Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

This site is currently in beta, and your feedback is helping shape its ongoing development.

Return to search results

ATom: Dominant Role of Mineral Dust in Cirrus Cloud Formation

Published by ORNL_DAAC | National Aeronautics and Space Administration | Metadata Last Checked: February 21, 2026 | Last Modified: 2026-02-17
This dataset provides: (1) In situ dust aerosol concentration measurements over remote tropical Pacific and Atlantic Oceans by NOAA Particle Analysis by Laser Mass Spectrometry (PALMS) airborne single-particle mass spectrometer combined with Aerosol Microphysical Properties (AMP) aerosol size spectrometers. Measurements were made aboard the NASA DC8 aircraft during the four ATom campaigns that occurred from 2016 to 2018 (2) Model output of dust and meteorology from the CESM global transport model extracted at the time and location of the aircraft; (3) Model output of dust, other aerosol, and meteorology from the GEOS global transport model extracted at the time and location of the aircraft; (4) CESM model global output of dust and meteorology for dust emitted by specific source regions; (5) NCEP Global Forecast System forward trajectories of air parcels initiated at the time and location of the aircraft; and (6) The location and properties of cirrus clouds formed along the forward trajectories simulated using a parcel model. These data have been applied to better understand the role of mineral dust in cirrus cloud formation.

data.gov

An official website of the GSA's Technology Transformation Services

Looking for U.S. government information and services?
Visit USA.gov