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GACP Field Campaigns

Chesapeake Lighthouse and Aircraft Measurements for Satellites (CLAMS)

This is a description of CLAMS, an aircraft field campaign during summer 2001 over the CERES Ocean Valiation Experiment (COVE) sea platform. CLAMS is a clear sky, shortwave (SW) closure campaign sponsored by CERES, MISR, MODIS-Atmospheres, and GACP.
It seeks more accurate

  • broadband fluxes at sea surface and within atmosphere
  • spectral BRDF of sea surface
  • retrievals of aerosols by satellites
  • description of radiative impacts of aerosols

CLAMS will include:

  1. continuous, long term COVE platform measurements,
  2. OV-10 and ER-2 with instruments that we're pretty sure are coming,
  3. and possibly other aircraft (CV-580) and other instruments (on OV-10, ER-2, or sea platform).

(1) Continuous, long term COVE platform measurements include BSRN (upwelling and downwelling broadband, SW and LW), AERONET, scans for sea reflected spectral SW radiances (SP1A), meteorological parameters, and sea state (downlooking NOAA laser rangefinder). Broadband SW is specially corrected for IR offset using dome thermistors. Automatic spray washing of radiation instruments.

(2) OV-10 (low level aircraft) with uplooking and downlooking spectral fluxes (~1000 channels) and broadband fluxes; directional scanning for spectral SW radiances (i.e., BRDF) likely by summer 2001; some flights coincide with Terra overpass, others at different times to catch various sun angles. ER-2 (at 20 km) with AirMISR will have fewer (2-6) flights and coincide with clear sky Terra overpasses.

(3) Instruments are being discussed with Vanderlei Martins, Lorraine Remer, and Mike King of MODIS-Atmospheres; interests include MAS, CLS (lidar), SSFR (spectral flux), and the new LAS (imager) on the ER-2; CV-580 with PCASP, FSSP, and chemistry (in situ sensors); CV-580 SSFR and AATS-14 (photometer). Other instruments will be be at the COVE sea platform itself.

Tom Charlock is the CERES liaison for CLAMS, and Ralph Kahn is the MISR liaison. The COVE site scientist is Ken Rutledge. Bill Smith, Jr. will lead the OV-10.

Dr. Thomas P. Charlock, e-mail t.p.charlock@larc.nasa.gov August 15, 2000