Abstract:
The First ISCCP Regional Experiments have been designed to improve
data products and cloud/radiation parameterizations used in general
circulation models (GCMs). Specifically, the goals of FIRE are (1) to
seek the basic understanding of the interaction of physical processes
in determining life cycles of cirrus and marine stratocumulus systems
and the radiative properties of these clouds during
... their life cycles
and (2) to investigate the interrelationships between the ISCCP data,
GCM parameterizations, and higher space and time resolution cloud
data.
To-date, four intensive field-observation periods were planned and
executed: a cirrus IFO (October 13 - November 2, 1986); a marine
stratocumulus IFO off the southwestern coast of California (June 29 -
July 20, 1987) a second cirrus IFO in southeastern Kansas (November 13
- December 7, 1991); and a second marine stratocumulus IFO in the
eastern North Atlantic Ocean (June 1 - June 28, 1992). Each mission
combined coordinated satellite, airborne, and surface observations
with modeling studies to investigate the cloud properties and physical
processes of the cloud system.
The CSU wind profiler is a five beam wind profiler with high and low
modes of operation. The wind profiler is a clear air doppler radar
and operates at a frequency of 404.37 MHz. It operated with a height
resolution of 250m and measured radial velocities up to about 15km. 
