Articles | Volume 10, issue 7
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-10-2499-2017
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-10-2499-2017
Research article
 | 
17 Jul 2017
Research article |  | 17 Jul 2017

Ice crystal characterization in cirrus clouds: a sun-tracking camera system and automated detection algorithm for halo displays

Linda Forster, Meinhard Seefeldner, Matthias Wiegner, and Bernhard Mayer

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AR: Author's response | RR: Referee report | ED: Editor decision
AR by Linda Forster on behalf of the Authors (30 May 2017)  Author's response   Manuscript 
ED: Publish subject to minor revisions (Editor review) (04 Jun 2017) by Murray Hamilton
AR by Linda Forster on behalf of the Authors (06 Jun 2017)  Author's response   Manuscript 
ED: Publish as is (07 Jun 2017) by Murray Hamilton
AR by Linda Forster on behalf of the Authors (13 Jun 2017)
Short summary
Halo displays are produced by scattering of sunlight by smooth, hexagonal ice crystals. Consequently, the presence of a halo should contain information on particle shape. This study presents HaloCam, a novel sun-tracking camera system, and an automated detection algorithm to collect and evaluate long-term halo observations. Two-year HaloCam observations revealed that about 25 % of the detected cirrus clouds occurred together with a 22° halo indicating the presence of smooth, hexagonal crystals.