Articles | Volume 11, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-11-835-2018
© Author(s) 2018. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-11-835-2018
© Author(s) 2018. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
14 Feb 2018
Research article |
| 14 Feb 2018
Improved cloud-phase determination of low-level liquid and mixed-phase clouds by enhanced polarimetric lidar
Robert A. Stillwell
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Aerospace Engineering Sciences, University of Colorado at Boulder, ECNT 320, 431 UCB, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
Advanced Study Program, National Center for Atmospheric Research, 3450 Mitchell Lane, Bldg 1, Boulder, CO 80301, USA
Ryan R. Neely III
School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT, Leeds, UK
National Centre for Atmospheric Science, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT, Leeds, UK
Jeffrey P. Thayer
Aerospace Engineering Sciences, University of Colorado at Boulder, ECNT 320, 431 UCB, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
Matthew D. Shupe
Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado at Boulder, 216 UCB, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
Physical Sciences Division, Earth System Research Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 325 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
David D. Turner
Global Systems Division, Earth System Research Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 325 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
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Continuous water vapor and temperature profiles are critically needed for improved understanding of the lower atmosphere and potential advances in weather forecasting skill. To address this observation need, an active remote sensing technology based on a diode-laser-based lidar architecture is being developed. We discuss the details of the lidar architecture and analyze how it addresses a national-scale profiling network's need to provide continuous thermodynamic observations.
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David N. Wagner, Matthew D. Shupe, Christopher Cox, Ola G. Persson, Taneil Uttal, Markus M. Frey, Amélie Kirchgaessner, Martin Schneebeli, Matthias Jaggi, Amy R. Macfarlane, Polona Itkin, Stefanie Arndt, Stefan Hendricks, Daniela Krampe, Marcel Nicolaus, Robert Ricker, Julia Regnery, Nikolai Kolabutin, Egor Shimanshuck, Marc Oggier, Ian Raphael, Julienne Stroeve, and Michael Lehning
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Michael R. Gallagher, Matthew D. Shupe, Hélène Chepfer, and Tristan L'Ecuyer
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Irina V. Djalalova, David D. Turner, Laura Bianco, James M. Wilczak, James Duncan, Bianca Adler, and Daniel Gottas
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 521–537, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-521-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-521-2022, 2022
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In this paper we investigate the synergy obtained by combining active (radio acoustic sounding system – RASS) and passive (microwave radiometer) remote sensing observations to obtain temperature vertical profiles through a radiative transfer model. Inclusion of the RASS observations leads to more accurate temperature profiles from the surface to 5 km above ground, well above the maximum height of the RASS observations themselves (2000 m), when compared to the microwave radiometer used alone.
Heather Guy, Ian M. Brooks, Ken S. Carslaw, Benjamin J. Murray, Von P. Walden, Matthew D. Shupe, Claire Pettersen, David D. Turner, Christopher J. Cox, William D. Neff, Ralf Bennartz, and Ryan R. Neely III
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 15351–15374, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-15351-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-15351-2021, 2021
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We present the first full year of surface aerosol number concentration measurements from the central Greenland Ice Sheet. Aerosol concentrations here have a distinct seasonal cycle from those at lower-altitude Arctic sites, which is driven by large-scale atmospheric circulation. Our results can be used to help understand the role aerosols might play in Greenland surface melt through the modification of cloud properties. This is crucial in a rapidly changing region where observations are sparse.
Scott M. Spuler, Matthew Hayman, Robert A. Stillwell, Joshua Carnes, Todd Bernatsky, and Kevin S. Repasky
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 4593–4616, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-4593-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-4593-2021, 2021
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Continuous water vapor and temperature profiles are critically needed for improved understanding of the lower atmosphere and potential advances in weather forecasting skill. To address this observation need, an active remote sensing technology based on a diode-laser-based lidar architecture is being developed. We discuss the details of the lidar architecture and analyze how it addresses a national-scale profiling network's need to provide continuous thermodynamic observations.
Raghavendra Krishnamurthy, Rob K. Newsom, Larry K. Berg, Heng Xiao, Po-Lun Ma, and David D. Turner
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 4403–4424, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-4403-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-4403-2021, 2021
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Planetary boundary layer (PBL) height is a critical parameter in atmospheric models. Continuous PBL height measurements from remote sensing measurements are important to understand various boundary layer mechanisms, especially during daytime and evening transition periods. Due to several limitations in existing methodologies to detect PBL height from a Doppler lidar, in this study, a machine learning (ML) approach is tested. The ML model is observed to improve the accuracy by over 50 %.
David D. Turner and Ulrich Löhnert
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 3033–3048, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-3033-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-3033-2021, 2021
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Temperature and humidity profiles in the lowest couple of kilometers near the surface are very important for many applications. Passive spectral radiometers are commercially available, and observations from these instruments have been used to get these profiles. However, new active lidar systems are able to measure partial profiles of water vapor. This paper investigates how the derived profiles of water vapor and temperature are improved when the active and passive observations are combined.
Jessie M. Creamean, Gijs de Boer, Hagen Telg, Fan Mei, Darielle Dexheimer, Matthew D. Shupe, Amy Solomon, and Allison McComiskey
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 1737–1757, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-1737-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-1737-2021, 2021
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Arctic clouds play a role in modulating sea ice extent. Importantly, aerosols facilitate cloud formation, and thus it is crucial to understand the interactions between aerosols and clouds. Vertical measurements of aerosols and clouds are needed to tackle this issue. We present results from balloon-borne measurements of aerosols and clouds over the course of 2 years in northern Alaska. These data shed light onto the vertical distributions of aerosols relative to clouds spanning multiple seasons.
Peggy Achtert, Ewan J. O'Connor, Ian M. Brooks, Georgia Sotiropoulou, Matthew D. Shupe, Bernhard Pospichal, Barbara J. Brooks, and Michael Tjernström
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 14983–15002, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-14983-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-14983-2020, 2020
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We present observations of precipitating and non-precipitating Arctic liquid and mixed-phase clouds during a research cruise along the Russian shelf in summer and autumn of 2014. Active remote-sensing observations, radiosondes, and auxiliary measurements are combined in the synergistic Cloudnet retrieval. Cloud properties are analysed with respect to cloud-top temperature and boundary layer structure. About 8 % of all liquid clouds show a liquid water path below the infrared black body limit.
Rosa Gierens, Stefan Kneifel, Matthew D. Shupe, Kerstin Ebell, Marion Maturilli, and Ulrich Löhnert
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 3459–3481, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-3459-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-3459-2020, 2020
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Multiyear statistics of persistent low-level mixed-phase clouds observed at an Arctic fjord environment in Svalbard are presented. The effects the local boundary layer (i.e. the fjords' wind climate and surface coupling), regional wind direction, and seasonality have on the cloud occurrence and properties are evaluated using a synergy of ground-based remote sensing methods and auxiliary data. The phenomena considered were found to modify the amount of liquid and ice in the studied clouds.
