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CAR Kuwait Oil Fire BRDF V2 (CAR_KUWAITOILFIRE_BRDF) at GES DISC

Published by NASA/GSFC/SED/ESD/TISL/GESDISC | National Aeronautics and Space Administration | Metadata Last Checked: February 21, 2026 | Last Modified: 2026-02-17
CAR Kuwait Oil Fire mission measured bidirectional reflectance function of smoke from Kuwait oil fires during the Kuwait Oil Fire Smoke Experiment. Measurements were also taken over the Saudi Arabian desert with overlying desert dust, and Persian Gulf waters with some overlying aerosols. This experiment was a part of an international research effort in response to an environmental crisis, when over 600 oil wells in Kuwait were ignited by Iraqi forces in 1991. The resulting fires produced large plumes of smoke that had significant effects on the Persian Gulf region but limited global effects. Between May 16 and June 12, 1991, the Kuwait Oil Fire Smoke Experiment (KOFSE) was conducted in the Persian Gulf Region. The purpose of KOFSE was to determine the chemical and physical nature of the smoke and to investigate its potential effects on air quality, weather, and climate.This data set consists of observations made with the CAR instrument and includes values for bidirectional reflectance factor at varying spectral bands.

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