Articles | Volume 18, issue 10
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-2295-2025
© Author(s) 2025. 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-18-2295-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
28 May 2025
Research article |
| 28 May 2025
| 28 May 2025
Characterization of surface clutter signal in the presence of orography for a spaceborne conically scanning W-band Doppler radar
Francesco Manconi
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
DIATI, Politecnico di Torino, Turin, Italy
Alessandro Battaglia
DIATI, Politecnico di Torino, Turin, Italy
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
Pavlos Kollias
School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
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Nitika Yadlapalli Yurk, Matthew Lebsock, Juan Socuellamos, Raquel Rodriguez Monje, Ken Cooper, and Pavlos Kollias
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-618, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-618, 2025
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Current knowledge of the link between clouds and climate is limited by lack of observations of the drop size distribution (DSD) within clouds, especially for the smallest drops. We demonstrate a method of retrieving DSDs down to small drop sizes using observations of drizzling marine layer clouds captured by the CloudCube millimeter-wave Doppler radar. We compare the shape of the observed spectra to theoretical expectations of radar echoes to solve for DSDs at each time and elevation.
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Doppler spectral data inform on how particles of varying vertical velocities contribute to total backscattered power observed. Through examining three case studies, consistent features in radar moment data were found to be characteristic of multi-modal spectra. We quantified how spectrum width and mean Doppler velocity can be used to determine whether or not a layer is multi-modal. The identification criteria and methods are described in Part 1 and assessed in Part 2.
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The WIVERN conically scanning Doppler W-band radar, has the potential, for the first time, to map the mesoscale and synoptic variability of cloud dynamics, and precipitation microphysics. This study shows that the oblique angle of incidence will be advantageous compared to standard nadir-looking radars due to substantial clutter suppression over ocean surface. This feature will enable the detection and quantification of light and moderate precipitation, with improved proximity to the surface.
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Geosci. Model Dev., 18, 101–115, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-18-101-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-18-101-2025, 2025
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Snowfall measurements at high latitudes are crucial for estimating ice sheet mass balance. Spaceborne radar and radiometer missions help estimate snowfall but face uncertainties. This work evaluates uncertainties in snowfall estimates from a fixed near-nadir radar (CloudSat-like) and a conically scanning radar (WIVERN-like), determining that WIVERN will provide much better estimates than CloudSat, and at much smaller spatial and temporal scales.
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This study analyzed coastal convective cells from June through September 2018–2021. The cells were classified and their lifecycles were analyzed to better understand their characteristics. Features such as convective-core growth, for example, are shown. The study found differences in the initiation location of shallow convection and in the aerosol loading in deep convective environments. This work provides a foundation for future analyses of convection or other tracked events elsewhere.
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Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 1577–1597, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-1577-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-1577-2024, 2024
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In this study, we examine the extent to which radar measurements from space can inform us about the properties of clouds and precipitation. Surprisingly, our analysis showed that the amount of ice turning into rain was lower than expected in the current product. To improve on this, we came up with a new way to extract information about the size and concentration of particles from radar data. As long as we use this method in the right conditions, we can even estimate how dense the ice is.
Zeen Zhu, Fan Yang, Pavlos Kollias, Raymond A. Shaw, Alex B. Kostinski, Steve Krueger, Katia Lamer, Nithin Allwayin, and Mariko Oue
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 1133–1143, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-1133-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-1133-2024, 2024
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In this article, we demonstrate the feasibility of applying advanced radar technology to detect liquid droplets generated in the cloud chamber. Specifically, we show that using radar with centimeter-scale resolution, single drizzle drops with a diameter larger than 40 µm can be detected. This study demonstrates the applicability of remote sensing instruments in laboratory experiments and suggests new applications of ultrahigh-resolution radar for atmospheric sensing.
Shannon L. Mason, Howard W. Barker, Jason N. S. Cole, Nicole Docter, David P. Donovan, Robin J. Hogan, Anja Hünerbein, Pavlos Kollias, Bernat Puigdomènech Treserras, Zhipeng Qu, Ulla Wandinger, and Gerd-Jan van Zadelhoff
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 875–898, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-875-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-875-2024, 2024
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When the EarthCARE mission enters its operational phase, many retrieval data products will be available, which will overlap both in terms of the measurements they use and the geophysical quantities they report. In this pre-launch study, we use simulated EarthCARE scenes to compare the coverage and performance of many data products from the European Space Agency production model, with the intention of better understanding the relation between products and providing a compact guide to users.
Filippo Emilio Scarsi, Alessandro Battaglia, Frederic Tridon, Paolo Martire, Ranvir Dhillon, and Anthony Illingworth
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 499–514, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-499-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-499-2024, 2024
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The WIVERN mission, one of the two candidates to be the ESA's Earth Explorer 11 mission, aims at providing measurements of horizontal winds in cloud and precipitation systems through a conically scanning W-band Doppler radar. This work discusses four methods that can be used to characterize and correct the Doppler velocity error induced by the antenna mispointing. The proposed methodologies can be extended to other Doppler concepts featuring conically scanning or slant viewing Doppler systems.
David P. Donovan, Pavlos Kollias, Almudena Velázquez Blázquez, and Gerd-Jan van Zadelhoff
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 5327–5356, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-5327-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-5327-2023, 2023
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The Earth Cloud, Aerosol and Radiation Explorer mission (EarthCARE) is a multi-instrument cloud–aerosol–radiation-oriented satellite for climate and weather applications. For this satellite mission to be successful, the development and implementation of new techniques for turning the measured raw signals into useful data is required. This paper describes how atmospheric model data were used as the basis for creating realistic high-resolution simulated data sets to facilitate this process.
Imke Schirmacher, Pavlos Kollias, Katia Lamer, Mario Mech, Lukas Pfitzenmaier, Manfred Wendisch, and Susanne Crewell
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 4081–4100, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-4081-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-4081-2023, 2023
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CloudSat’s relatively coarse spatial resolution, low sensitivity, and blind zone limit its assessment of Arctic low-level clouds, which affect the surface energy balance. We compare cloud fractions from CloudSat and finely resolved airborne radar observations to determine CloudSat’s limitations. Cloudsat overestimates cloud fractions above its blind zone, especially during cold-air outbreaks over open water, and misses a cloud fraction of 32 % and half of the precipitation inside its blind zone.
Zeen Zhu, Pavlos Kollias, and Fan Yang
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 3727–3737, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-3727-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-3727-2023, 2023
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We show that large rain droplets, with large inertia, are unable to follow the rapid change of velocity field in a turbulent environment. A lack of consideration for this inertial effect leads to an artificial broadening of the Doppler spectrum from the conventional simulator. Based on the physics-based simulation, we propose a new approach to generate the radar Doppler spectra. This simulator provides a valuable tool to decode cloud microphysical and dynamical properties from radar observation.
Alessandro Battaglia, Filippo Emilio Scarsi, Kamil Mroz, and Anthony Illingworth
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 3283–3297, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-3283-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-3283-2023, 2023
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Some of the new generation of cloud and precipitation spaceborne radars will adopt conical scanning. This will make some of the standard calibration techniques impractical. This work presents a methodology to cross-calibrate radars in orbits by matching the reflectivity probability density function of ice clouds observed by the to-be-calibrated and by the reference radar in quasi-coincident locations. Results show that cross-calibration within 1 dB (26 %) is feasible.
