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Instrument

FSSP
Forward Scattering Spectrometer Probe

The Forward Scattering Spectrometer Probe (FSSP) is an in situ airborne optical particle counter originally designed by Particle Measuring Systems, Inc. It provides particle size distribution by measuring the intensity of the light scattered by individual particles within the cloud. FSSP can detect particles within a diameter range of 0.5 to 47 μm. It operates at a wavelength of 633 nm and has a typical sampling frequency of 1 Hz.

Image of the FSSP probe
NASA's DC-8 flying laboratory passes Antarctica's tallest peak, Mount Vinson, on Oct. 22, 2012, during a flight over the continent to measure changes in the massive ice sheet and sea ice. Credit: NASA/Michael Studinger (Photography courtesy NASA Images)

Overview

Instrument Details

Spectrometer/Radiometer
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Microphysics > Particle Size Distribution
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Microphysics
Lower Stratosphere, Troposphere
1 Hz
Point
474 THz
https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0426(1991)008%3C0166:UORPAR%3E2.0.CO;2External Link

Instrument Operation

GCPEx

GPM Cold Season Precipitation Experiment

2012
Ontario, Canada and northern portions of the United States (e.g., New York state, the New England area, etc.)
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1 Deployment
· 44 Data Products
SAFARI 2000

Southern African Regional Science Initiative

1999—2001
Southern Africa
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4 Deployments
· 117 Data Products
The logo for the CLAMS Campaign
CLAMS

Chesapeake Lighthouse and Aircraft Measurements for Satellites

2001
Chesapeake Bay, Atlantic Ocean
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1 Deployment
· 5 Data Products
C3VP

Canadian CloudSat/CALIPSO Validation Project

2006—2007
Ontario, Canada
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1 Deployment
· 6 Data Products
FIRE

First International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) Regional Experiment

1986—1998
Central and Midwest United States, California Coast, Northwest Africa, Alaska
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5 Deployments
· 131 Data Products
PAC2001

Pacific 2001 Air Quality Study

2001
Lower Fraser Valley, British Columbia, Canada
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1 Deployment
· 8 Data Products
SEAC4RS

Studies of Emissions and Atmospheric Composition, Clouds and Climate Coupling by Regional Surveys

2013
North America including portions of Canada, Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico
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1 Deployment
· 20 Data Products
CAMP2Ex

Clouds, Aerosol, and Monsoon Processes-Philippines Experiment

2019
Philippines
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1 Deployment
· 12 Data Products
ARCSIX

Arctic Radiation-Cloud-Aerosol-Surface Interaction EXperiment

2024
Greenland, Arctic Ocean
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2 Deployments
· 0 Data Products
BOREAS

Boreal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study

1994—1996
Boreal forests of central Canada
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2 Deployments
· 303 Data Products
CITE

Global Tropospheric Experiment - Chemical Instrument Test and Evaluation

1983—1989
Wallops Island, Hawaii, Central Pacific, California, Eastern Pacific Ocean, North Atlantic
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5 Deployments
· 0 Data Products
FIRE

First International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) Regional Experiment

1986—1998
Central and Midwest United States, California Coast, Northwest Africa, Alaska
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5 Deployments
· 131 Data Products
ABLE

Global Tropospheric Experiment - Atmospheric Boundary Layer Experiment

1984—1990
Tropical North Atlantic Ocean, Amazon Rainforest, Greenland, Eastern Canada, Alaska
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5 Deployments
· 0 Data Products
BOREAS

Boreal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study

1994—1996
Boreal forests of central Canada
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2 Deployments
· 303 Data Products
FIFE

First International Satellite Land Surface Climatology Project (ISLSCP) Field Experiment

1987—1989
Central Kansas
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2 Deployments
· 101 Data Products
FIRE

First International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) Regional Experiment

1986—1998
Central and Midwest United States, California Coast, Northwest Africa, Alaska
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5 Deployments
· 131 Data Products
DC3

