FIRE

First ISCCP Regional Experiment

1986–1998 · successive field deployments
Multiple regions; cirrus observations highlighted here: Wisconsin and Lake Michigan

FIRE was a long-term programme within the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP), with successive field deployments from 1986 to 1998. It combined aircraft, ground-based instruments, and satellite observations to study cloud properties and improve their representation in climate models. The cirrus work discussed here centres on the 1986 intensive observing period, particularly the 28 October case.

Research and findings

My work with Graeme Stephens and colleagues connected ice-crystal microphysics with the radiative properties of cirrus. Our 1990 paper used aircraft radiation measurements from the 28 October 1986 FIRE case to evaluate the relationship between cloud albedo and emittance. It showed that assumptions about ice-crystal size and scattering strongly affect the simulated cirrus feedback on climate. [A8]

The bibliography also records FIRE contributions on ice-crystal scattering, radiative diffusivity, observed cloud spectra and layers, and numerical modelling of the October 1986 cloud system. These conference records complement the journal article. [B.I.5] [B.I.7] [B.I.10] [B.I.13] [B.I.15]

Related publications

1. A8

   Stephens, G.L., S-C. Tsay, P.W. Stackhouse, and P.J. Flatau. The relevance of the microphysical and radiative properties of cirrus clouds to climate and climate feedback. J. Atmos. Sci., 47:1742-1753, 1990.

2. B.I.5

   Flatau, P.J., G.L. Stephens, and B.T. Draine. Radiative properties of visible and subvisible cirrus: scattering on hexagonal ice crystals. In D.S. McDougal and H.S. Wagner, editors, FIRE science results 1988, pages 75-80, Hampton, Virginia, 1990. NASA Langley Research Center, NASA. Proceedings of a conference held in Vail, Colorado. July 11-15, 1988. NASA CP3083.

3. B.I.7

   Stephens, G.L., P.J. Flatau, S.-C. Tsay, and P. Hein. Radiative diffusivity factors in cirrus and stratocumulus clouds --application to two stream models. In D. S. McDougal, editor, FIRE science results 1989, pages 415-421, Hampton, Virginia, 1990. NASA Langley Research Center, NASA. Proceedings of a conference held in Monterey, California. July 10-14, 1989, NASA CP3079.

4. B.I.10

   Flatau, P.J., I. Gultepe, G. Nastrom, W.R. Cotton, and A.J. Heymsfield. Cirrus cloud spectra and layers observed during the FIRE and GASP projects. In 1990 conference on cloud physics, pages 200-206, 45 Beacon Street, Boston, Mass., July 23-27 1990. American Meteorological Society, AMS. San Francisco, California.

5. B.I.13

   Nicholls, M.E., W.R. Cotton, S. Heckman, P.J. Flatau, and C.J. Tremback. A modeling investigation of the 28 October 1986 FIRE cirrus case. In 1990 conference on cloud physics, pages 207-210, 45 Beacon Street, Boston, Massachusetts., July 23-27 1990. American Meteorological Society, AMS. San Francisco, CA.

6. B.I.15

   Heckman, S.T., W.R. Cotton, and P.J. Flatau. Mesoscale numerical simulation of cirrus clouds - FIRE case study. 9th conference on numerical weather prediction, 14-18 Oct. 1991, October 1991.

Campaign background: NASA: FIRE programme overview · NCAR: FIRE-Cirrus I · NASA: FIRE Cirrus I dataset guide