Instrument

MMS
Meteorological Measurement System

The Meteorological Measurement System (MMS) is an in situ airborne instrument used to measure atmospheric state parameters. MMS provides high-resolution, accurate measurements of atmospheric pressure, temperature, and wind direction and speed immediately around the plane. Additional parameters that can be derived include potential temperature, true airspeed, turbulence dissipation rate, and Reynolds number. Measurements of all parameters are typically collected at a rate of 20 Hz.

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

Measurement Type

Multi

Measurement/Variables

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Altitude

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Pressure > Atmospheric Pressure Measurements

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Pressure > Static Pressure

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Pressure

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Temperature > Upper Air Temperature

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Temperature

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Upper Level Winds > Flight Level Winds

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Upper Level Winds > U/v Wind Components

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Upper Level Winds > Wind Direction

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Upper Level Winds > Wind Speed

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Upper Level Winds

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Wind Dynamics > Turbulence

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds

Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Platform Characteristics > Airspeed/ground Speed

Vertical Measurement Regions

Lower Stratosphere, Troposphere

Temporal Resolution

20 Hz

Spatial Resolution

Point

Measurement Frequency

N/A

Calibration Details

https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/42817644.pdf

Online Information

https://airbornescience.nasa.gov/instrument/Meteorological_Measurement_System

Lead Investigator
T. Paul Bui
Technical Contact
T. Paul Bui
Instrument Maker
Currently unavailable
Funding Source
NASA Upper Atmosphere Research Program
Overview Publications
Overview Publication
Repositories

Instrument Operation

Platform

Campaigns, where the platform was used with this instrument

DC-8

Douglas DC-8

43 Campaigns · 180 Instruments

GRIP

Genesis and Rapid Intensification Processes

2010

Tropical Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, Eastern North Pacific, Caribbean Sea

view all deployment dates

· 24 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

view all deployment dates

· 20 Data Products

SARP

Student Airborne Research Program

2009—2030

Southern California, Virginia

Ongoing

view all deployment dates

Deployment Dates

Start Date	End Date
2009-07-12	2009-08-13
2010-06-20	2010-07-30
2011-06-19	2011-07-29
2012-06-17	2012-08-10
2013-06-09	2013-08-02
2014-06-15	2014-08-08
2015-06-14	2015-08-07
2016-06-12	2016-08-05
2017-06-18	2017-08-11
2018-06-18	2018-08-10
2019-06-16	2019-08-09
2021-12-03	2021-12-10
2022-06-12	2022-08-05
2023-06-11	2023-08-04
2023-06-18	2023-08-11
2024-06-16	2024-08-09
2024-06-23	2024-08-16

· 0 Data Products

DC3

Deep Convective Clouds & Chemistry

2012

Northeastern Colorado, West Texas to Central Oklahoma, Northern Alabama

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· 19 Data Products

NAMMA

NASA African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analyses

2006

Cape Verde Islands, Atlantic Ocean

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· 23 Data Products

TEFLUN

TExas and FLorida UNderflights

1998

Texas, Florida

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· 0 Data Products

TC4

Tropical Composition, Cloud and Climate Coupling

2007

Costa Rica, tropical Eastern Pacific

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· 1 Data Product

ATom

Atmospheric Tomography Mission

2016—2018

Western Arctic, South Pacific, Atlantic Ocean, Greenland, Central North America

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· 41 Data Products

FIREX-AQ

Fire Influence on Regional to Global Environments and Air Quality

2019

Northwestern and Southeastern US

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· 26 Data Products

CAMEX

Convection and Moisture Experiment

1993—2001

US Atlantic coast, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean

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· 70 Data Products

AEROMMA

Atmospheric Emissions and Reactions Observed from Megacities to Marine Areas

2023

Urban regions across the western and eastern United States

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· 0 Data Products

SONEX

Subsonic Assessment (SASS) Ozone and Nitrogen Oxide Experiment

1997

North Atlantic Ocean, Ireland, Newfoundland, Bangor, Maine, Azores

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· 10 Data Products

SUCCESS

SUbsonic aircraft: Contrail & Clouds Effects Special Study

1996

Central and Western United States

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· 1 Data Product

HIWC

High Ice Water Content Radar Study

2015—2022

Southeastern United States, Florida, Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, Southern California, Hawaii, Pacific Ocean