Deep Convective Clouds & Chemistry

2012
Northeastern Colorado, West Texas to Central Oklahoma, Northern Alabama
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1 Deployment
· 19 Data Products
INTEX-NA

Intercontinental Chemical Transport Experiment - North America

2004—2006
North America, Gulf of Mexico, North Pacific Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean
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2 Deployments
· 21 Data Products
ATR-42

ATR-42

1 Campaign · 16 Instruments
Pelican

Cessna Pelican

1 Campaign · 6 Instruments
TARFOX

Tropospheric Aerosol Radiative Forcing Observational Experiment

1996
Western Atlantic Ocean, US Eastern Seaboard
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1 Deployment
· 5 Data Products
C-131A

Convair C-131 Samaritan

4 Campaigns · 22 Instruments
TARFOX

Tropospheric Aerosol Radiative Forcing Observational Experiment

1996
Western Atlantic Ocean, US Eastern Seaboard
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1 Deployment
· 5 Data Products
FIRE

First International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) Regional Experiment

1986—1998
Central and Midwest United States, California Coast, Northwest Africa, Alaska
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5 Deployments
· 131 Data Products
Logo for the SCAR-B deployment
SCAR

Smoke/Sulfates, Clouds, and Radiation

1993—1995
Mid-Atlantic, Pacific Northwest, Central Brazil
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3 Deployments
· 6 Data Products
ASTEX

Atlantic Stratocumulus Transition Experiment

1992
Azores and Madeira islands
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1 Deployment
· 0 Data Products
SAFARI 2000

Southern African Regional Science Initiative

1999—2001
Southern Africa
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4 Deployments
· 117 Data Products
FIRE

First International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) Regional Experiment

1986—1998
Central and Midwest United States, California Coast, Northwest Africa, Alaska
view all deployment dates
5 Deployments
· 131 Data Products
SAFARI 2000

Southern African Regional Science Initiative

1999—2001
Southern Africa
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4 Deployments
· 117 Data Products
CRYSTAL-FACE logo converted to .png
CRYSTAL-FACE

Cirrus Regional Study of Tropical Anvils and Cirrus Layers Florida Area Cirrus Experiment

2002
Southern Florida
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1 Deployment
· 1 Data Product
FIRE

First International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) Regional Experiment

1986—1998
Central and Midwest United States, California Coast, Northwest Africa, Alaska
view all deployment dates
5 Deployments
· 131 Data Products
CITE

Global Tropospheric Experiment - Chemical Instrument Test and Evaluation

1983—1989
Wallops Island, Hawaii, Central Pacific, California, Eastern Pacific Ocean, North Atlantic
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5 Deployments
· 0 Data Products
CITE

Global Tropospheric Experiment - Chemical Instrument Test and Evaluation

1983—1989
Wallops Island, Hawaii, Central Pacific, California, Eastern Pacific Ocean, North Atlantic
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5 Deployments
· 0 Data Products
PAC2001

Pacific 2001 Air Quality Study

2001
Lower Fraser Valley, British Columbia, Canada
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1 Deployment
· 8 Data Products
CRYSTAL-FACE logo converted to .png
CRYSTAL-FACE

Cirrus Regional Study of Tropical Anvils and Cirrus Layers Florida Area Cirrus Experiment

2002
Southern Florida
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1 Deployment
· 1 Data Product
CLASIC07

Cloud and Land Surface Interaction Campaign 2007

2007
Southern Great Plains, Oklahoma, Kansas
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1 Deployment
· 7 Data Products
ARESE

Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Enhanced Shortwave Experiment

1995—2000
Southern Great Plains, Southwestern United States
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2 Deployments
· 1 Data Product
CRYSTAL-FACE logo converted to .png
CRYSTAL-FACE

Cirrus Regional Study of Tropical Anvils and Cirrus Layers Florida Area Cirrus Experiment

2002
Southern Florida
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1 Deployment
· 1 Data Product
MidCiX

Middle Latitude Cirrus Experiment

2004
South-central United States
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1 Deployment
· 0 Data Products
Bandeirante