Kamil Mroz, Bernat Puidgomènech Treserras, Alessandro Battaglia, Pavlos Kollias, Aleksandra Tatarevic, and Frederic Tridon
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 2865–2888, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-2865-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-2865-2023, 2023
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We present the theoretical basis of the algorithm that estimates the amount of water and size of particles in clouds and precipitation. The algorithm uses data collected by the Cloud Profiling Radar that was developed for the upcoming Earth Clouds, Aerosols and Radiation Explorer (EarthCARE) satellite mission. After the satellite launch, the vertical distribution of cloud and precipitation properties will be delivered as the C-CLD product.
Abdanour Irbah, Julien Delanoë, Gerd-Jan van Zadelhoff, David P. Donovan, Pavlos Kollias, Bernat Puigdomènech Treserras, Shannon Mason, Robin J. Hogan, and Aleksandra Tatarevic
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 2795–2820, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-2795-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-2795-2023, 2023
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The Cloud Profiling Radar (CPR) and ATmospheric LIDar (ATLID) aboard the EarthCARE satellite are used to probe the Earth's atmosphere by measuring cloud and aerosol profiles. ATLID is sensitive to aerosols and small cloud particles and CPR to large ice particles, snowflakes and raindrops. It is the synergy of the measurements of these two instruments that allows a better classification of the atmospheric targets and the description of the associated products, which are the subject of this paper.
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.
Zackary Mages, Pavlos Kollias, Zeen Zhu, and Edward P. Luke
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 3561–3574, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-3561-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-3561-2023, 2023
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Cold-air outbreaks (when cold air is advected over warm water and creates low-level convection) are a dominant cloud regime in the Arctic, and we capitalized on ground-based observations, which did not previously exist, from the COMBLE field campaign to study them. We characterized the extent and strength of the convection and turbulence and found evidence of secondary ice production. This information is useful for model intercomparison studies that will represent cold-air outbreak processes.
Frederic Tridon, Israel Silber, Alessandro Battaglia, Stefan Kneifel, Ann Fridlind, Petros Kalogeras, and Ranvir Dhillon
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 12467–12491, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-12467-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-12467-2022, 2022
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The role of ice precipitation in the Earth water budget is not well known because ice particles are complex, and their formation involves intricate processes. Riming of ice crystals by supercooled water droplets is an efficient process, but little is known about its importance at high latitudes. In this work, by exploiting the deployment of an unprecedented number of remote sensing systems in Antarctica, we find that riming occurs at much lower temperatures compared with the mid-latitudes.
Mariko Oue, Stephen M. Saleeby, Peter J. Marinescu, Pavlos Kollias, and Susan C. van den Heever
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 4931–4950, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-4931-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-4931-2022, 2022
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This study provides an optimization of radar observation strategies to better capture convective cell evolution in clean and polluted environments as well as a technique for the optimization. The suggested optimized radar observation strategy is to better capture updrafts at middle and upper altitudes and precipitation particle evolution of isolated deep convective clouds. This study sheds light on the challenge of designing remote sensing observation strategies in pre-field campaign periods.
Zeen Zhu, Pavlos Kollias, Edward Luke, and Fan Yang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 7405–7416, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-7405-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-7405-2022, 2022
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Drizzle (small rain droplets) is an important component of warm clouds; however, its existence is poorly understood. In this study, we capitalized on a machine-learning algorithm to develop a drizzle detection method. We applied this algorithm to investigate drizzle occurrence and found out that drizzle is far more ubiquitous than previously thought. This study demonstrates the ubiquitous nature of drizzle in clouds and will improve understanding of the associated microphysical process.
Alessandro Battaglia, Paolo Martire, Eric Caubet, Laurent Phalippou, Fabrizio Stesina, Pavlos Kollias, and Anthony Illingworth
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 3011–3030, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-3011-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-3011-2022, 2022
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We present an instrument simulator for a new sensor, WIVERN (WInd VElocity Radar Nephoscope), a conically scanning radar payload with Doppler capabilities, recently down-selected as one of the four candidates for the European Space Agency Earth Explorer 11 program. The mission aims at measuring horizontal winds in cloudy areas. The simulator is instrumental in the definition and consolidation of the mission requirements and the evaluation of mission performances.
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.
Sonja Drueke, Daniel J. Kirshbaum, and Pavlos Kollias
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 14039–14058, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-14039-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-14039-2021, 2021
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This numerical study provides insights into the sensitivity of shallow-cumulus dilution to geostrophic vertical wind profile. The cumulus dilution is strongly sensitive to vertical wind shear in the cloud layer, with shallow cumuli being more diluted in sheared environments. On the other hand, wind shear in the subcloud layer leads to less diluted cumuli. The sensitivities are explained by jointly considering the impacts of vertical velocity and the properties of the entrained air.
Mariko Oue, Pavlos Kollias, Sergey Y. Matrosov, Alessandro Battaglia, and Alexander V. Ryzhkov
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 4893–4913, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-4893-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-4893-2021, 2021
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Multi-wavelength radar measurements provide capabilities to identify ice particle types and growth processes in clouds beyond the capabilities of single-frequency radar measurements. This study introduces Doppler velocity and polarimetric radar observables into the multi-wavelength radar reflectivity measurement to improve identification analysis. The analysis clearly discerns snowflake aggregation and riming processes and even early stages of riming.
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.
Marek Jacob, Pavlos Kollias, Felix Ament, Vera Schemann, and Susanne Crewell
Geosci. Model Dev., 13, 5757–5777, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-13-5757-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-13-5757-2020, 2020
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We compare clouds in different cloud-resolving atmosphere simulations with airborne remote sensing observations. The focus is on warm shallow clouds in the Atlantic trade wind region. Those clouds are climatologically important but challenging for climate models. We use forward operators to apply instrument-specific thresholds for cloud detection to model outputs. In this comparison, the higher-resolution model better reproduces the layered cloud structure.
Sonja Drueke, Daniel J. Kirshbaum, and Pavlos Kollias
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 13217–13239, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-13217-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-13217-2020, 2020
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This numerical study provides insights into selected environmental sensitivities of shallow-cumulus dilution. Among the parameters under consideration, the dilution of the cloud cores is strongly sensitive to continentality and cloud-layer relative humidity and weakly sensitive to subcloud- and cloud-layer depths. The impacts of all four parameters are interpreted using a similarity theory of shallow cumulus and buoyancy-sorting arguments.
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.
Mario Mech, Maximilian Maahn, Stefan Kneifel, Davide Ori, Emiliano Orlandi, Pavlos Kollias, Vera Schemann, and Susanne Crewell
Geosci. Model Dev., 13, 4229–4251, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-13-4229-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-13-4229-2020, 2020
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The Passive and Active Microwave TRAnsfer tool (PAMTRA) is a public domain software package written in Python and Fortran for the simulation of microwave remote sensing observations. PAMTRA models the interaction of radiation with gases, clouds, precipitation, and the surface using either in situ observations or model output as input parameters. The wide range of applications is demonstrated for passive (radiometer) and active (radar) instruments on ground, airborne, and satellite platforms.
