In:
Earth System Science Data, Copernicus GmbH, Vol. 15, No. 1 ( 2023-01-31), p. 465-495
Abstract:
Abstract. In early 2020, an international team set out to investigate
trade-wind cumulus clouds and their coupling to the large-scale circulation
through the field campaign EUREC4A: ElUcidating the RolE of
Clouds-Circulation Coupling in ClimAte. Focused on the western tropical
Atlantic near Barbados, EUREC4A deployed a number of innovative
observational strategies, including a large network of water isotopic
measurements collectively known as EUREC4A-iso, to study the tropical
shallow convective environment. The goal of the isotopic measurements was to
elucidate processes that regulate the hydroclimate state – for example, by
identifying moisture sources, quantifying mixing between atmospheric layers,
characterizing the microphysics that influence the formation and persistence
of clouds and precipitation, and providing an extra constraint in the
evaluation of numerical simulations. During the field experiment,
researchers deployed seven water vapor isotopic analyzers on two aircraft,
on three ships, and at the Barbados Cloud Observatory (BCO). Precipitation
was collected for isotopic analysis at the BCO and from aboard four ships.
In addition, three ships collected seawater for isotopic analysis. All told,
the in situ data span the period 5 January–22 February 2020 and
cover the approximate area 6 to 16∘ N and 50 to 60∘ W,
with water vapor isotope ratios measured from a few meters above sea level
to the mid-free troposphere and seawater samples spanning the ocean surface
to several kilometers depth. This paper describes the full EUREC4A isotopic in situ data collection
– providing extensive information about sampling strategies and data
uncertainties – and also guides readers to complementary remotely sensed
water vapor isotope ratios. All field data have been made publicly available
even if they are affected by known biases, as is the case for high-altitude
aircraft measurements, one of the two BCO ground-based water vapor time
series, and select rain and seawater samples from the ships. Publication of
these data reflects a desire to promote dialogue around improving water
isotope measurement strategies for the future. The remaining, high-quality
data create unprecedented opportunities to close water isotopic budgets and
evaluate water fluxes and their influence on cloudiness in the trade-wind
environment. The full list of dataset DOIs and notes on data quality flags
are provided in Table 3 of Sect. 5 (“Data availability”).
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
1866-3516
DOI:
10.5194/essd-15-465-2023
DOI:
10.5194/essd-15-465-2023-supplement
Language:
English
Publisher:
Copernicus GmbH
Publication Date:
2023
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2475469-9
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