Embraer EMB 110 Bandeirante

2 Campaigns · 6 Instruments
TRACE

Transport and Atmospheric Chemistry near the Equator

1992—2001
Brazil, Southern Africa, Tropical Atlantic, Central & Western Regions of the Pacific Ocean Basin
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2 Deployments
· 0 Data Products
CAMEX

Convection and Moisture Experiment

1993—2001
US Atlantic coast, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean
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4 Deployments
· 70 Data Products
AASE

Airborne Arctic Stratospheric Expedition

1988—1992
Arctic
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2 Deployments
· 2 Data Products
SNOEX logo converted from gif to png
SONEX

Subsonic Assessment (SASS) Ozone and Nitrogen Oxide Experiment

1997
North Atlantic Ocean, Ireland, Newfoundland, Bangor, Maine, Azores
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1 Deployment
· 10 Data Products
Logo for the TOTE-VOTE campaign
TOTE-VOTE

Tropical Ozone Transport Experiment – Vortex Ozone Transport Experiment

1995—1996
Pacific Ocean, Hawaii, Alaska, Iceland, Arctic, Arctic Ocean
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1 Deployment
· 10 Data Products
SUCCESS

SUbsonic aircraft: Contrail & Clouds Effects Special Study

1996
Central and Western United States
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1 Deployment
· 1 Data Product
SOLVE

SAGE III Ozone Loss and Validation Experiment

1999—2003
Arctic, Kiruna, Sweden
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2 Deployments
· 32 Data Products
CAMEX

Convection and Moisture Experiment

1993—2001
US Atlantic coast, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean
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4 Deployments
· 70 Data Products
Cessna 207

Cessna 207 Stationair

1 Campaign · 7 Instruments
INTEX-NA

Intercontinental Chemical Transport Experiment - North America

2004—2006
North America, Gulf of Mexico, North Pacific Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean
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2 Deployments
· 21 Data Products
Cessna 188

Cessna 188

1 Campaign · 5 Instruments
PAC2001

Pacific 2001 Air Quality Study

2001
Lower Fraser Valley, British Columbia, Canada
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1 Deployment
· 8 Data Products
Sabreliner

NCAR Sabreliner

2 Campaigns · 21 Instruments
SUCCESS

SUbsonic aircraft: Contrail & Clouds Effects Special Study

1996
Central and Western United States
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1 Deployment
· 1 Data Product

Data Products

Filter data products from this instrument by specific campaigns, platforms, or formats.

Campaigns
CAMPAIGNS
Platforms
PLATFORMS
Formats
FORMATS
10.5067/ASDC_DAAC/FIRE/0010External Link
Convair-580
ICARTT
10.5067/ASDC_DAAC/TARFOX/0002External Link
10.5067/CAMEX-3/MULTIPLE/DATA102External Link
Douglas DC-8
10.3334/ORNLDAAC/713External Link
10.5067/CAMEX-3/CAMERA/DATA201External Link
Douglas DC-8
http://dx.doi.org/10.5067/GPMGV/LPVEX/MULTPLE/DATA202External Link
10.3334/ORNLDAAC/714External Link
Douglas DC-8
10.3334/ORNLDAAC/494External Link
10.3334/ORNLDAAC/720External Link
10.3334/ORNLDAAC/710External Link
Convair-580
10.5067/CAMEX-4/MULTIPLE/DATA103External Link
P-3 Orion
10.5067/ASDC_DAAC/CLAMS/0005External Link
Convair-580
10.5067/ASDC/SUBORBITAL/SONEX_Aerosol_AircraftInSitu_DC8_Data_1External Link
Douglas DC-8
Ames
10.5067/ASDC/SUBORBITAL/SONEX_Merge_DC8_Data_1External Link
Douglas DC-8
Ames
10.5067/ASDC/SUBORBITAL/TOTE-VOTE_Aerosol_AircraftInSitu_DC8_Data_1External Link
Douglas DC-8
DC
10.5067/ASDC_DAAC/SCAR_B/0001External Link
Binary
Douglas DC-8
Other Ames