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.
Mariko Oue, Aleksandra Tatarevic, Pavlos Kollias, Dié Wang, Kwangmin Yu, and Andrew M. Vogelmann
Geosci. Model Dev., 13, 1975–1998, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-13-1975-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-13-1975-2020, 2020
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We developed the Cloud-resolving model Radar SIMulator (CR-SIM) capable of apples-to-apples comparisons between the multiwavelength, zenith-pointing, and scanning radar and multi-remote-sensing (radar and lidar) observations and the high-resolution atmospheric model output. Applications of CR-SIM as a virtual observatory operator aid interpretation of the differences and improve understanding of the representativeness errors due to the sampling limitations of the ground-based measurements.
Fan Yang, Robert McGraw, Edward P. Luke, Damao Zhang, Pavlos Kollias, and Andrew M. Vogelmann
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 12, 5817–5828, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-5817-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-5817-2019, 2019
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In-cloud supersaturation is crucial for droplet activation, growth, and drizzle initiation but is poorly known and hardly measured. Here we provide a novel method to estimate supersaturation fluctuation in stratocumulus clouds using remote-sensing measurements, and results show that our estimated supersaturation agrees reasonably well with in situ measurements. Our method provides a unique way to estimate supersaturation in stratocumulus clouds from long-term ground-based observations.
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.
Pavlos Kollias, Bernat Puigdomènech Treserras, and Alain Protat
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 12, 4949–4964, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-4949-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-4949-2019, 2019
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Profiling millimeter-wavelength radars are the cornerstone instrument of surface-based observatories. Calibrating these radars is important for establishing a long record of observations suitable for model evaluation and improvement. Here, the CloudSat CPR is used to assess the calibration of a record over 10 years long of ARM cloud radar observations (a total of 44 years). The results indicate that correction coefficients are needed to improve record reliability and usability.
Katia Lamer, Bernat Puigdomènech Treserras, Zeen Zhu, Bradley Isom, Nitin Bharadwaj, and Pavlos Kollias
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 12, 4931–4947, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-4931-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-4931-2019, 2019
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This article describes the three newly deployed second-generation radar of the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement program. Techniques to retrieve precipitation rate from their measurements are presented: noise and clutter filtering, gas and liquid attenuation correction, and radar reflectivity calibration. Rain rate for a 40 km radius domain around Graciosa estimated from all three radar differ, which highlights the need to consider sensor capabilities when interpreting radar measurements.
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.
Mariko Oue, Pavlos Kollias, Alan Shapiro, Aleksandra Tatarevic, and Toshihisa Matsui
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 12, 1999–2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-1999-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-1999-2019, 2019
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This study investigated impacts of the selected radar volume coverage pattern, the sampling time period, the number of radars used, and the added value of advection correction on the retrieval of vertical air motion from a multi-Doppler-radar technique. The results suggest that the use of rapid-scan radars can substantially improve the quality of wind retrievals and that the retrieved wind field needs to be carefully used considering the limitations of the radar observing system.
Guangjie Zheng, Yang Wang, Allison C. Aiken, Francesca Gallo, Michael P. Jensen, Pavlos Kollias, Chongai Kuang, Edward Luke, Stephen Springston, Janek Uin, Robert Wood, and Jian Wang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 17615–17635, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-17615-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-17615-2018, 2018
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Here, we elucidate the key processes that drive marine boundary layer (MBL) aerosol size distribution in the eastern North Atlantic (ENA) using long-term measurements. The governing equations of particle concentration are established for different modes. Particles entrained from the free troposphere represent the major source of MBL cloud condensation nuclei (CCN), contributing both directly to CCN population and indirectly by supplying Aitken-mode particles that grow to CCN in the MBL.
Alessandro Battaglia, Ranvir Dhillon, and Anthony Illingworth
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 11, 5965–5979, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-11-5965-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-11-5965-2018, 2018
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A new technique is proposed to simulated winds in clouds as they could be observed by a space-borne Doppler 3 mm wavelength radar. Results show that, in the presence of cloud inhomogeneity and of vertical wind shear, measured winds can be corrected and produce unbiased estimates of line-of-sight winds that can then be assimilated in numerical models to improve weather forecasts.
Katia Lamer, Ann M. Fridlind, Andrew S. Ackerman, Pavlos Kollias, Eugene E. Clothiaux, and Maxwell Kelley
Geosci. Model Dev., 11, 4195–4214, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-11-4195-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-11-4195-2018, 2018
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Weather and climate predictions of cloud, rain, and snow occurrence remain uncertain, in part because guidance from observation is incomplete. We present a tool that transforms predictions into observations from ground-based remote sensors. Liquid water and ice occurrence errors associated with the transformation are below 8 %, with ~ 3 % uncertainty. This (GO)2-SIM forward-simulator tool enables better evaluation of cloud, rain, and snow occurrence predictions using available observations.
Fan Yang, Pavlos Kollias, Raymond A. Shaw, and Andrew M. Vogelmann
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 7313–7328, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-7313-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-7313-2018, 2018
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Cloud droplet size distribution (CDSD), which is related to cloud albedo and lifetime, is usually observed broader than predicted from adiabatic parcel calculations. Results in this study show that the CDSD can be broadened during condensational growth as a result of Ostwald ripening amplified by droplet deactivation and reactivation. Our results suggest that it is important to consider both curvature and solute effects before and after cloud droplet activation in a 3-D cloud model.
Damao Zhang, Zhien Wang, Pavlos Kollias, Andrew M. Vogelmann, Kang Yang, and Tao Luo
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 4317–4327, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-4317-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-4317-2018, 2018
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Ice production in atmospheric clouds is important for global water cycle and radiation budget. Active satellite remote sensing measurements are analyzed to quantitatively study primary ice particle production in stratiform mixed-phase clouds on a global scale. We quantify the geographic and seasonal variations of ice production and their correlations with aerosol, especially mineral dust activities. The results can be used to evaluate mixed-phased clouds simulations by global climate models.
Xiaoli Zhou, Andrew S. Ackerman, Ann M. Fridlind, Robert Wood, and Pavlos Kollias
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 12725–12742, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-12725-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-12725-2017, 2017
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Shallow maritime clouds make a well-known transition from stratocumulus to trade cumulus with flow from the subtropics equatorward. Three-day large-eddy simulations that investigate the potential influence of overlying African biomass burning plumes during that transition indicate that cloud-related impacts are likely substantially cooling to negligible at the top of the atmosphere, with magnitude sensitive to background and perturbation aerosol and cloud properties.
Kirk W. North, Mariko Oue, Pavlos Kollias, Scott E. Giangrande, Scott M. Collis, and Corey K. Potvin
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 10, 2785–2806, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-10-2785-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-10-2785-2017, 2017
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Vertical air motion retrievals from 3DVAR multiple distributed scanning Doppler radars are compared against collocated profiling radars and retrieved from an upward iteration integration iterative technique to characterize their veracity. The retrieved vertical air motions are generally within 1–2 m s−1 of agreement with profiling radars and better solution than the upward integration technique, and therefore can be used as a means to improve parameterizations in numerical models moving forward.