Laura Bianco, Irina V. Djalalova, James M. Wilczak, Joseph B. Olson, Jaymes S. Kenyon, Aditya Choukulkar, Larry K. Berg, Harindra J. S. Fernando, Eric P. Grimit, Raghavendra Krishnamurthy, Julie K. Lundquist, Paytsar Muradyan, Mikhail Pekour, Yelena Pichugina, Mark T. Stoelinga, and David D. Turner
Geosci. Model Dev., 12, 4803–4821, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-12-4803-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-12-4803-2019, 2019
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During the second Wind Forecast Improvement Project, improvements to the parameterizations were applied to the High Resolution Rapid Refresh model and its nested version. The impacts of the new parameterizations on the forecast of 80 m wind speeds and power are assessed, using sodars and profiling lidars observations for comparison. Improvements are evaluated as a function of the model’s initialization time, forecast horizon, time of the day, season, site elevation, and meteorological phenomena.
Gijs de Boer, Darielle Dexheimer, Fan Mei, John Hubbe, Casey Longbottom, Peter J. Carroll, Monty Apple, Lexie Goldberger, David Oaks, Justin Lapierre, Michael Crume, Nathan Bernard, Matthew D. Shupe, Amy Solomon, Janet Intrieri, Dale Lawrence, Abhiram Doddi, Donna J. Holdridge, Michael Hubbell, Mark D. Ivey, and Beat Schmid
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 11, 1349–1362, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-11-1349-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-11-1349-2019, 2019
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This paper provides a summary of observations collected at Oliktok Point, Alaska, as part of the Profiling at Oliktok Point to Enhance YOPP Experiments (POPEYE) campaign. The Year of Polar Prediction (YOPP) is a multi-year concentrated effort to improve forecasting capabilities at high latitudes across a variety of timescales. POPEYE observations include atmospheric data collected using unmanned aircraft, tethered balloons, and radiosondes, made in parallel with routine measurements at the site.
Ralf Bennartz, Frank Fell, Claire Pettersen, Matthew D. Shupe, and Dirk Schuettemeyer
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 8101–8121, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-8101-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-8101-2019, 2019
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The Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) is rapidly melting. Snowfall is the only source of ice mass over the GrIS. We use satellite observations to assess how much snow on average falls over the GrIS and what the annual cycle and spatial distribution of snowfall is. We find the annual mean snowfall over the GrIS inferred from CloudSat to be 34 ± 7.5 cm yr−1 liquid equivalent.
Maximilian Maahn, Fabian Hoffmann, Matthew D. Shupe, Gijs de Boer, Sergey Y. Matrosov, and Edward P. Luke
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 12, 3151–3171, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-3151-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-3151-2019, 2019
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Cloud radars are unique instruments for observing cloud processes, but uncertainties in radar calibration have frequently limited data quality. Here, we present three novel methods for calibrating vertically pointing cloud radars. These calibration methods are based on microphysical processes of liquid clouds, such as the transition of cloud droplets to drizzle drops. We successfully apply the methods to cloud radar data from the North Slope of Alaska (NSA) and Oliktok Point (OLI) ARM sites.
Christopher J. Cox, David C. Noone, Max Berkelhammer, Matthew D. Shupe, William D. Neff, Nathaniel B. Miller, Von P. Walden, and Konrad Steffen
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 7467–7485, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-7467-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-7467-2019, 2019
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Fogs are frequently reported by observers on the Greenland Ice Sheet. Fogs play a role in the hydrological and energetic balances of the ice sheet surface, but as yet the properties of Greenland fogs are not well known. We observed fogs in all months from Summit Station for 2 years and report their properties. Annually, fogs impart a slight warming to the surface and a case study suggests that they are particularly influential by providing insulation during the coldest part of the day in summer.
Amy Solomon, Gijs de Boer, Jessie M. Creamean, Allison McComiskey, Matthew D. Shupe, Maximilian Maahn, and Christopher Cox
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 17047–17059, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-17047-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-17047-2018, 2018
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The results of this study indicate that perturbations in ice nucleating particles (INPs) dominate over cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) perturbations in Arctic mixed-phase stratocumulus; i.e., an equivalent fractional decrease in CCN and INPs results in an increase in the cloud-top longwave cooling rate, even though the droplet effective radius increases and the cloud emissivity decreases. In addition, cloud-processing causes layering of aerosols with increased concentrations of CCN at cloud top.
Matthew S. Norgren, Gijs de Boer, and Matthew D. Shupe
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 13345–13361, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-13345-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-13345-2018, 2018
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Arctic mixed-phase clouds are a critical component of the Arctic climate system because of their ability to influence the surface radiation budget. The radiative impact of an individual cloud is closely linked to the ability of the cloud to convert liquid drops to ice. In this paper, we show through an observational record that clouds present in polluted atmospheric conditions have lower amounts of ice than similar clouds found in clean conditions.
Claire Pettersen, Ralf Bennartz, Aronne J. Merrelli, Matthew D. Shupe, David D. Turner, and Von P. Walden
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 4715–4735, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-4715-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-4715-2018, 2018
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A novel method for classifying Arctic precipitation using ground based remote sensors is presented. The classification reveals two distinct, primary regimes of precipitation over the central Greenland Ice Sheet: snowfall coupled to deep, fully glaciated ice clouds or to shallow, mixed-phase clouds. The ice clouds are associated with low-pressure storm systems from the southeast, while the mixed-phase clouds slowly propagate from the southwest along a quiescent flow.
Yann Blanchard, Alain Royer, Norman T. O'Neill, David D. Turner, and Edwin W. Eloranta
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 10, 2129–2147, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-10-2129-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-10-2129-2017, 2017
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Multiband thermal measurements of zenith sky radiance were used in a retrieval algorithm, to estimate cloud optical depth and effective particle diameter of thin ice clouds in the Canadian High Arctic. The retrieval technique was validated using a synergy lidar and radar data. Inversions were performed across three polar winters and results showed a significant correlation (R2 = 0.95) for cloud optical depth retrievals and an overall accuracy of 83 % for the classification of thin ice clouds.
Yinghui Liu, Matthew D. Shupe, Zhien Wang, and Gerald Mace
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 5973–5989, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-5973-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-5973-2017, 2017
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Detailed and accurate vertical distributions of cloud properties are essential to accurately calculate the surface radiative flux and to depict the mean climate state, and such information is more desirable in the Arctic due to its recent rapid changes and the challenging observation conditions. This study presents a feasible way to provide such information by blending cloud observations from surface and space-based instruments with the understanding of their respective strength and limitations.
