Data: INTEX-B

Campaign Summary

CAR Data Summary

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

Flight # 1905   2006-03-03	Flight # 1906   2006-03-05	Flight # 1907   2006-03-06
Flight # 1908   2006-03-08 No Image Available	Flight # 1909   2006-03-10	Flight # 1910   2006-03-10
Flight # 1911   2006-03-11	Flight # 1912   2006-03-12	Flight # 1913   2006-03-13
Flight # 1914   2006-03-15	Flight # 1915   2006-03-17	Flight # 1916   2006-03-18
Flight # 1917   2006-03-19	Flight # 1918   2006-03-20

Campaign Objective
INTEX-B (Intercontinental Chemical Transport Experiment–Phase B) focuses on the long-range transport of pollution, global atmospheric photochemistry, and the effects of aerosols and clouds on radiation and climate. It has two phases: phase 1 of the study was performed in Mexico from March 1-20, 2006, and phase 2 was performed in April and May and focused on Asian City pollution outflow over the western Pacific.

INTEX-B was one of four measurements campaigns that are linked under one umbrella known as MILAGRO (Megacity Initiative: Local and Global Research Observations). The other three campaigns are MCMA-2006 (Mexico City Metropolitan Area-2006), MAX-Mex (Megacity Aerosol Experiment), and MIRAGE-Mex (Megacity Impacts on Regional and Global Environments). MCMA-2006 focuses on air quality issues of the Mexico City, including the evaluation and design of policies intended to reduce pollutant levels. Max-Mex focuses on atmospheric aerosols, especially their transport, transformation, and chemical and optical properties. MIRAGE-Mex aims to characterize the chemical and physical transformations of the gaseous and particulate pollutants exported from a megacity, and to evaluate their effects on regional and global atmospheric composition and climate.

MILAGRO emphasizes measurements of trace gases, aerosols, and atmospheric state variables in order to increase understanding of atmospheric processes that leads to formation of secondary aerosols from precursor gases, and the transport and transformation of theses gases and aerosols on local, regional and global scales. Application of models is emphasized to help integrate this vast amount of information and provide new insights on the chemistry of the atmosphere in a large urbanized region, as well as the impact of these on larger geographical scales.

MILAGRO measurements were taken between March 1 - 30, 2006 in Mexico. The measurements were conducted with a wide range of instruments at ground sites, on aircraft, and satellites. The main ground locations are at: the Instituto Mexicano del Petrleo (“T0”), the Universidad Tecnolgica de Tecmac (“T1”) and Rancho La Bisnaga (“T2”). The designations “T0”, “T1”, and “T2” refer to transport of the urban plume to different points in space and time. At some sites sondes and balloons with instruments to measure meteorological parameters, ozone, and hydrocarbons, were used. Additional platforms in or near Mexico City include mobile vans containing scientific laboratories, as well as mobile and stationary upward-looking lasers (lidars).

Six instrumented research aircraft (NASA DC-8, King Air B-200, and Sky Research Jetstream-31, US Department of Energy Gulfstream-G1, US National Science Foundation/National Center for Atmospheric Research C-130, and US Forest Service Twin Otter) participated in MILAGRO. Five aircraft were based in Veracruz, Mexico, and one, DC-8, in Houston, Texas.

The CAR flew aboard Sky Research Jetstream-31 and measured spectral and angular distribution of scattered light by clouds and aerosols, and provided bidirectional reflectance of various surfaces, and imagery of cloud and Earth surface features.

The CAR was funded by NASA Radiation Science Program (Dr. Hal Maring).