Claudia Acquistapace, Stefan Kneifel, Ulrich Löhnert, Pavlos Kollias, Maximilian Maahn, and Matthias Bauer-Pfundstein
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 10, 1783–1802, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-10-1783-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-10-1783-2017, 2017
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The goal of the paper is to understand what the optimal cloud radar settings for drizzle detection are. The number of cloud radars in the world has increased in the last 10 years and it is important to develop strategies to derive optimal settings which can be applied to all radar systems. The study is part of broader research focused on better understanding the microphysical process of drizzle growth using ground-based observations.
A. Battaglia, C. D. Westbrook, S. Kneifel, P. Kollias, N. Humpage, U. Löhnert, J. Tyynelä, and G. W. Petty
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 7, 1527–1546, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-7-1527-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-7-1527-2014, 2014
Related subject area
Subject: Others (Wind, Precipitation, Temperature, etc.) | Technique: Remote Sensing | Topic: Instruments and Platforms
Spectral performance analysis of the Fizeau interferometer on board ESA's Aeolus wind lidar satellite
Tracking traveling ionospheric disturbances through Doppler-shifted AM radio transmissions
Calibration of Weather Radars with a Target Simulator
Feasibility of a space-borne terahertz heterodyne spectrometer for atomic oxygen and temperature in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere
Chilean Observation Network De Meteor Radars (CONDOR): multi-static system configuration and wind comparison with co-located lidar
ScintPi measurements of low-latitude ionospheric irregularity drifts using the spaced-receiver technique and SBAS signals
The Atmospheric Sounder Spectrometer by Infrared Spectral Technology (ASSIST): Instrument design and signal processing
Quantitative error analysis of polarimetric phased-array radar weather measurements to reveal radar performance and configuration potential
Optimization of a direct-detection UV wind lidar architecture for 3D wind reconstruction at high altitude
The GRAS-2 radio occultation mission
Exploring the Potential of Aerial and Balloon-Based Observations in the Study of Terrestrial Gamma Ray Flashes
The ALOMAR Rayleigh/Mie/Raman lidar: status after 30 years of operation
The Far-INfrarEd Spectrometer for Surface Emissivity (FINESSE) – Part 1: Instrument description and level 1 radiances
Evaluation of the effects of different lightning protection rods on the data quality of C-band weather radars
Wind comparisons between meteor radar and Doppler shifts in airglow emissions using field-widened Michelson interferometers
A new dual-frequency stratospheric–tropospheric and meteor radar: system description and first results
The Doppler wind, temperature, and aerosol RMR lidar system at Kühlungsborn, Germany – Part 1: Technical specifications and capabilities
Directly measuring the power-law exponent and kinetic energy of atmospheric turbulence using coherent Doppler wind lidar
3D wind observations with a compact mobile lidar based on tropo- and stratospheric aerosol backscatter
A novel infrared imager for studies of hydroxyl and oxygen nightglow emissions in the mesopause above northern Scandinavia
Absolute radiance calibration in the UV and visible spectral range using atmospheric observations during twilight
Measurement uncertainties of scanning microwave radiometers and their influence on temperature profiling
Advancing airborne Doppler lidar wind profiling in turbulent boundary layer flow – an LES-based optimization of traditional scanning-beam versus novel fixed-beam measurement systems
Observing atmospheric convection with dual-scanning lidars
Evaluation of error components in rainfall retrieval from collocated commercial microwave links
In-orbit cross-calibration of millimeter conically scanning spaceborne radars
The Far-Infrared Radiation Mobile Observation System (FIRMOS) for spectral characterization of the atmospheric emission
Calibrating radar wind profiler reflectivity factor using surface disdrometer observations
Pseudorandom modulation continuous-wave narrowband sodium temperature and wind lidar
Stratospheric temperature measurements from nanosatellite stellar occultation observations of refractive bending
Airborne coherent wind lidar measurements of the momentum flux profile from orographically induced gravity waves
GNSS radio occultation soundings from commercial off-the-shelf receivers on board balloon platforms
Complementarity of wind measurements from co-located X-band weather radar and Doppler lidar
Evaluation of the New York State Mesonet Profiler Network data
Quantification of motion-induced measurement error on floating lidar systems
Observation error analysis for the WInd VElocity Radar Nephoscope W-band Doppler conically scanning spaceborne radar via end-to-end simulations
Evaluating convective planetary boundary layer height estimations resolved by both active and passive remote sensing instruments during the CHEESEHEAD19 field campaign
Atmospheric precipitable water vapor and its correlation with clear-sky infrared temperature observations
Spectral performance analysis of the Aeolus Fabry–Pérot and Fizeau interferometers during the first years of operation
Moderate spectral resolution solar irradiance measurements, aerosol optical depth, and solar transmission, from 360 to 1070 nm, using the refurbished rotating shadow band spectroradiometer (RSS)
Mitigation of bias sources for atmospheric temperature and humidity in the mobile Raman Weather and Aerosol Lidar (WALI)
Gravity wave instability structures and turbulence from more than 1.5 years of OH* airglow imager observations in Slovenia
ALADIN laser frequency stability and its impact on the Aeolus wind error
A compact static birefringent interferometer for the measurement of upper atmospheric winds: concept, design and lab performance
The COTUR project: remote sensing of offshore turbulence for wind energy application
Characterization of dark current signal measurements of the ACCDs used on board the Aeolus satellite
Relationship between wind observation accuracy and the ascending node of the sun-synchronous orbit for the Aeolus-type spaceborne Doppler wind lidar
A new lidar design for operational atmospheric wind and cloud/aerosol survey from space
VAHCOLI, a new concept for lidars: technical setup, science applications, and first measurements
A Compact Rayleigh Autonomous Lidar (CORAL) for the middle atmosphere
Michael Vaughan, Kevin Ridley, Benjamin Witschas, Oliver Lux, Ines Nikolaus, and Oliver Reitebuch
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 2149–2181, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-2149-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-2149-2025, 2025
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ESA's Aeolus mission, launched in 2018, has exceeded expectations, providing valuable global wind lidar data for nearly 5 years. Its data have improved weather forecasting, with Mie-cloudy winds proving to be especially precise. Challenges have emerged, such as unexpected misalignments in signal angles and reduced signal levels due to beam clipping and laser issues. Lessons from Aeolus highlight the need for better optical alignment and active control systems for future lidar missions.
Claire C. Trop, James LaBelle, Philip J. Erickson, Shun-Rong Zhang, David McGaw, and Terrence Kovacs
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 1909–1925, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-1909-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-1909-2025, 2025
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Traveling ionospheric disturbances (TIDs) are manifestations of atmospheric waves that are significant for the transfer of energy and momentum between atmospheric layers and regions. This work demonstrates that velocities and directions of TIDs can be measured by monitoring the tiny shift in frequency of AM radio signals when they reflect from a moving ionosphere and that this method can be scaled to use large numbers of radio receivers and transmitters to monitor TIDs on a continental scale.