Sebastian Cole, Ryan R. Neely III., and Robert A. Stillwell
Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2016-1134, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2016-1134, 2017
Preprint withdrawn
Nathaniel B. Miller, Matthew D. Shupe, Christopher J. Cox, David Noone, P. Ola G. Persson, and Konrad Steffen
The Cryosphere, 11, 497–516, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-497-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-497-2017, 2017
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A comprehensive observational dataset is assembled to investigate atmosphere–Greenland ice sheet interactions and characterize surface temperature variability. The amount the surface temperature warms, due to increases in cloud presence and/or elevated sun angle, varies throughout the annual cycle and is modulated by the responses of latent, sensible and ground heat fluxes. This observationally based study provides process-based relationships, which are useful for evaluation of climate models.
Robert A. Stillwell, Ryan R. Neely III, Jeffrey P. Thayer, Matthew D. Shupe, and Michael O'Neill
Atmos. Meas. Tech. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-2016-303, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-2016-303, 2016
Revised manuscript not accepted
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This work explores the observation of Arctic mixed phase clouds by lidar and the consequences of mishandling lidar signals linking the signals to their geophysical interpretation. It concludes 3 points: 1) cloud phase identification is not only linked to cloud phase but other cloud properties, 2) having more than two polarization signals can be used to quality control data not possible with only two signals, and 3) phase retrievals with more than two polarizations enhance retrieval flexibility.
Claire Pettersen, Ralf Bennartz, Mark S. Kulie, Aronne J. Merrelli, Matthew D. Shupe, and David D. Turner
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 16, 4743–4756, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-4743-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-4743-2016, 2016
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We examined four summers of data from a ground-based atmospheric science instrument suite at Summit Station, Greenland, to isolate the signature of the ice precipitation. By using a combination of instruments with different specialities, we identified a passive microwave signature of the ice precipitation. This ice signature compares well to models using synthetic data characteristic of the site.
Andrew M. Dzambo, David D. Turner, and Eli J. Mlawer
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 9, 1613–1626, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-1613-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-1613-2016, 2016
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Radiosondes are used to characterize the humidity in the middle and upper troposphere, but suffer from a solar radiation induced dry bias. This work investigates the accuracy of two published correction algorithms using comparisons with other instruments.
L. Xia, A. Robock, S. Tilmes, and R. R. Neely III
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 16, 1479–1489, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-1479-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-1479-2016, 2016
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Climate model simulations show that stratospheric sulfate geoengineering could impact the terrestrial carbon cycle by enhancing the carbon sink. Enhanced downward diffuse radiation, combined with cooling, could stimulate plants to grow more and absorb more carbon dioxide. This beneficial impact of stratospheric sulfate geoengineering would need to be balanced by a large number of potential risks in any future decisions about implementation of geoengineering.
A. Solomon, G. Feingold, and M. D. Shupe
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 15, 10631–10643, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-10631-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-10631-2015, 2015
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The maintenance of cloud ice production in Arctic mixed-phase stratocumulus is investigated in large eddy simulations that include a prognostic ice nuclei (IN) formulation and a diurnal cycle. It is demonstrated that IN recycling through subcloud sublimation prolongs ice production. Competing feedbacks between dynamical mixing and recycling are found to slow the rate of ice lost. The results of this study have important implications for the maintenance of phase partitioning in Arctic clouds.
G. Sotiropoulou, J. Sedlar, M. Tjernström, M. D. Shupe, I. M. Brooks, and P. O. G. Persson
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 14, 12573–12592, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-12573-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-12573-2014, 2014
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During ASCOS, clouds are more frequently decoupled from the surface than coupled to it; when coupling occurs it is primary driven by the cloud. Decoupled clouds have a bimodal structure; they are either weakly or strongly decoupled from the surface; the enhancement of the decoupling is possibly due to sublimation of precipitation. Stable clouds (no cloud-driven mixing) are also observed; those are optically thin, often single-phase liquid, with no or negligible precipitation (e.g. fog).
J. M. Intrieri, G. de Boer, M. D. Shupe, J. R. Spackman, J. Wang, P. J. Neiman, G. A. Wick, T. F. Hock, and R. E. Hood
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 7, 3917–3926, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-7-3917-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-7-3917-2014, 2014
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In winter 2011, the Global Hawk unmanned aircraft system (UAS) was deployed over the Arctic to evaluate a UAS dropsonde system at high latitudes. Dropsondes deployed from the Global Hawk successfully obtained high-resolution profiles of temperature, pressure, humidity, and wind speed and direction information between the stratosphere and surface. During the 25-hour polar flight, the Global Hawk released 35 sondes between the North Slope of Alaska and 85° N latitude.
K. Van Tricht, I. V. Gorodetskaya, S. Lhermitte, D. D. Turner, J. H. Schween, and N. P. M. Van Lipzig
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 7, 1153–1167, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-7-1153-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-7-1153-2014, 2014
J. Sedlar and M. D. Shupe
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 14, 3461–3478, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-3461-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-3461-2014, 2014
M. Tjernström, C. Leck, C. E. Birch, J. W. Bottenheim, B. J. Brooks, I. M. Brooks, L. Bäcklin, R. Y.-W. Chang, G. de Leeuw, L. Di Liberto, S. de la Rosa, E. Granath, M. Graus, A. Hansel, J. Heintzenberg, A. Held, A. Hind, P. Johnston, J. Knulst, M. Martin, P. A. Matrai, T. Mauritsen, M. Müller, S. J. Norris, M. V. Orellana, D. A. Orsini, J. Paatero, P. O. G. Persson, Q. Gao, C. Rauschenberg, Z. Ristovski, J. Sedlar, M. D. Shupe, B. Sierau, A. Sirevaag, S. Sjogren, O. Stetzer, E. Swietlicki, M. Szczodrak, P. Vaattovaara, N. Wahlberg, M. Westberg, and C. R. Wheeler
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 14, 2823–2869, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-2823-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-2823-2014, 2014
G. de Boer, M. D. Shupe, P. M. Caldwell, S. E. Bauer, O. Persson, J. S. Boyle, M. Kelley, S. A. Klein, and M. Tjernström
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 14, 427–445, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-427-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-427-2014, 2014
G. Maschwitz, U. Löhnert, S. Crewell, T. Rose, and D. D. Turner
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 6, 2641–2658, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-6-2641-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-6-2641-2013, 2013
M. D. Shupe, P. O. G. Persson, I. M. Brooks, M. Tjernström, J. Sedlar, T. Mauritsen, S. Sjogren, and C. Leck
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 13, 9379–9399, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-9379-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-9379-2013, 2013
M. P. Cadeddu, J. C. Liljegren, and D. D. Turner
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 6, 2359–2372, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-6-2359-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-6-2359-2013, 2013
Related subject area
Subject: Clouds | Technique: Remote Sensing | Topic: Instruments and Platforms
Processing reflectivity and Doppler velocity from EarthCARE's cloud-profiling radar: the C-FMR, C-CD and C-APC products
The EarthCARE Mission – Science and System Overview
3D cloud envelope and cloud development velocity from simulated CLOUD (C3IEL) stereo images
Passive ground-based remote sensing of radiation fog
Locations for the best lidar view of mid-level and high clouds
VELOX – a new thermal infrared imager for airborne remote sensing of cloud and surface properties
Above-aircraft cirrus cloud and aerosol optical depth from hyperspectral irradiances measured by a total-diffuse radiometer
Impact of second-trip echoes for space-borne high-pulse-repetition-frequency nadir-looking W-band cloud radars
Spaceborne differential absorption radar water vapor retrieval capabilities in tropical and subtropical boundary layer cloud regimes
Multifrequency radar observations of clouds and precipitation including the G-band
Can machine learning correct microwave humidity radiances for the influence of clouds?
