The Aura Validation Experiment (AVE)

The Aura Validation Experiment (AVE) is a series of field campaigns using aircraft and balloon flights designed to gather atmospheric data for validating remotely sensed observations taken by the Aura satellite instruments (OMI, MLS, TES, and HIRDLS). The first AVE campaign (Pre-AVE) used the NASA WB-57F high-altitude research aircraft to test a series of in-situ instruments in January-February 2004, prior to the launch of Aura. Pre-AVE was based at NASA Johnson Space Center's Ellington Field facility, and from San Jose, Costa Rica. The second AVE campaign (AVE-October) took place in October 2004 with a series of flights from Ellington Field. The third AVE campaign was focused on Aura validation under stratospheric polar conditions (Polar-AVE or PAVE). PAVE was flown from Portsmouth, New Hampshire during January-February, 2005. These 3 campaigns have provided a wealth of information for the Aura satellite. Some preliminary comparisons and results will be shown from the campaigns, and future AVE field missions will be described.