DCMEX (Deep Convective Microphysics Experiment): in-situ airborne observations by the UK FAAM BAE-146 aircraft

Airborne atmospheric measurements were conducted aboard the UK FAAM (Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurements) BAE-146 aircraft as part of the DCMEX project (Deep Convective Microphysics Experiment, July to August, 2022). The DCMEX campaign provided coordinated and comprehensive observations of aerosols, cloud microphysics, and thermodynamics of the deep convective system over the Magdalena Mountains, New Mexico. 

Associated datasets are also available at: Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurements; Finney, D.; Blyth, A.; Gallagher, M.; Wu, H.; Nott, G.J.; Biggerstaff, M.; Sonnenfeld, R.G.; Daily, M.; Walker, D.; Dufton, D.; Bower, K.N.; Boeing, S.; Choularton, T.W.; Crosier, J.; Groves, J.; Field, P.; Coe, H.; Murray, B.J.; Lloyd, G.; Marsden, N.A.; Flynn, M.; Hu, K.; Thamban, N.M.; Williams, P.I.; Connolly, P.J.; McQuaid, J.B.; Robinson, J.; Cui, Z.; Burton, R.R.; Carrie, G.; Moore, R.; Abel, S.J.; Tiddeman, D.; Aulich, G.; Bennecke, D.; Kelsey, V.; Reger, R.S.; Nowakowska, K.; Bassford, J.; Morris, F.; Hampton, J. (2022): DCMEX: Collection of in-situ airborne observations, ground-based meteorological and aerosol measurements and cloud imagery for the Deep Convective Microphysics Experiment. NERC EDS Centre for Environmental Data Analysis, 30 April 2024. doi:10.5285/B1211AD185E24B488D41DD98F957506C. https://dx.doi.org/10.5285/B1211AD185E24B488D41DD98F957506C

This dataset consists of several measurement outputs, categorized as follows:

"core_faam_CLARIFY.zip": includes measurements from the core instrument suite for each scientific flight. These instruments measure key atmospheric dynamics and thermodynamic variables, such as wind speed and direction, temperature (T), and humidity.

"core-cloud-phy_faam_CLARIFY.zip": includes measurements from a wing-mounted Passive Cavity Aerosol Spectrometer Probe (PCASP) and a Cloud Droplet Probe (CDP) for each scientific flight. The PCASP resolved number concentrations at 5-Hz resolution, across 30 diameter bins between 0.1 and 3 µm. The CDP measures cloud droplet particles at 25-Hz resolution, and in 30 bins over a nominal size range of 2–50 µm.

"smps_man_CLARIFY.zip": includes measurements of aerosol number size distributions from a Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS). The SMPS connects a low-pressure water-based condensation particle counter (WCPC model 3786-LP) to a TSI 3081 differential mobility analyser (DMA). It provides aerosol size distribution within the mobility diameter range of 20 to 350 nm, across 40 logarithmically spaced bins.

"AMS_man_CLARIFY.zip": includes measurements from a compact time-of-flight aerosol mass spectrometer (C-ToF-AMS, Aerodyne Research Inc.) for each scientific flight, which measures mass concentrations of organic, sulfate, nitrate, and ammonium.

"SP2_man_CLARIFY.zip": includes measurements from the Single Particle Soot Photometer (SP2) for each scientific flight, which measures black carbon content in individual airborne aerosol particles. The SP2 can measure the refractory black carbon (hereafter referred to as BC) containing particles with an equivalent spherical diameter in the range of 70–850 nm.

"dropsonde_faam_DCMEX.zip": includes measurements from the Vaisala Dropsonde RD93, which is a general-purpose dropsonde for high-altitude deployment from a variety of aircraft. Slowed in its descent through the atmosphere by a special parachute, the RD93 measures the atmospheric profiles of pressure, temperature, relative humidity, and wind from the point of launch to the ground.