Marc Schneebeli, Andreas Leuenberger, Philipp J. Schmid, Jacopo Grazioli, Heather Corden, Alexis Berne, Patrick Kennedy, Jim George, Francesc Junyent, and V. Chandrasekar
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1702, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1702, 2025
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A new technique for the end-to-end calibration of weather radars is introduced. Highly precise artificial radar targets are generated with a radar target simulator and serve as a calibration reference for weather radar observables like reflectivity and Doppler velocity. The system allows to investigate and correct any biases associated with weather radar observations.
Peder Bagge Hansen, Martin Wienold, and Heinz-Wilhelm Hübers
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3648, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3648, 2025
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In this numerical study, we assess the feasibility of a satellite-borne instrument for measuring the atomic oxygen concentration and temperature in the upper atmosphere by detecting its emission in the terahertz range. We simulate the measurement scenario considering technological feasibility and state-of-the-art atmosphere models. We find that both atomic oxygen and temperature could be accurately measured from an altitude of 100 km up to at least 200 km with such an instrument.
Zishun Qiao, Alan Z. Liu, Gunter Stober, Javier Fuentes, Fabio Vargas, Christian L. Adami, and Iain M. Reid
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 1091–1104, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-1091-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-1091-2025, 2025
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This paper describes the installation of the Chilean Observation Network De Meteor Radars (CONDOR) and its initial results. The routine winds are point-to-point comparable to the co-located lidar winds. The retrievals of spatially resolved horizontal wind fields and vertical winds are also facilitated, benefiting from the extensive meteor detections. The successful deployment and maintenance of CONDOR provide 24/7 and state-of-the-art wind measurements to the research community.
Josemaria Gomez Socola, Fabiano S. Rodrigues, Isaac G. Wright, Igo Paulino, and Ricardo Buriti
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 909–919, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-909-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-909-2025, 2025
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New low-cost, off-the-shelf Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers enable the estimation of zonal ionospheric irregularity drifts using the scintillation spaced-receiver technique, previously tested only with commercial GNSS receivers. Despite their low C/No resolution (1 dB-Hz), we demonstrate that the recorded raw data can be used to estimate irregularity drifts. Further, our observations are consistent with the behavior of an empirical model of the thermospheric winds (HMW14).
Vincent Michaud-Belleau, Michel Gaudreau, Jean Lacoursière, Éric Boisvert, Lalaina Ravelomanantsoa, David D. Turner, and Luc Rochette
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3617, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3617, 2025
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The ASSIST is a commercially-available ground-based infrared spectroradiometer. It is designed for automated and passive measurement of the thermal radiation emitted by the atmosphere, providing information about the vertical distribution of temperature and humidity, trace gases, clouds, and aerosols in the boundary layer. In this paper, we outline the key characteristics of the ASSIST hardware and signal processing algorithm that yields downwelling radiance spectra in near real-time.
Junho Ho, Zhe Li, and Guifu Zhang
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 619–638, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-619-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-619-2025, 2025
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This study quantitatively analyzes and compares weather measurements from planar (PPPAR) and cylindrical polarimetric phased-array radars (CPPARs). It examines data quality and potential problems and clarifies misunderstandings between configurations. The findings highlight 2D PPPARs' challenges in making accurate weather measurements when the beam steers off broadside. The CPPAR shows promise in obtaining high-quality polarimetric data due to its azimuthal scan-invariant beam characteristics.
Thibault Boulant, Tomline Michel, and Matthieu Valla
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 7049–7064, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-7049-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-7049-2024, 2024
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This paper presents a design of a UV wind lidar, made with a UV fiber laser and a Quadri Mach-Zehnder interferometer as a spectral analyzer, used to measure the wind in front of future low-consumption aircraft. The article details the optimization of the different elements of the instrument with simulations. This paper also presents a method to optimize laser angles for determining wind direction and strength and shows a 50 % improvement over the current angles used.
Joel Rasch, Anders Carlström, Jacob Christensen, and Thomas Liljegren
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 6213–6222, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-6213-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-6213-2024, 2024
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Soon the MetOp Second Generation (Metop-SG) series of polar orbiting meteorological satellites will be launched. On these satellites, the GRAS-2 instrument will be mounted. It will provide GNSS radio occultation measurements with unsurpassed accuracy. The occultation measurements are used routinely for numerical weather prognosis, i.e. predicting the weather. In this paper, we describe the design of this new instrument and the novel methods developed to process the data.
Marek Sommer, Tomáš Czakoj, Iva Ambrožová, Martin Kákona, Olena Velychko, and Ondřej Ploc
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2789, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2789, 2024
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This work studies powerful bursts of radiation, called Terrestrial Gamma Ray Flashes, which happen during thunderstorms. It explores the use of planes and weather balloons as platforms for radiation detectors to gather data about this phenomenon. Using computer simulations, it was found that balloons might work better for high-altitude storms, while planes could be useful for lower ones. Moreover, the influence of the Terrestrial Gamma Ray Flash strength and its altitude of origin was revealed.
Jens Fiedler and Gerd Baumgarten
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 5841–5859, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-5841-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-5841-2024, 2024
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This article describes the current status of a lidar installed at ALOMAR in northern Norway. It has investigated the Arctic middle atmosphere on a climatological basis for 30 years. We discuss major upgrades of the system implemented during recent years, including methods for reliable remote operation of this complex lidar. We also show examples that illustrate the performance of the lidar during measurements at different altitude ranges and timescales.
Jonathan E. Murray, Laura Warwick, Helen Brindley, Alan Last, Patrick Quigley, Andy Rochester, Alexander Dewar, and Daniel Cummins
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 4757–4775, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-4757-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-4757-2024, 2024
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The Far INfrarEd Spectrometer for Surface Emissivity, FINESSE, is designed to measure the ability of natural surfaces to emit infrared radiation. FINESSE combines a commercial instrument with custom-built optics to view a surface from different angles with complementary views of the sky. Its choice of internal components means it can cover a wide range of wavelengths, extending into the far-infrared. We characterize FINESSE’s uncertainty budget and provide examples of its measurement capability.
Cornelius Hald, Maximilian Schaper, Annette Böhm, Michael Frech, Jan Petersen, Bertram Lange, and Benjamin Rohrdantz
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 4695–4707, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-4695-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-4695-2024, 2024
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Weather radars should use lightning protection to be safe from damage, but the rods can reduce the quality of the radar measurements. This study presents three new solutions for lightning protection for weather radars and evaluates their influence on data quality. The results are compared to the current system. All tested ones have very little effect on data, and a new lightning protection system with four rods is recommended for the German Meteorological Service.
Samuel K. Kristoffersen, William E. Ward, and Chris E. Meek
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 3995–4014, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-3995-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-3995-2024, 2024
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In this paper, the relationship between observations from two instruments, a meteor radar and a field-widened Michelson interferometer (ERWIN) which provide complementary information on this region, is investigated. On average the ratio of ERWIN winds to meteor radar winds is ∼ 0.7. Differences between the wind observations may be caused by variations in the airglow brightness associated with dissipating gravity waves.