McRALI: a Monte Carlo high-spectral-resolution lidar and Doppler radar simulator for three-dimensional cloudy atmosphere remote sensing
Cirrus cloud shape detection by tomographic extinction retrievals from infrared limb emission sounder measurements
Absolute calibration method for frequency-modulated continuous wave (FMCW) cloud radars based on corner reflectors
Evaluation of the reflectivity calibration of W-band radars based on observations in rain
A technical description of the Balloon Lidar Experiment (BOLIDE)
Application of the shipborne remote sensing supersite OCEANET for profiling of Arctic aerosols and clouds during Polarstern cruise PS106
Mind the gap – Part 2: Improving quantitative estimates of cloud and rain water path in oceanic warm rain using spaceborne radars
Ice crystal characterization in cirrus clouds II: radiometric characterization of HaloCam for the quantitative analysis of halo displays
Mind the gap – Part 1: Accurately locating warm marine boundary layer clouds and precipitation using spaceborne radars
Free-fall experiments of volcanic ash particles using a 2-D video disdrometer
Microwave Radar/radiometer for Arctic Clouds (MiRAC): first insights from the ACLOUD campaign
A robust automated technique for operational calibration of ceilometers using the integrated backscatter from totally attenuating liquid clouds
Evaluation of differential absorption radars in the 183 GHz band for profiling water vapour in ice clouds
Use of polarimetric radar measurements to constrain simulated convective cell evolution: a pilot study with Lagrangian tracking
Improvement of airborne retrievals of cloud droplet number concentration of trade wind cumulus using a synergetic approach
Halo ratio from ground-based all-sky imaging
Aircraft-based stereographic reconstruction of 3-D cloud geometry
Polarization lidar: an extended three-signal calibration approach
The NCAS mobile dual-polarisation Doppler X-band weather radar (NXPol)
Initial report on polar mesospheric cloud observations by Himawari-8
Combining cloud radar and radar wind profiler for a value added estimate of vertical air motion and particle terminal velocity within clouds
A simple biota removal algorithm for 35 GHz cloud radar measurements
All-sky photogrammetry techniques to georeference a cloud field
Depolarization calibration and measurements using the CANDAC Rayleigh–Mie–Raman lidar at Eureka, Canada
Ice crystal characterization in cirrus clouds: a sun-tracking camera system and automated detection algorithm for halo displays
ISMAR: an airborne submillimetre radiometer
Sky camera geometric calibration using solar observations
Application of oxygen A-band equivalent width to disambiguate downwelling radiances for cloud optical depth measurement
Toward autonomous surface-based infrared remote sensing of polar clouds: cloud-height retrievals
How big is an OMI pixel?
Differential absorption radar techniques: water vapor retrievals
Design and characterization of specMACS, a multipurpose hyperspectral cloud and sky imager
A microbolometer-based far infrared radiometer to study thin ice clouds in the Arctic
Uncertainties in cloud phase and optical thickness retrievals from the Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera (EPIC)
Shortwave surface radiation network for observing small-scale cloud inhomogeneity fields
Cloud radar with hybrid mode towards estimation of shape and orientation of ice crystals
Combined vertical-velocity observations with Doppler lidar, cloud radar and wind profiler
Performance assessment of a triple-frequency spaceborne cloud–precipitation radar concept using a global cloud-resolving model
Development of a sky imaging system for short-term solar power forecasting
Pavlos Kollias, Bernat Puidgomènech Treserras, Alessandro Battaglia, Paloma C. Borque, and Aleksandra Tatarevic
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 1901–1914, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-1901-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-1901-2023, 2023
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The Earth Clouds, Aerosols and Radiation (EarthCARE) satellite mission developed by the European Space Agency (ESA) and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) features the first spaceborne 94 GHz Doppler cloud-profiling radar (CPR) with Doppler capability. Here, we describe the post-processing algorithms that apply quality control and corrections to CPR measurements and derive key geophysical variables such as hydrometeor locations and best estimates of particle sedimentation fall velocities.
Tobias Wehr, Takuji Kubota, Georgios Tzeremes, Kotska Wallace, Hirotaka Nakatsuka, Yuichi Ohno, Rob Koopman, Stephanie Rusli, Maki Kikuchi, Michael Eisinger, Toshiyuki Tanaka, Masatoshi Taga, Patrick Deghaye, Eichi Tomita, and Dirk Bernaerts
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2022-1476, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2022-1476, 2023
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The EarthCARE satellite is due for launch in 2024. It embarks four scientific instruments to measure global vertical profiles of aerosols, clouds and precipitation properties together with radiative fluxes and derived heating rates. The mission scientific requirements, the satellite and the ground segment are described. In particular, the four scientific instruments and their performances are described at the level of details required by the mission data users.
Paolo Dandini, Céline Cornet, Renaud Binet, Laetitia Fenouil, Vadim Holodovsky, Yoav Y. Schechner, Didier Ricard, and Daniel Rosenfeld
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 6221–6242, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-6221-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-6221-2022, 2022
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3D cloud envelope and development velocity are retrieved from realistic simulations of multi-view
CLOUD (C3IEL) images. Cloud development velocity is derived by finding matching features
between acquisitions separated by 20 s. The tie points are then mapped from image to space via 3D
reconstruction of the cloud envelope obtained from 2 simultaneous images. The retrieved cloud
topography as well as the velocities are in good agreement with the estimates obtained from the
physical models.
