The Terra-aqua eXperiment 2002 (TX-2002) was conducted from the former Kelly AFB in San Antonio, Texas from November 20 to December 13, 2002 to assess MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) L1B and science products from the Terra and Aqua satellites. MODIS and AIRS science products including earth-atmosphere radiance, atmospheric profiles (temperature and moisture), cloud top heights, cloud coverage or mask, and cloud particle phase are being collected globally and studied for signatures of Global Climate change under NASA's Earth Science Enterprise initiative. During the experiment, data was collected from a NASA high altitude ER-2 aircraft flying at 65000 ft (20 km) with remote sensing instruments looking down at the earth's atmosphere and surface. The ER-2 was flown underneath the Terra and Aqua satellites on each mission, collecting measurements that can be compared directly to the MODIS and AIRS science products. The comparisons will be used to demonstrate the accuracy of the satellite products for usage in monitoring long term Global Climate change as well as suggest ways of fine tuning the MODIS and AIRS science product algorithms. One of the most important unknowns in Global Climate prediction is the percentage and type of cloud cover over the global domain. Warming the earth's atmosphere is expected to increase its water vapor content, providing more material for the development of clouds (2C temperature increase translates to 10% more water vapor holding capacity in the atmosphere). This additional water vapor may reside as vapor in the atmosphere (a very effective heat trapping gas), manifest itself as low to mid level water droplet clouds, or be transported by thunderstorms to cold upper atmospheric levels where it will reside as cirrus clouds (ice particles). This is an important consideration as water clouds and ice crystal clouds have very different influences on global climate. Water clouds are very effective sunlight reflectors and are thought to lead to a net cooling effect on the global climate, though this is not proven. Ice clouds meanwhile are thought to be net heat trapping clouds, as most sunlight passes through them downward into the earth-atmosphere system heating the earth. MODIS and AIRS are both designed to provide insight on global cloud and atmospheric water vapor and temperature trends. But before we can confidently interrogate those data sets for global change signatures, the accuracy of the science products must be demonstrated.
NOTICE: Access to CPL data is not restricted. However, we do ask that everyone read and abide by the CPL data usage policy found here: CPL data usage policy. In addition, please bear in mind that satellite teams have their own data usage policies, and they should be contacted before use or publication of validation data.
To inquire about data processing or data availability for the TX-2002 data set,