Qingchen Xu, Iain Murray Reid, Bing Cai, Christian Adami, Zengmao Zhang, Mingliang Zhao, and Wen Li
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 2957–2975, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-2957-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-2957-2024, 2024
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To have better understanding of the dynamics of the lower and middle atmosphere, we installed a newly designed dual-frequency radar system that uses 53.8 MHz for near-ground to 20 km wind measurements and 35.0 MHz for 70 to 100 km wind measurements. The initial results show its good performance, along with the analysis of typical winter gravity wave activities.
Michael Gerding, Robin Wing, Eframir Franco-Diaz, Gerd Baumgarten, Jens Fiedler, Torsten Köpnick, and Reik Ostermann
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 2789–2809, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-2789-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-2789-2024, 2024
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This paper describes a new lidar system developed in Germany intended to study wind and temperature at night in the middle atmosphere. The paper explains how we have set up the system to work automatically and gives technical details for anyone who wants to build a similar system. We present a case study showing temperatures and winds at different altitudes. In a future article, we will present how we process the data and deal with uncertainties.
Jinhong Xian, Chao Lu, Xiaoling Lin, Honglong Yang, Ning Zhang, and Li Zhang
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 1837–1850, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-1837-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-1837-2024, 2024
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Improving the monitoring capability of atmospheric turbulence can help unravel the mystery of turbulence. Based on some assumptions, scientists have proposed various detection methods. However, these assumptions limit their applicability. We abandoned these assumptions and proposed a more accurate method, revealing some new results. Our method can provide more accurate three-dimensional features of turbulence, which will have a huge driving effect on the development of turbulence.
Thorben H. Mense, Josef Höffner, Gerd Baumgarten, Ronald Eixmann, Jan Froh, Alsu Mauer, Alexander Munk, Robin Wing, and Franz-Josef Lübken
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 1665–1677, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-1665-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-1665-2024, 2024
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A novel lidar system with five beams measured horizontal and vertical winds together, reaching altitudes up to 25 km. Developed in Germany, it revealed accurate horizontal wind data compared to forecasts, but vertical wind estimates differed. The lidar's capability to detect small-scale wind patterns was highlighted, advancing atmospheric research.
Peter Dalin, Urban Brändström, Johan Kero, Peter Voelger, Takanori Nishiyama, Trond Trondsen, Devin Wyatt, Craig Unick, Vladimir Perminov, Nikolay Pertsev, and Jonas Hedin
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 1561–1576, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-1561-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-1561-2024, 2024
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A novel infrared imaging instrument (OH imager) was put into operation in November 2022 at the Swedish Institute of Space Physics in Kiruna (Sweden). The OH imager is dedicated to the study of nightglow emissions coming from the hydroxyl (OH) and molecular oxygen (O2) layers in the mesopause (80–100 km). Based on a brightness ratio of two OH emission lines, the neutral temperature is estimated at around 87 km. The average daily winter temperature for the period January–April 2023 is 203±10 K.
Thomas Wagner and Jānis Puķīte
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 277–297, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-277-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-277-2024, 2024
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We present a radiance calibration method based on the comparison of measurements and radiative transfer simulations of the zenith-scattered sun radiance during twilight. Cloud-free conditions are required. The method can be applied to measurements in the filed, and no laboratory measurements are required. The accuracy is estimated to range from about 4 % at 340 nm to about 10 % at 700 nm.
Tobias Böck, Bernhard Pospichal, and Ulrich Löhnert
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 219–233, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-219-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-219-2024, 2024
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In this study, measurement uncertainties from microwave radiometers and their impact on temperature profiling are analyzed. These measurement uncertainties include horizontal inhomogeneities of the atmosphere, pointing errors or tilts of the instrument, physical obstacles which are in the line of sight of the radiometer, and radio frequency interferences. Impacts on temperature profiles from these uncertainties are usually small in real-life scenarios and when obstacles are far enough away.
Philipp Gasch, James Kasic, Oliver Maas, and Zhien Wang
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 5495–5523, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-5495-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-5495-2023, 2023
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This paper rethinks airborne wind measurements and investigates a new design for airborne Doppler lidar systems. Recent advances in lidar technology allow the use of multiple lidar systems with fixed viewing directions instead of a single lidar attached to a scanner. Our simulation results show that the proposed new design offers great potential for both higher accuracy and higher-resolution airborne wind measurements.
Christiane Duscha, Juraj Pálenik, Thomas Spengler, and Joachim Reuder
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 5103–5123, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-5103-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-5103-2023, 2023
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We combine observations from two scanning Doppler lidars to obtain new and unique insights into the dynamic processes inherent to atmospheric convection. The approach complements and enhances conventional methods to probe convection and has the potential to substantially deepen our understanding of this complex process, which is crucial to improving our weather and climate models.
Anna Špačková, Martin Fencl, and Vojtěch Bareš
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 3865–3879, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-3865-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-3865-2023, 2023
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Commercial microwave links as rainfall sensors have been investigated and evaluated in numerous studies with gauge-adjusted radar used for reference for rainfall observations. We evaluate collocated commercial microwave links, which are thus exposed to identical atmospheric conditions. This set-up enables the exploration of inconsistencies in observations of independent sensors using data from a real telecommunication network. The sensors are in agreement and are homogeneous in their behaviour.
Alessandro Battaglia, Filippo Emilio Scarsi, Kamil Mroz, and Anthony Illingworth
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 3283–3297, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-3283-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-3283-2023, 2023
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Some of the new generation of cloud and precipitation spaceborne radars will adopt conical scanning. This will make some of the standard calibration techniques impractical. This work presents a methodology to cross-calibrate radars in orbits by matching the reflectivity probability density function of ice clouds observed by the to-be-calibrated and by the reference radar in quasi-coincident locations. Results show that cross-calibration within 1 dB (26 %) is feasible.
Claudio Belotti, Flavio Barbara, Marco Barucci, Giovanni Bianchini, Francesco D'Amato, Samuele Del Bianco, Gianluca Di Natale, Marco Gai, Alessio Montori, Filippo Pratesi, Markus Rettinger, Christian Rolf, Ralf Sussmann, Thomas Trickl, Silvia Viciani, Hannes Vogelmann, and Luca Palchetti
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 2511–2529, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-2511-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-2511-2023, 2023
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FIRMOS (Far-Infrared Radiation Mobile Observation System) is a spectroradiometer measuring in the far-infrared, developed to support the preparation of the FORUM (Far-infrared Outgoing Radiation Understanding and Monitoring) satellite mission. In this paper, we describe the instrument, its data products, and the results of the comparison with a suite of observations made from a high-altitude site during a field campaign, in winter 2018–2019.
Christopher R. Williams, Joshua Barrio, Paul E. Johnston, Paytsar Muradyan, and Scott E. Giangrande
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 2381–2398, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-2381-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-2381-2023, 2023
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This study uses surface disdrometer observations to calibrate 8 years of 915 MHz radar wind profiler deployed in the central United States in northern Oklahoma. This study had two key findings. First, the radar wind profiler sensitivity decreased approximately 3 to 4 dB/year as the hardware aged. Second, this drift was slow enough that calibration can be performed using 3-month intervals. Calibrated radar wind profiler observations and Python processing code are available on public repositories.