Heather Guy, David D. Turner, Von P. Walden, Ian M. Brooks, and Ryan R. Neely
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 5095–5115, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-5095-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-5095-2022, 2022
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Fog formation is highly sensitive to near-surface temperatures and humidity profiles. Passive remote sensing instruments can provide continuous measurements of the vertical temperature and humidity profiles and liquid water content, which can improve fog forecasts. Here we compare the performance of collocated infrared and microwave remote sensing instruments and demonstrate that the infrared instrument is especially sensitive to the onset of thin radiation fog.
Matthias Tesche and Vincent Noel
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 4225–4240, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-4225-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-4225-2022, 2022
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Mid-level and high clouds can be considered natural laboratories for studying cloud glaciation in the atmosphere. While they can be conveniently observed from ground with lidar, such measurements require a clear line of sight between the instrument and the target cloud. Here, observations of clouds with two spaceborne lidars are used to assess where ground-based lidar measurements of mid- and upper-level clouds are least affected by the light-attenuating effect of low-level clouds.
Michael Schäfer, Kevin Wolf, André Ehrlich, Christoph Hallbauer, Evelyn Jäkel, Friedhelm Jansen, Anna Elizabeth Luebke, Joshua Müller, Jakob Thoböll, Timo Röschenthaler, Bjorn Stevens, and Manfred Wendisch
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 1491–1509, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-1491-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-1491-2022, 2022
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The new airborne thermal infrared imager VELOX is introduced. It measures two-dimensional fields of spectral thermal infrared radiance or brightness temperature within the large atmospheric window. The technical specifications as well as necessary calibration and correction procedures are presented. Example measurements from the first field deployment are analysed with respect to cloud coverage and cloud top altitude.
Matthew S. Norgren, John Wood, K. Sebastian Schmidt, Bastiaan van Diedenhoven, Snorre A. Stamnes, Luke D. Ziemba, Ewan C. Crosbie, Michael A. Shook, A. Scott Kittelman, Samuel E. LeBlanc, Stephen Broccardo, Steffen Freitag, and Jeffrey S. Reid
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 1373–1394, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-1373-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-1373-2022, 2022
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A new spectral instrument (SPN-S), with the ability to partition solar radiation into direct and diffuse components, is used in airborne settings to study the optical properties of aerosols and cirrus. It is a low-cost and mechanically simple system but has higher measurement uncertainty than existing standards. This challenge is overcome by utilizing the unique measurement capabilities to develop new retrieval techniques. Validation is done with data from two NASA airborne research campaigns.
Alessandro Battaglia
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 7809–7820, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-7809-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-7809-2021, 2021
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Space-borne radar returns can be contaminated by artefacts caused by radiation that undergoes multiple scattering events and appears to originate from ranges well below the surface range. While such artefacts have been rarely observed from the currently deployed systems, they may become a concern in future cloud radar systems, potentially enhancing cloud cover high up in the troposphere via ghost returns.
Richard J. Roy, Matthew Lebsock, and Marcin J. Kurowski
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 6443–6468, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-6443-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-6443-2021, 2021
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This study describes the potential capabilities of a hypothetical spaceborne radar to observe water vapor within clouds.
Katia Lamer, Mariko Oue, Alessandro Battaglia, Richard J. Roy, Ken B. Cooper, Ranvir Dhillon, and Pavlos Kollias
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 3615–3629, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-3615-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-3615-2021, 2021
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Observations collected during the 25 February 2020 deployment of the VIPR at the Stony Brook Radar Observatory clearly demonstrate the potential of G-band radars for cloud and precipitation research. The field experiment, which coordinated an X-, Ka-, W- and G-band radar, revealed that the differential reflectivity from Ka–G band pair provides larger signals than the traditional Ka–W pairing underpinning an increased sensitivity to smaller amounts of liquid and ice water mass and sizes.
Inderpreet Kaur, Patrick Eriksson, Simon Pfreundschuh, and David Ian Duncan
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 2957–2979, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-2957-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-2957-2021, 2021
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Currently, cloud contamination in microwave humidity channels is addressed using filtering schemes. We present an approach to correct the cloud-affected microwave humidity radiances using a Bayesian machine learning technique. The technique combines orthogonal information from microwave channels to obtain a probabilistic prediction of the clear-sky radiances. With this approach, we are able to predict bias-free clear-sky radiances with well-represented case-specific uncertainty estimates.
Frédéric Szczap, Alaa Alkasem, Guillaume Mioche, Valery Shcherbakov, Céline Cornet, Julien Delanoë, Yahya Gour, Olivier Jourdan, Sandra Banson, and Edouard Bray
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 199–221, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-199-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-199-2021, 2021
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Spaceborne lidar and radar are suitable tools to investigate cloud vertical properties on a global scale. This paper presents the McRALI code that provides simulations of lidar and radar signals from the EarthCARE mission. Regarding radar signals, cloud heterogeneity induces a severe bias in velocity estimates. Regarding lidar signals, multiple scattering is not negligible. Our results also give some insight into the reliability of lidar signal modeling using independent column approximation.
Jörn Ungermann, Irene Bartolome, Sabine Griessbach, Reinhold Spang, Christian Rolf, Martina Krämer, Michael Höpfner, and Martin Riese
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 13, 7025–7045, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-7025-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-7025-2020, 2020
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This study examines the potential of new IR limb imager instruments and tomographic methods for cloud detection purposes. Simple color-ratio-based methods are examined and compared against more involved nonlinear convex optimization. In a second part, 3-D measurements of the airborne limb sounder GLORIA taken during the Wave-driven ISentropic Exchange campaign are used to exemplarily derive the location and extent of small-scale cirrus clouds with high spatial accuracy.
Felipe Toledo, Julien Delanoë, Martial Haeffelin, Jean-Charles Dupont, Susana Jorquera, and Christophe Le Gac
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 13, 6853–6875, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-6853-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-6853-2020, 2020
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Cloud observations are essential to rainfall, fog and climate change forecasts. One key instrument for these observations is cloud radar. Yet, discrepancies are found when comparing radars from different ground stations or satellites. Our work presents a calibration methodology for cloud radars based on reference targets, including an analysis of the uncertainty sources. The method enables the calibration of reference instruments to improve the quality and value of the cloud radar network data.
Alexander Myagkov, Stefan Kneifel, and Thomas Rose
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 13, 5799–5825, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-5799-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-5799-2020, 2020
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This study shows two methods for evaluating the reflectivity calibration of W-band cloud radars. Both methods use natural rain as a reference target. The first method is based on spectral polarimetric observations and requires a polarimetric cloud radar with a scanner. The second method utilizes disdrometer observations and can be applied to scanning and vertically pointed radars. Both methods show consistent results and can be applied for operational monitoring of measurement quality.