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· 0 Data Products

ASIA-AQ

Airborne and Satellite Investigation of Asian Air Quality

2024

East and Southeast Asia, Philippines, South Korea, Thailand

Ongoing

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· 8 Data Products

Global Hawk

5 Campaigns · 28 Instruments

ATTREX

Airborne Tropical Tropopause Experiment

2011—2015

California, Guam, Tropics

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· 5 Data Products

GloPac

Global Hawk Pacific

2010

Northern Pacific Ocean, Arctic Ocean

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· 0 Data Products

ER-2

NASA Earth Resources-2 Aircraft

63 Campaigns · 107 Instruments

DCOTSS

Dynamics and Chemistry of the Summer Stratosphere

2021—2022

Central United States

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· 5 Data Products

ASHOE

Airborne Southern Hemisphere Ozone Experiment

1994

Moffett Field, California, Christchurch, New Zealand, Hawaii, Fiji

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· 0 Data Products

CRYSTAL-FACE

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

2002

Southern Florida

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· 1 Data Product

POLARIS

Photochemistry of Ozone Loss in the Arctic Region In Summer

1997

Arctic, Mid-latitudes

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· 9 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

view all deployment dates

· 20 Data Products

AASE

Airborne Arctic Stratospheric Expedition

1988—1992

Arctic

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· 2 Data Products

SPADE

Stratospheric Photochemistry, Aerosols and Dynamics Expedition

1992—1993

Western United States

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· 1 Data Product

STRAT

Stratospheric Tracers of Atmospheric Transport

1995—1996

Pacific Ocean, Moffett Field, California, Barbers Point Naval Air Station, Hawaii

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· 9 Data Products

AAOE

Airborne Antarctic Ozone Experiment

1987

Antarctica

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· 1 Data Product

SOLVE

SAGE III Ozone Loss and Validation Experiment

1999—2003

Arctic, Kiruna, Sweden

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· 32 Data Products

STEP

Stratospheric-Tropospheric Exchange Project

1984—1987

Moffett Field, California; Darwin, Australia

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· 0 Data Products

WB-57

NASA WB-57

16 Campaigns · 80 Instruments

VIRGAS

Volcano-plume Investigation Readiness and Gas-phase and Aerosol Sulfur

2015

Houston, Texas

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· 2 Data Products

TC4

Tropical Composition, Cloud and Climate Coupling

2007

Costa Rica, tropical Eastern Pacific

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· 1 Data Product

CR-AVE

Costa Rica Aura Validation Experiment

2006

Costa Rica

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· 0 Data Products

POSIDON

Pacific Oxidants, Sulfur, Ice, Dehydration, and cONvection

2016

Guam, western Pacific

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· 0 Data Products

AVE

Aura Validation Experiment

2004—2005

Houston, Texas, Southern United States, Gulf of Mexico

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· 0 Data Products

MidCiX

Middle Latitude Cirrus Experiment

2004

South-central United States

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· 0 Data Products

ACCLIP

Asian Summer Monsoon Chemical & Climate Impact Project

2022

West Pacific, South Korea

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· 8 Data Products

NOVICE

Newly-Operating and Validated Instruments Comparison Experiment

2008

Houston, Texas

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· 0 Data Products

SABRE

Stratospheric Aerosol processes, Budget, and Radiative Effects

2022—2027

Houston, Texas, Fairbanks, Alaska

Ongoing

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· 0 Data Products

MACPEX

Mid-latitude Airborne Cirrus Properties Experiment

2011

Central United States

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· 7 Data Products

CRYSTAL-FACE

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

2002

Southern Florida

view all deployment dates

· 1 Data Product

Data Products

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

Campaigns

Platforms

Formats

CAMEX-3 DC-8 METEOROLOGICAL MEASUREMENT SYSTEM (MMS) V110.5067/CAMEX-3/MULTIPLE/DATA101

CampaignsConvection and Moisture Experiment

PlatformsDouglas DC-8

DC3 In-Situ DC-8 Meteorological and Navigational Data10.5067/ASDC/SUBORBITAL/DC3_MetNav_AircraftInSitu_DC8_Data_1