Xin Fang, Feng Li, Lei-lei Sun, and Tao Li
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 2263–2272, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-2263-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-2263-2023, 2023
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We successfully developed the first pseudorandom modulation continuous-wave narrowband sodium lidar (PMCW-NSL) system for simultaneous measurements of the mesopause region's temperature and wind. Based on the innovative decoded technique and algorithm for CW lidar, both the main and residual lights modulated by M-code are used and directed to the atmosphere in the vertical and eastward directions, tilted 20° from the zenith. The PMCW-NSL system can applied to airborne and space-borne purposes.
Dana L. McGuffin, Philip J. Cameron-Smith, Matthew A. Horsley, Brian J. Bauman, Wim De Vries, Denis Healy, Alex Pertica, Chris Shaffer, and Lance M. Simms
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 2129–2144, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-2129-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-2129-2023, 2023
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This work demonstrates the viability of a remote sensing technique using nanosatellites to measure stratospheric temperature. This measurement technique can probe the stratosphere and mesosphere at a fine vertical scale around the globe unlike other high-altitude measurement techniques, which would provide an opportunity to observe atmospheric gravity waves and turbulence. We analyze observations from two satellite platforms to provide a proof of concept and characterize measurement uncertainty.
Benjamin Witschas, Sonja Gisinger, Stephan Rahm, Andreas Dörnbrack, David C. Fritts, and Markus Rapp
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 1087–1101, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-1087-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-1087-2023, 2023
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In this paper, a novel scan technique is applied to an airborne coherent Doppler wind lidar, enabling us to measure the vertical wind speed and the horizontal wind speed along flight direction simultaneously with a horizontal resolution of about 800 m and a vertical resolution of 100 m. The performed observations are valuable for gravity wave characterization as they allow us to calculate the leg-averaged momentum flux profile and, with that, the propagation direction of excited gravity waves.
Kevin J. Nelson, Feiqin Xie, Bryan C. Chan, Ashish Goel, Jonathan Kosh, Tyler G. R. Reid, Corey R. Snyder, and Paul M. Tarantino
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 941–954, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-941-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-941-2023, 2023
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Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) radio occultation (RO) remote sensing is effective for atmospheric profiling. The capability of a low-cost and scalable commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) GNSS receiver on board high-altitude balloons is tested in two campaigns. Preliminary results demonstrate high-quality refractivity observations from the COTS RO receiver, which is worth further improvement for dense atmospheric observations over a targeted region.
Jenna Ritvanen, Ewan O'Connor, Dmitri Moisseev, Raisa Lehtinen, Jani Tyynelä, and Ludovic Thobois
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 6507–6519, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-6507-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-6507-2022, 2022
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Doppler lidars and weather radars provide accurate wind measurements, with Doppler lidar usually performing better in dry weather conditions and weather radar performing better when there is precipitation. Operating both instruments together should therefore improve the overall performance. We investigate how well a co-located Doppler lidar and X-band radar perform with respect to various weather conditions, including changes in horizontal visibility, cloud altitude, and precipitation.
Bhupal Shrestha, Jerald A. Brotzge, and Junhong Wang
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 6011–6033, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-6011-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-6011-2022, 2022
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The NYS Mesonet Profiler Network is comprised of 17 profiler sites, each equipped with a Doppler lidar, microwave radiometer, and sun photometer. This study presents a multi-year, multi-station evaluation based on well-defined reference measurements. Results demonstrate robust technologies that can aid real-time weather operations and a network test bed that can be used for further expansion, evaluation, and integration of such technologies at a large scale.
Felix Kelberlau and Jakob Mann
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 5323–5341, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-5323-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-5323-2022, 2022
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Floating lidar systems are used for measuring wind speeds offshore, and their motion influences the measurements. This study describes the motion-induced bias on mean wind speed estimates by simulating the lidar sampling pattern of a moving lidar. An analytic model is used to validate the simulations. The bias is low and depends on amplitude and frequency of motion as well as on wind shear. It has been estimated for the example of the Fugro SEAWATCH wind lidar buoy carrying a ZX 300M lidar.
Alessandro Battaglia, Paolo Martire, Eric Caubet, Laurent Phalippou, Fabrizio Stesina, Pavlos Kollias, and Anthony Illingworth
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 3011–3030, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-3011-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-3011-2022, 2022
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We present an instrument simulator for a new sensor, WIVERN (WInd VElocity Radar Nephoscope), a conically scanning radar payload with Doppler capabilities, recently down-selected as one of the four candidates for the European Space Agency Earth Explorer 11 program. The mission aims at measuring horizontal winds in cloudy areas. The simulator is instrumental in the definition and consolidation of the mission requirements and the evaluation of mission performances.
James B. Duncan Jr., Laura Bianco, Bianca Adler, Tyler Bell, Irina V. Djalalova, Laura Riihimaki, Joseph Sedlar, Elizabeth N. Smith, David D. Turner, Timothy J. Wagner, and James M. Wilczak
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 2479–2502, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-2479-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-2479-2022, 2022
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In this study, several ground-based remote sensing instruments are used to estimate the height of the convective planetary boundary layer, and their performance is compared against independent boundary layer depth estimates obtained from radiosondes launched as part of the CHEESEHEAD19 field campaign. The impact of clouds (particularly boundary layer clouds) on the estimation of the boundary layer depth is also investigated.
Vicki Kelsey, Spencer Riley, and Kenneth Minschwaner
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 1563–1576, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-1563-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-1563-2022, 2022
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In the interior western USA there are distances of hundreds of kilometers between weather balloon launch sites for weather forecasting. Satellite coverage can also be sparse or with poor resolution. Using infrared thermometers, clear-sky temperatures were collected and compared with data from weather balloons. A correlation between clear-sky temperatures and precipitable water measurements from weather balloons was found. This means that citizen scientists can collect data.
Benjamin Witschas, Christian Lemmerz, Oliver Lux, Uwe Marksteiner, Oliver Reitebuch, Fabian Weiler, Frederic Fabre, Alain Dabas, Thomas Flament, Dorit Huber, and Michael Vaughan
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 1465–1489, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-1465-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-1465-2022, 2022
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In August 2018, the ESA launched the first Doppler wind lidar into space. In order to calibrate the instrument and to monitor the overall instrument conditions, instrument spectral registration measurements have been performed with Aeolus on a weekly basis. Based on these measurements, the alignment drift of the Aeolus satellite instrument is estimated by applying tools and mathematical model functions to analyze the spectrometer transmission curves.
Joseph J. Michalsky and Peter W. Kiedron
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 353–364, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-353-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-353-2022, 2022
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This paper describes an instrument that measures spectrally from 360 nm (ultraviolet) to 1070 nm (near-infrared) at 1002 separate wavelengths. The measurements were made every minute from the late summer of 2009 to the winter of 2014 at a site in northern Oklahoma (USA; 36.605° N, 97.486° W). Methods are described that enable the normalized transmission across the spectrum to be measured and, subsequently, used to calculate the aerosol optical depth and spectra irradiance.