Bernd Kaifler, Dimitry Rempel, Philipp Roßi, Christian Büdenbender, Natalie Kaifler, and Volodymyr Baturkin
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 13, 5681–5695, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-5681-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-5681-2020, 2020
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The Balloon Lidar Experiment was the first lidar dedicated to measurements in the mesosphere flown on a balloon. During a 6 d flight, it made high-resolution observations of polar mesospheric clouds which form at high latitudes during summer at ~ 83 km altitude and are the highest clouds in Earth's atmosphere. We describe the instrument and assess its performance. We could detect fainter clouds with higher resolution than what is possible with ground-based instruments.
Hannes J. Griesche, Patric Seifert, Albert Ansmann, Holger Baars, Carola Barrientos Velasco, Johannes Bühl, Ronny Engelmann, Martin Radenz, Yin Zhenping, and Andreas Macke
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 13, 5335–5358, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-5335-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-5335-2020, 2020
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In summer 2017, the research vessel Polarstern performed cruise PS106 to the Arctic north of Svalbard. In the frame of the cruise, remote-sensing observations of the atmosphere were performed on Polarstern to continuously monitor aerosol and clouds above the vessel. In our study, we present the deployed instrumentation and applied data analysis methods and provide case studies of the aerosol and cloud observations made during the cruise. Statistics of low-cloud occurrence are presented as well.
Alessandro Battaglia, Pavlos Kollias, Ranvir Dhillon, Katia Lamer, Marat Khairoutdinov, and Daniel Watters
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 13, 4865–4883, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-4865-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-4865-2020, 2020
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Warm rain accounts for slightly more than 30 % of the total rain amount and 70 % of the total rain area in the tropical belt and usually appears in kilometer-size cells. Spaceborne radars adopting millimeter wavelengths are excellent tools for detecting such precipitation types and for separating between the cloud and rain components. Our work highlights the benefits of operating multifrequency radars and discusses the impact of antenna footprints in quantitative estimates of liquid water paths.
Linda Forster, Meinhard Seefeldner, Andreas Baumgartner, Tobias Kölling, and Bernhard Mayer
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 13, 3977–3991, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-3977-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-3977-2020, 2020
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We present a procedure for both the geometric and absolute radiometric characterization of the weather-proof RGB camera HaloCamRAW, which is part of our automated halo observation system HaloCam, designed for the quantitative analysis of halo displays. By comparing the calibrated HaloCamRAW radiances of a 22° halo scene with radiative transfer simulations, we demonstrate the potential of developing a retrieval method for ice crystal properties, such as size, shape, and surface roughness.
Katia Lamer, Pavlos Kollias, Alessandro Battaglia, and Simon Preval
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 13, 2363–2379, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-2363-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-2363-2020, 2020
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According to ground-based radar observations, 50 % of liquid low-level clouds over the Atlantic extend below 1.2 km and are thinner than 400 m, thus limiting their detection from space. Using an emulator, we estimate that a 250 m resolution radar would capture cloud base better than the CloudSat radar which misses about 52 %. The more sensitive EarthCARE radar is expected to capture cloud cover but stretch cloud. This calls for the operation of interlaced pulse modes for future space missions.
Sung-Ho Suh, Masayuki Maki, Masato Iguchi, Dong-In Lee, Akihiko Yamaji, and Tatsuya Momotani
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 12, 5363–5379, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-5363-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-5363-2019, 2019
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This is a fundamental study on the features of aerodynamic parameters: terminal velocity, axis ratio, and canting angle. These are necessary for developing a quantitative ash fall estimation method based on weather radar. They were analyzed under controlled conditions from laboratory free-fall experiments, since the aerodynamic properties of the particles are highly dependent on external conditions. These results will help in the development of quantitative ash estimation.
Mario Mech, Leif-Leonard Kliesch, Andreas Anhäuser, Thomas Rose, Pavlos Kollias, and Susanne Crewell
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 12, 5019–5037, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-5019-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-5019-2019, 2019
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An improved understanding of Arctic mixed-phase clouds and their contribution to Arctic warming can be achieved by observations from airborne platforms with remote sensing instruments. Such an instrument is MiRAC combining active and passive techniques to gain information on the distribution of clouds, the occurrence of precipitation, and the amount of liquid and ice within the cloud. Operated during a campaign in Arctic summer, it could observe lower clouds often not seen by spaceborne radars.
Emma Hopkin, Anthony J. Illingworth, Cristina Charlton-Perez, Chris D. Westbrook, and Sue Ballard
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 12, 4131–4147, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-4131-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-4131-2019, 2019
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Ceilometers are laser cloud base recorders which retrieve information about atmospheric aerosol and differing cloud types. In order to ensure the information retrieved from the ceilometer is correct and comparable with other ceilometers in an observation network, a calibration is needed. Presented here is a novel automated calibration method, which includes a correction for the effects of water vapour in the atmosphere and shows its application on the UK Met Office's ceilometer network.
Alessandro Battaglia and Pavlos Kollias
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 12, 3335–3349, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-3335-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-3335-2019, 2019
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This work investigates the potential of an innovative differential absorption radar for retrieving relative humidity inside ice clouds. The radar exploits the strong spectral dependence of the water vapour absorption for frequencies close to the 183 GHz water vapour band.
Results show that observations from a system with 4–6 frequencies can provide
novel information for understanding the formation and growth of ice crystals.
Ann M. Fridlind, Marcus van Lier-Walqui, Scott Collis, Scott E. Giangrande, Robert C. Jackson, Xiaowen Li, Toshihisa Matsui, Richard Orville, Mark H. Picel, Daniel Rosenfeld, Alexander Ryzhkov, Richard Weitz, and Pengfei Zhang
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 12, 2979–3000, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-2979-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-2979-2019, 2019
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Weather radars are offering improved capabilities to investigate storm physics, which remain poorly understood. We investigate enhanced use of such data near Houston, Texas, where pollution sources often provide a convenient contrast between polluted and clean air. We conclude that Houston is a favorable location to conduct a future field campaign during June through September because isolated storms are common and tend to last an hour, allowing frequent observations of a full life cycle.
Kevin Wolf, André Ehrlich, Marek Jacob, Susanne Crewell, Martin Wirth, and Manfred Wendisch
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 12, 1635–1658, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-1635-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-1635-2019, 2019
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Using passive spectral solar radiation and active lidar, radar, and microwave measurements with HALO during NARVAL-II, the cloud droplet number concentration of shallow trade wind cumulus is estimated. With stepwise inclusion of the different instruments into the retrieval, the benefits of the synergetic approach based on artificial measurements and two cloud cases are demonstrated. Significant improvement with the synergetic method compared to the solar-radiation-only method is reported.
