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Advanced Vertical Atmospheric Profiling System Dropsondes (AVAPS) IMPACTS

Published by NASA/MSFC/GHRC | National Aeronautics and Space Administration | Metadata Last Checked: August 10, 2025 | Last Modified: 2025-08-06
The Advanced Vertical Atmospheric Profiling System (AVAPS) IMPACTS dataset consists of vertical atmospheric profile measurements collected by the Advanced Vertical Atmospheric Profiling System (AVAPS) dropsondes released from the NASA P-3 aircraft during the Investigation of Microphysics and Precipitation for Atlantic Coast-Threatening Snowstorms (IMPACTS) field campaign. IMPACTS was a three-year sequence of winter season deployments conducted to study snowstorms over the U.S Atlantic Coast (2020-2023). The campaign aimed to (1) Provide observations critical to understanding the mechanisms of snowband formation, organization, and evolution; (2) Examine how the microphysical characteristics and likely growth mechanisms of snow particles vary across snowbands; and (3) Improve snowfall remote sensing interpretation and modeling to significantly advance prediction capabilities. AVAPS uses a Global Positioning System (GPS) dropsonde to measure atmospheric state parameters (temperature, humidity, wind speed/direction, pressure) and location in 3-dimensional space during the dropsonde’s descent. The AVAPS dataset files are available from January 12, 2020, through February 28, 2023, in ASCII-ict format.

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Complete Metadata
@type dcat:Dataset
accessLevel public
bureauCode 
                                            [
  "026:00"
]
contactPoint 
                                            {
  "fn": "Earthdata Forum",
  "@type": "vcard:Contact",
  "hasEmail": "mailto:earthdata-support@nasa.gov"
}
description The Advanced Vertical Atmospheric Profiling System (AVAPS) IMPACTS dataset consists of vertical atmospheric profile measurements collected by the Advanced Vertical Atmospheric Profiling System (AVAPS) dropsondes released from the NASA P-3 aircraft during the Investigation of Microphysics and Precipitation for Atlantic Coast-Threatening Snowstorms (IMPACTS) field campaign. IMPACTS was a three-year sequence of winter season deployments conducted to study snowstorms over the U.S Atlantic Coast (2020-2023). The campaign aimed to (1) Provide observations critical to understanding the mechanisms of snowband formation, organization, and evolution; (2) Examine how the microphysical characteristics and likely growth mechanisms of snow particles vary across snowbands; and (3) Improve snowfall remote sensing interpretation and modeling to significantly advance prediction capabilities. AVAPS uses a Global Positioning System (GPS) dropsonde to measure atmospheric state parameters (temperature, humidity, wind speed/direction, pressure) and location in 3-dimensional space during the dropsonde’s descent. The AVAPS dataset files are available from January 12, 2020, through February 28, 2023, in ASCII-ict format.
distribution 
                                            [
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identifier 10.5067/IMPACTS/AVAPS/DATA101
keyword 
                                            [
  "earth-science-atmospheric-pressure-atmosphere-atmospheric-pressure-measurements",
  "earth-science-atmospheric-temperature-atmosphere-atmospheric-temperature-indices",
  "earth-science-atmospheric-temperature-atmosphere-upper-air-temperature-vertical-profiles",
  "earth-science-atmospheric-water-vapor-atmosphere-water-vapor-indicators-humidity",
  "earth-science-atmospheric-winds-atmosphere-surface-winds-wind-speed"
]
modified 2025-08-06
programCode 
                                            [
  "026:000"
]
publisher 
                                            {
  "name": "NASA/MSFC/GHRC",
  "@type": "org:Organization"
}
spatial 
                                            "["CARTESIAN",[{"NorthBoundingCoordinate":44.17,"WestBoundingCoordinate":-77.815,"EastBoundingCoordinate":-65.44,"SouthBoundingCoordinate":33.54}]]"
theme 
                                            [
  "Earth Science"
]
title Advanced Vertical Atmospheric Profiling System Dropsondes (AVAPS) IMPACTS

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