CampaignsDeep Convective Clouds & Chemistry

PlatformsDouglas DC-8

GRIP DC-8 METEOROLOGICAL MEASUREMENT SYSTEM (MMS) V1http://dx.doi.org/10.5067/GRIP/MMS/DATA201

CampaignsGenesis and Rapid Intensification Processes

PlatformsDouglas DC-8

NAMMA DC-8 METEOROLOGICAL MEASUREMENT SYSTEM (MMS) V1http://dx.doi.org/10.5067/NAMMA/MULTIPLE/DATA201

CampaignsNASA African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analyses

PlatformsDouglas DC-8

ATTREX Global Hawk UAS Meteorological and Navigational Measurements10.5067/AIRCRAFT/ATTREX/CLOUD-H2O-TRACER-RADIATION

CampaignsAirborne Tropical Tropopause Experiment

PlatformsGlobal Hawk

FormatsICARTT

The Airborne Antarctic Ozone Experiment (AAOE), Including Halley Bay Ozonesonde Data on CD-ROM

CampaignsAirborne Antarctic Ozone Experiment

PlatformsCampaign Balloons, Douglas DC-8, NASA Earth Resources-2 Aircraft

The First Airborne Arctic Stratospheric Expedition (AASE-I) and the Meteorological Measurement System (MMS) Data CD-ROM's

CampaignsAirborne Arctic Stratospheric Expedition

PlatformsCampaign Balloons, NASA Earth Resources-2 Aircraft

Cirrus Regional Study of Tropical Anvils and Cirrus Layers - Florida Area Cirrus Experiment (CRYSTAL-FACE) Quick-Look Data

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

PlatformsCessna Citation II, NASA WB-57, Campaign Field Sites, NASA Earth Resources-2 Aircraft

CAMEX-4 DC-8 METEOROLOGICAL MEASUREMENT SYSTEM (MMS) V110.5067/CAMEX-4/MULTIPLE/DATA102

CampaignsConvection and Moisture Experiment

PlatformsDouglas DC-8

ATom: Aircraft Flight Track and Navigational Data10.3334/ORNLDAAC/1613

CampaignsAtmospheric Tomography Mission

PlatformsDouglas DC-8

ATom: In-Situ Measurements of Airflow and Aerosols from Multiple Airborne Campaigns10.3334/ORNLDAAC/1784

CampaignsAtmospheric Tomography Mission

PlatformsDouglas DC-8

FIREX-AQ DC8 In-Situ Meteorological and Navigational Data10.5067/ASDC/FIREXAQ_MetNav_AircraftInSitu_DC8_Data_1

CampaignsFire Influence on Regional to Global Environments and Air Quality

PlatformsDouglas DC-8

FormatsICARTT

VIRGAS WB-57 Aircraft In-Situ Meteorology and Navigation Data10.5067/ASDC/SUBORBITAL/VIRGAS_MetNav_AircraftInSitu_Data_1

CampaignsVolcano-plume Investigation Readiness and Gas-phase and Aerosol Sulfur

PlatformsNASA WB-57

MACPEX WB-57 Aircraft In-situ Meteorology and Navigational Data10.5067/ASDC/SUBORBITAL/MACPEX_MetNav_AircraftInSitu_WB57_Data_1

CampaignsMid-latitude Airborne Cirrus Properties Experiment

PlatformsNASA WB-57

SEAC4RS ER-2 Aircraft In-Situ Meteorological and Navigational Data10.5067/ASDC/SUBORBITAL/SEAC4RS_MetNav_AircraftInSitu_ER2_Data_1