Paolo Dandini, Zbigniew Ulanowski, David Campbell, and Richard Kaye
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 12, 1295–1309, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-1295-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-1295-2019, 2019
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The halo ratio indicates the strength of the 22° cirrus halo and gives valuable information on cloud properties. We obtain it from all-sky images by applying a range of transformations and corrections and averaging brightness azimuthally over sun-centred images. The ratio is then taken at two angles from the sun, 20° and 23°, in variance from previous suggestions. While we find ratios > 1 to be linked to halos, they can also occur under scattered cumuli as artefacts due to cloud edges.
Tobias Kölling, Tobias Zinner, and Bernhard Mayer
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 12, 1155–1166, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-1155-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-1155-2019, 2019
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Imaging technology allows us to quickly gather information on larger cloud fields. Unlike using lidar or radar, it is difficult to obtain accurate position information about the observed clouds. This work presents a method to retrieve the missing position information using RGB images from an airborne video camera. Using field campaign data, we observe and explain a median offset of 126 m compared to lidar data and show that systematic errors across the measurement swath are well below 50 m.
Cristofer Jimenez, Albert Ansmann, Ronny Engelmann, Moritz Haarig, Jörg Schmidt, and Ulla Wandinger
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 12, 1077–1093, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-1077-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-1077-2019, 2019
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We propose an extended formalism for a full instrumental characterization of a three-channel lidar system, allowing the retrieval of highly accurate linear depolarization profiles. The results obtained at several depolarizing scenarios, the good agreement with the retrievals of a second collocated calibrated lidar system, and the long-term stability of the calibration parameters corroborate the potential and robustness of the new technique.
Ryan R. Neely III, Lindsay Bennett, Alan Blyth, Chris Collier, David Dufton, James Groves, Daniel Walker, Chris Walden, John Bradford, Barbara Brooks, Freya I. Addison, John Nicol, and Ben Pickering
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 11, 6481–6494, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-11-6481-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-11-6481-2018, 2018
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Mobile X-band radars are widely used by atmospheric scientists to observe clouds and make estimates of rainfall. Here we describe the National Centre for Atmospheric Science's mobile X-band dual-polarisation Doppler radar (NXPol). NXPol is the first radar of its kind in the UK. To demonstrate the radar’s capabilities, we present examples of its use in three field campaigns as well as an example from ongoing observations at the National Facility for Atmospheric and Radio Research.
Takuo T. Tsuda, Yuta Hozumi, Kento Kawaura, Keisuke Hosokawa, Hidehiko Suzuki, and Takuji Nakamura
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 11, 6163–6168, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-11-6163-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-11-6163-2018, 2018
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Polar mesospheric clouds (PMCs) or noctilucent clouds (NLCs) are the highest clouds in the Earth's atmosphere. In this paper, we introduce new PMC observations by the Japanese Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) meteorological satellite Himawari-8, which was launched in October 2014.
Martin Radenz, Johannes Bühl, Volker Lehmann, Ulrich Görsdorf, and Ronny Leinweber
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 11, 5925–5940, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-11-5925-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-11-5925-2018, 2018
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Ultra-high-frequency radar wind profilers are widely used for remote sensing of horizontal and vertical wind velocity. They emit electromagnetic radiation at a wavelength of 60 cm and receive signals from both falling particles and the air itself. In this paper, we describe a method to separate both signal components with the help of an additional cloud radar system in order to come up with undisturbed measurements of both vertical air velocity and the fall velocity of particles.
Madhu Chandra R. Kalapureddy, Patra Sukanya, Subrata K. Das, Sachin M. Deshpande, Govindan Pandithurai, Andrew L. Pazamany, Jha Ambuj K., Kaustav Chakravarty, Prasad Kalekar, Hari Krishna Devisetty, and Sreenivas Annam
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 11, 1417–1436, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-11-1417-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-11-1417-2018, 2018
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A new technique to separate cloud and non-hydrometeor returns from a cloud radar high-resolution reflectivity measurements is proposed. The TEST algorithm potentially identifies cloud height with the theoretical echo sensitivity curves and observed echo statistics for the cloud height tracing. TEST is more robust in identifying and filtering out the biota contributions by constraining further with spectral width and LDR measurements. This algorithm improves the monsoon cloud characterization.
Pierre Crispel and Gregory Roberts
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 11, 593–609, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-11-593-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-11-593-2018, 2018
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In this study, we use an all-sky stereo camera network to perform geolocation of individual elements of a cloud field in order to track individual clouds and estimate some of their morphological characteristics and their evolution in time. Furthermore, this allows use of cloud geolocation for cloud airborne measurements. For example, in the case of instrumented UAVs, the GPS coordinates of the target cloud may be communicated in real time to the autopilot.
Emily M. McCullough, Robert J. Sica, James R. Drummond, Graeme Nott, Christopher Perro, Colin P. Thackray, Jason Hopper, Jonathan Doyle, Thomas J. Duck, and Kaley A. Walker
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 10, 4253–4277, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-10-4253-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-10-4253-2017, 2017
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CRL lidar in the Canadian High Arctic uses lasers and a telescope to study polar clouds, essential for understanding the changing global climate. Hardware added to CRL allows it to measure the polarization of returned laser light, indicating whether cloud particles are liquid or frozen. Calibrations show that traditional analysis methods work well, although CRL was not originally set up to make this type of measurement. CRL can now measure cloud particle phase every 5 min, every 37.5 m, 24h/day.
Linda Forster, Meinhard Seefeldner, Matthias Wiegner, and Bernhard Mayer
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 10, 2499–2516, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-10-2499-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-10-2499-2017, 2017
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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.
Stuart Fox, Clare Lee, Brian Moyna, Martin Philipp, Ian Rule, Stuart Rogers, Robert King, Matthew Oldfield, Simon Rea, Manju Henry, Hui Wang, and R. Chawn Harlow
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 10, 477–490, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-10-477-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-10-477-2017, 2017
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In this paper we present the ISMAR instrument, a new airborne submillimetre radiometer designed for cloud ice remote sensing. We discuss the instrument calibration and evaluate the main sources of bias and the radiometric sensitivity in different measurement scenarios. We also compare clear-sky zenith measurements from high altitude with radiative transfer simulations to demonstrate the performance of ISMAR in flight.
Bryan Urquhart, Ben Kurtz, and Jan Kleissl
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 9, 4279–4294, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-4279-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-4279-2016, 2016
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A model relating the position of objects in the 3-D world to their pixel coordinates has been developed for a fixed-focal length fisheye lens camera. An associated automated method to calibrate model parameters has been developed for a daytime skyward-pointing camera. The position of the sun throughout the day is used as input to the calibration algorithm. The accuracy of the calibration was found to be on the same order as the accuracy of sun position detection in an image.
