MPLNET News

"First Light" - Bozeman, Montana

14 August 2026

The MPLNET team is excited to announce the first data from Bozeman, our newest site located on the campus of Montana State University. The Bozeman site is one of two MPLNET sites (the other being Iowa_City, University of Iowa) deployed this summer in support of the INjected Smoke and PYRocumulonimbus Experiment (INSPYRE). Pyrocumulonimbus are smoke-infused thunderstorm clouds generated by wildfires. Lidar data can be used to determine the injection height and track the long-range transport of smoke plumes.

V3 Data Reprocessing and Release

06 August 2026

Having completed a thorough examination of our quality assurance/quality control procedures to ensure high-quality data, MPLNET will begin reprocessing and releasing data collected since August 1, 2025 in a phased schedule. The most recent data processed at the first group of sites will be released immediately, with older data and remaining sites to follow. Our goal is to complete reprocessing for most sites within the 2026 calendar year. You can check the progress of the data release by visiting the V3 Data Status page.