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

PlatformsNASA Earth Resources-2 Aircraft

SEAC4RS DC-8 Aircraft In-Situ Meteorological and Navigational Data10.5067/ASDC/SUBORBITAL/SEAC4RS_MetNav_AircraftInSitu_DC8_Data_1

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

PlatformsDouglas DC-8

FIREX-AQ Merge Data Files10.5067/ASDC/FIREXAQ_Merge_Data_2

CampaignsFire Influence on Regional to Global Environments and Air Quality

PlatformsDouglas DC-8

FormatsICARTT

Dynamics and Chemistry of the Summer Stratosphere Airborne Data Products10.5067/ASDC/DCOTSS-Aircraft-Data_1

CampaignsDynamics and Chemistry of the Summer Stratosphere

PlatformsNASA Earth Resources-2 Aircraft

The Second Airborne Arctic Stratospheric Expedition (AASE-II) on CD-ROM

CampaignsAirborne Arctic Stratospheric Expedition

PlatformsCampaign Balloons, Douglas DC-8, NASA Earth Resources-2 Aircraft

Stratospheric Photochemistry, Aerosols and Dynamics Expedition (SPADE) Data Set CD-ROM

CampaignsStratospheric Photochemistry, Aerosols and Dynamics Expedition

PlatformsCampaign Balloons, NASA Earth Resources-2 Aircraft

FormatsASCII

ACCLIP WB-57 Meteorological and Navigational Data10.5067/ASDC/SUBORBITAL/ACCLIP_MetNav_AircraftInSitu_WB57_Data_1

CampaignsAsian Summer Monsoon Chemical & Climate Impact Project

PlatformsNASA WB-57

FormatsICARTT

ACCLIP WB-57 Aircraft Model Data10.5067/ASDC/SUBORBITAL/ACCLIP_Model_WB57_Data_1

CampaignsAsian Summer Monsoon Chemical & Climate Impact Project

PlatformsNASA WB-57

FormatsICARTT

STRAT ER-2 Meteorological and Navigational Data10.5067/ASDC/SUBORBITAL/STRAT_MetNav_AircraftInSitu_ER2_Data_1

CampaignsStratospheric Tracers of Atmospheric Transport

PlatformsNASA Earth Resources-2 Aircraft

Formatser

SASS (Subsonics Assessment) Ozone and NOx Experiment (SONEX) DC-8 In-Situ Meteorological and Navigation Data10.5067/ASDC/SUBORBITAL/SONEX_TraceGas_AircraftInSitu_DC8_Data_1

CampaignsSubsonic Assessment (SASS) Ozone and Nitrogen Oxide Experiment

PlatformsDouglas DC-8

FormatsAmes

SASS (Subsonics Assessment) Ozone and NOx Experiment (SONEX) Merge Data Files10.5067/ASDC/SUBORBITAL/SONEX_Merge_DC8_Data_1

CampaignsSubsonic Assessment (SASS) Ozone and Nitrogen Oxide Experiment

PlatformsDouglas DC-8

FormatsAmes

SOLVE I ER-2 Aircraft In-situ Meteorology and Navigational Data10.5067/ASDC/SUBORBITAL/SOLVE1_MetNav_AircraftInSitu_ER2_Data_1

CampaignsSAGE III Ozone Loss and Validation Experiment

PlatformsNASA Earth Resources-2 Aircraft

FormatsOther Ames

POLARIS ER-2 Meteorological and Navigational Data10.5067/ASDC/SUBORBITAL/POLARIS_MetNav_AircraftInSItu_ER2_Data_1

CampaignsPhotochemistry of Ozone Loss in the Arctic Region In Summer

PlatformsNASA Earth Resources-2 Aircraft

Formatser

ASIA-AQ DC-8 In-Situ Meteorology and Navigation Data10.5067/SUBORBITAL/ASIA-AQ/DATA001/DC8/MetNav_AircraftInSitu_1

CampaignsAirborne and Satellite Investigation of Asian Air Quality

PlatformsDouglas DC-8

FormatsICARTT

MMSMeteorological Measurement System

Overview

Instrument Details

Instrument Operation

Data Products

MMS
Meteorological Measurement System