Edward R. Niple, Herman E. Scott, John A. Conant, Stephen H. Jones, Frank J. Iannarilli, and Wellesley E. Pereira
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 9, 4167–4179, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-4167-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-4167-2016, 2016
Penny M. Rowe, Christopher J. Cox, and Von P. Walden
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 9, 3641–3659, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-3641-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-3641-2016, 2016
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Clouds play an important role in the rapid climate change occurring in polar regions, yet cloud measurements are challenging in such harsh, remote environments. Here we explore how well a proposed low-power infrared spectrometer, which would be highly portable, could be used to determine cloud height. Using simulated data, we estimate retrieval accuracy, finding that such an instrument would be able to constrain cloud height, particular for low, thick clouds, which are common in polar region.
Martin de Graaf, Holger Sihler, Lieuwe G. Tilstra, and Piet Stammes
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 9, 3607–3618, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-3607-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-3607-2016, 2016
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The shapes and sizes of the FoV from the OMI satellite instrument were determined with extensive lab tests but never verified after launch. Here, collocated measurements from MODIS, flying in formation, were used to find the most optimal shape of the OMI FoV. This shape is not quadrangular, as suggested by the provided corner coordinates of a pixel, but rather super-Gaussian shaped and overlapping with the FoV of neighbouring pixels.
Luis Millán, Matthew Lebsock, Nathaniel Livesey, and Simone Tanelli
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 9, 2633–2646, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-2633-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-2633-2016, 2016
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We discuss the theoretical capabilities of a radar technique to measure profiles of water vapor in cloudy/precipitating areas. The method uses two radar pulses at different frequencies near the 183 GHz H2O absorption line to determine water vapor profiles by measuring the differential absorption on and off the line. Results of inverting synthetic data assuming a satellite radar are presented.
Florian Ewald, Tobias Kölling, Andreas Baumgartner, Tobias Zinner, and Bernhard Mayer
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 9, 2015–2042, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-2015-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-2015-2016, 2016
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The new spectrometer of the Munich Aerosol Cloud Scanner (specMACS) is a
multipurpose hyperspectral cloud and sky imager which is designated, but not limited, to investigations of cloud-aerosol interactions in Earth's atmosphere. This paper describes the specMACS instrument's hardware and software design and
characterizes the instrument performance. Initial measurements of cloud sides are presented which demonstrate the wide applicability of the instrument.
Quentin Libois, Christian Proulx, Liviu Ivanescu, Laurence Coursol, Ludovick S. Pelletier, Yacine Bouzid, Francesco Barbero, Éric Girard, and Jean-Pierre Blanchet
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 9, 1817–1832, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-1817-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-1817-2016, 2016
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Here we present a radiometer, FIRR, aimed at measuring atmospheric radiation in the far infrared, an underexplored region of the Earth spectrum. The FIRR is a prototype for the planned TICFIRE satellite mission dedicated to studying thin ice clouds in polar regions. Preliminary in situ measurements compare well with radiative transfer simulations. This highlights the high sensitivity of the FIRR to water vapor content and cloud physical properties, paving the way for new retrieval algorithms.
Kerry Meyer, Yuekui Yang, and Steven Platnick
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 9, 1785–1797, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-1785-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-1785-2016, 2016
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This paper presents the expected uncertainties of a single-channel cloud opacity retrieval technique and a temperature-based cloud phase approach in support of the Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) mission; DSCOVR cloud products will be derived from Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera (EPIC) observations. Results show that, for ice clouds, retrieval errors are minimal (< 2 %), while for liquid clouds the error is limited to within 10 %, although for thin clouds the error can be higher.
Bomidi Lakshmi Madhavan, John Kalisch, and Andreas Macke
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 9, 1153–1166, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-1153-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-1153-2016, 2016
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As part of the High Definition Clouds and Precipitation for advancing Climate Prediction Observational Prototype Experiment (HOPE), a high-density network of pyranometer stations (99 nos.) was set up around Jülich (10 km × 12 km area) from April to July 2013 to capture the small-scale variability of cloud-induced radiation fields at the surface. This paper provides the details of this unique setup of the network, data, quality control, uncertainty estimation and discussion of some case days.
A. Myagkov, P. Seifert, M. Bauer-Pfundstein, and U. Wandinger
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 9, 469–489, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-469-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-469-2016, 2016
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In this paper a newly developed scanning 35 GHz cloud radar MIRA-35 is described. The issues concerned with implementation, polarization calibration, and data processing are considered. Also, an algorithm for a characterization of shape and orientation distribution based on polarimetric observations from the cloud radar is presented. For demonstration, the developed retrieval technique is applied to a cloud system containing ice crystals with different habits.
J. Bühl, R. Leinweber, U. Görsdorf, M. Radenz, A. Ansmann, and V. Lehmann
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 8, 3527–3536, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-8-3527-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-8-3527-2015, 2015
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Case studies of combined vertical-velocity measurements of Doppler lidar, cloud radar and wind profiler are presented. The measurements were taken at the Meteorological Observatory, Lindenberg, Germany. Synergistic products are presented that are derived from the vertical-velocity measurements of the three instruments: a comprehensive classification mask of vertically moving atmospheric targets and the terminal fall velocity of water droplets and ice crystals corrected for vertical air motion.
J. Leinonen, M. D. Lebsock, S. Tanelli, K. Suzuki, H. Yashiro, and Y. Miyamoto
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 8, 3493–3517, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-8-3493-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-8-3493-2015, 2015
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Using multiple frequencies in cloud and precipitation radars enables them to be both sensitive enough to detect thin clouds and to penetrate heavy precipitation, profiling the entire vertical structure of the atmospheric component of the water cycle. Here, we evaluate the performance of a potential future three-frequency space-based radar system by simulating its observations using data from a high-resolution global atmospheric model.
B. Urquhart, B. Kurtz, E. Dahlin, M. Ghonima, J. E. Shields, and J. Kleissl
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 8, 875–890, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-8-875-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-8-875-2015, 2015
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Short summary
This work focuses on making unambiguous measurements of Arctic cloud phase and assessing those measurements within the context of cloud radiative effects. It is found that effects related to lidar data recording systems can cause retrieval ambiguities that alter the interpretation of cloud phase in as much as 30 % of the available data. This misinterpretation of cloud-phase data can cause a misinterpretation of the effect of cloud phase on the surface radiation budget by as much as 10 to 30 %.
This work focuses on making unambiguous measurements of Arctic cloud phase and assessing those...
