Latest Aerosol Data from INDOEX
                             R/V Ronald H. Brown

                        last updated: April 4, 2000

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Aerosol Profiles have been generated for 30 minute averages each day of the
cruise. The profiles have been cloud screened. Both Aerosol Extinction
Profiles and Aerosol Backscatter Profiles have been generated.

Note, the aerosol extinction in the marine boundary layer is most likely
overestimated while the aerosol extinction in the upper layer (above ~ 1km)
is most likely underestimated. This problem is due to the assumption of a
constant extinction-backscatter ratio. The aerosol backscatter profiles are
probably more accurate because the backscatter profile is less sensitive to
the extinction-backscatter ratio. If you have further questions please
contact me.

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Data Files of Aerosol Extinction and Backscatter:

in filenames:  ext = extinction profiles,   bks = backscatter profiles

The following files are in ascii. Each file is identical in format, the only
difference is whether the profile contains extinction or backscatter values.

ASCII Data File Format:

   * No header lines (just numbers)
   * 424 rows, 199 columns (tab delim columns, end-of-line at end of each
     row)
   * each row contains data for a 30 minute cloud screened average w/ at
     least one minute of non-cloud signal
   * Column Descriptions:
        o Col 1: Day of Year
        o Col 2: Time in UTC
        o Col 3: Latitude
        o Col 4: Longitude
        o Col 5: Top-of-Uppermost-Aerosol-Layer (km)
        o Col 6: Top-of-Uppermost-Aerosol-Layer Error Bars (km)
        o Col 7: Top-of-Marine-Boundary-Layer (km)
        o Col 8: Aerosol Optical Depth (523 nm)
        o Col 9: Aerosol Optical Depth Error Bars
        o Col 10: Extinction-backscatter Ratio (S-ratio, units of sr)
        o Col 11: Extinction-backscatter Ratio Error Bars
        o Col 12 - Col 105: Aerosol Extinction (1/km) or Backscatter (1/(km
          sr)) at range r
             + Range limits: col 12 is value at 0.075 km, col 105 is value
               at 7.050 km
             + Range Interval: fixed at 0.075 km (ie, 75 m between values in
               profile)
        o Col 106 - Col 199: Aerosol Extinction or Backscatter Error Bars at
          range r
             + Range limits: col 106 is error bar at 0.075 km, col 199 is
               error bar at 7.050 km
             + Range Interval: fixed at 0.075 km (ie, 75 m between error
               bars in profile)

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Contact:
Judd Welton
welton@virl.gsfc.nasa.gov

see also:
http://virl.gsfc.nasa.gov/mpl-net/indoex_ship/exts-condens-remo_gifs/profiles_by_airmass.htm