This README file describes the format of the 14-channel Ames Airborne Tracking 
Sunphotometer (AATS-14) H2O vertical profile results obtained during ACE-Asia aboard
the CIRPAS Twin Otter.

The filenaming convention is

CIRxx_A14_ddMonyy_hhmm_pw.asc

where xx=flightnumber, A14 (for AATS-14), date (on which file was started), start time of profile (UTC hhmm) "p" for profile,
and "w" for water.
 
Times can be larger than 24UTC if the file was started on the previous day. 

The data are Q/A-ed and obstructions by clouds or aircraft structures have been removed

Versions are explained in revision.txt

The exact format is described in the header of each file.

The files are pretty much self explanatory. But please do not hesitate to e-mail us for questions.


The retrieval algorithms are described in:

Russell, P. B., J. M. Livingston, E. G. Dutton, R. F. Puschel, J. A. Reagan,
T. E. Defoor, M. A. Box, D. Allen, P. Pilewski, B. M. Herman, S. A. Kinne, and 
D. J. Hofmann, 1993: "Pinatubo and Pre-Pinatubo Optical-Depth Spectra: Mauna Loa
Measurements, Comparisons, Inferred Particle Size Distributions, Radiative Effects,
and Relationsship to Lidar Data". Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol. 98, No. D12,
22'969-22'985.

Schmid B., C. Mätzler, A. Heimo, and N. Kämpfer, 1997: Retrieval of Optical Depth
and Size Distribution of Tropospheric and Stratospheric Aerosols by Means of Sun 
Photometry. IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, Vol 35, No. 1, 172-182.

Schmid, B., J. M. Livingston, P. B. Russell, P. A. Durkee, H. H. Jonsson, D. R. Collins,
R. C. Flagan, J. H. Seinfeld, S. Gassó, D. A. Hegg, E. Öström, K. J. Noone, E. J. Welton,
K. J. Voss, H. R. Gordon, P. Formenti, and M. O. Andreae, Clear sky closure studies of
lower tropospheric aerosol and water vapor during ACE 2 using airborne sunphotometer,
airborne in-situ, space-borne, and ground-based measurements, Tellus, B 52, 568-593, 2000.

Schmid B., J.J. Michalsky, D.W. Slater, J.C. Barnard, R.N. Halthore, J.C. Liljegren,
B.N. Holben, T.F. Eck, J.M. Livingston, P.B. Russell, T. Ingold, and I. Slutsker.
Comparison of columnar water-vapor measurements from solar transmittance methods.
Applied Optics, Vol. 40, No. 12, 1886-1896 (2001).



Point of contact:

Beat Schmid/Jens Redemann/Phil Russell/John Livingston
NASA Ames Research Center
MS 245-5
Moffett Field, CA 94035-1000

Phone: +1 650 604 5933
Fax:   +1 650 604 3625
e-mail: bschmid@mail.arc.nasa.gov

Check out our Web site http://geo.arc.nasa.gov/sgg/AATS-website/ regularly for updates.