions. A final object is to derive a more accurate description of the shortwave radiation budget of the cloud-free earth-atmosphere system that includes: 1. improved characterization of ocean optics including BRDF as a function of sun angle, aerosol loading, wind and sea state, 2. assessing the radiative impacts of aerosols, 3. extending the interpretation of CLAMS data to the open ocean

Sample Photographs From Aircraft Vantage
(Click on photograph thumbnail to view a larger version)

Flt.1870 Ship	Flt.1870 Cirrus	Flt.1871 Wake	Flt.1871 Cirrus
Flt.1872 Sunrise	Flt.1872 Aircraft	Flt.1872 Lighthouse	Flt.1872 Coast
Flt.1873 Cirrus	Flt.1873 "Hotspot"	Flt.1874 Lighthouse	Flt.1874 Swamp BRDF

Images by Dr. Charles Gatebe

Level-1B HDF Data Distribution
Data not yet available

Related Web Sites
CLAMS Home Page

Study Area

Select a CLAMS Flight
#1870 | #1871 | #1872 | #1873 | #1874 | #1875 | #1878 | #1879 | #1880 | #1882