Julien Totems, Patrick Chazette, and Alexandre Baron
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 7525–7544, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-7525-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-7525-2021, 2021
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We describe in detail the design and calibration of the new Raman channels for the WALI system, going over the important sources of bias and uncertainty on retrieved temperature profiles. For the first time, their impact is investigated using horizontal shots in a homogenous atmosphere: the magnitude of the highlighted biases can be much larger than the targeted absolute accuracy of 1° C. Actual measurement errors are quantified using radiosoundings launched close to the lidar site.
René Sedlak, Patrick Hannawald, Carsten Schmidt, Sabine Wüst, Michael Bittner, and Samo Stanič
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 6821–6833, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-6821-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-6821-2021, 2021
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High-resolution images of the OH* airglow layer (ca. 87 km height) acquired at Otlica Observatory, Slovenia, have been analysed. A statistical analysis of small-scale wave structures with horizontal wavelengths up to 4.5 km suggests strong presence of instability features in the upper mesosphere or lower thermosphere. The dissipated energy of breaking gravity waves is derived from observations of turbulent vortices. It is concluded that dynamical heating plays a vital role in the atmosphere.
Oliver Lux, Christian Lemmerz, Fabian Weiler, Thomas Kanitz, Denny Wernham, Gonçalo Rodrigues, Andrew Hyslop, Olivier Lecrenier, Phil McGoldrick, Frédéric Fabre, Paolo Bravetti, Tommaso Parrinello, and Oliver Reitebuch
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 6305–6333, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-6305-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-6305-2021, 2021
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The work assesses the frequency stability of the laser transmitters on board Aeolus and discusses its influence on the quality of the global wind data. Excellent frequency stability of the space lasers is evident, although enhanced frequency noise occurs at certain locations along the orbit due to micro-vibrations that are introduced by the satellite’s reaction wheels. The study elaborates on this finding and investigates the extent to which the enhanced frequency noise increases the wind error.
Tingyu Yan, Jeffery A. Langille, William E. Ward, William A. Gault, Alan Scott, Andrew Bell, Driss Touahiri, Sheng-Hai Zheng, and Chunmin Zhang
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 6213–6232, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-6213-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-6213-2021, 2021
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High-resolution interferometers are routinely used to measure upper atmospheric motions by measuring small Doppler shifts in spectrally isolated airglow emissions. The birefringent interferometer presented in this paper has similar capabilities as several existing state-of-the-art instruments but is smaller and less complex to construct and operate. This paper presents the measurement technique and characterization of a lab prototype and examines the performance of the instrument.
Etienne Cheynet, Martin Flügge, Joachim Reuder, Jasna B. Jakobsen, Yngve Heggelund, Benny Svardal, Pablo Saavedra Garfias, Charlotte Obhrai, Nicolò Daniotti, Jarle Berge, Christiane Duscha, Norman Wildmann, Ingrid H. Onarheim, and Marte Godvik
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 6137–6157, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-6137-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-6137-2021, 2021
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The COTUR campaign explored the structure of wind turbulence above the ocean to improve the design of future multi-megawatt offshore wind turbines. Deploying scientific instruments offshore is both a financial and technological challenge. Therefore, lidar technology was used to remotely measure the wind above the ocean from instruments located on the seaside. The experimental setup is tailored to the study of the spatial correlation of wind gusts, which governs the wind loading on structures.
Fabian Weiler, Thomas Kanitz, Denny Wernham, Michael Rennie, Dorit Huber, Marc Schillinger, Olivier Saint-Pe, Ray Bell, Tommaso Parrinello, and Oliver Reitebuch
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 5153–5177, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-5153-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-5153-2021, 2021
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This paper reports on dark current signal anomalies of the detectors used on board the ESA's Earth Explorer satellite Aeolus during the first 1.5 years in orbit. After introducing sophisticated algorithms to classify dark current anomalies according to their characteristics, the impact of the different kinds of anomalies on wind measurements is discussed. In addition, mitigation approaches for the wind retrieval are presented and potential root causes are discussed.
Chuanliang Zhang, Xuejin Sun, Wen Lu, Yingni Shi, Naiying Dou, and Shaohui Li
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 4787–4803, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-4787-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-4787-2021, 2021
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The first spaceborne doppler wind lidar (DWL) Aeolus operates on sun-synchronous dawn–dusk orbit to lower the impact of solar background radiation (SBR) on wind observation accuracy. Increased SBR leads to an increment of averaged wind observation uncertainties from 0.19 to 0.27 m s-1 comparing Aeolus and two added spaceborne DWLs operating on orbits with local ascending times of 15:00 and 12:00 LT. A quantitative design of laser pulse energy according to accuracy requirements is also proposed.
Didier Bruneau and Jacques Pelon
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 4375–4402, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-4375-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-4375-2021, 2021
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Taking advantage of Aeolus success and of our airborne lidar system expertise, we present a new spaceborne wind lidar design for operational Aeolus follow-on missions, keeping most of the initial lidar system but relying on a single Mach–Zehnder interferometer to relax operational constraints and reduce measurement bias. System parameters are optimized. Random and systematic errors are shown to be compliant with the initial mission requirements. In addition, the system allows unbiased retrieval.
Franz-Josef Lübken and Josef Höffner
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 3815–3836, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-3815-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-3815-2021, 2021
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We present a new concept for a cluster of lidars that allows us to measure time-resolved profiles of temperatures, winds, and aerosols in the entire middle atmosphere for the first time, also covering regional horizontal scales (
four-dimensional coverage). Measurements are performed during day and night. The essential component is a newly developed laser with unprecedented performance. We present the first measurements. New observational capabilities in atmospheric physics are established.
Bernd Kaifler and Natalie Kaifler
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 1715–1732, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-1715-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-1715-2021, 2021
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This paper describes the Compact Rayleigh Autonomous Lidar (CORAL), which is the first lidar instrument to make fully automatic high-resolution measurements of atmospheric density and temperature between 15 and 90 km altitude. CORAL achieves a much larger measurement cadence than conventional lidars and thus facilitates studies of rare atmospheric phenomena.
Cited articles
Battaglia, A. and Kollias, P.: Impact of Receiver Saturation on Surface Doppler velocity measurements from the EarthCARE Cloud Profiling Radar, IEEE T. Geosci. Remote, 53, 1205–1212, https://doi.org/10.1109/TGRS.2014.2335896, 2014. a
Battaglia, A., Tanelli, S., and Kollias, P.: Polarization Diversity for Millimeter Spaceborne Doppler Radars: An Answer for Observing Deep Convection?, J. Atmos. Ocean, Tech., 30, 2768–2787, https://doi.org/10.1175/JTECH-D-13-00085.1, 2013. a, b, c
Battaglia, A., Westbrook, C. D., Kneifel, S., Kollias, P., Humpage, N., Löhnert, U., Tyynelä, J., and Petty, G. W.: G band atmospheric radars: new frontiers in cloud physics, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 7, 1527–1546, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-7-1527-2014, 2014. a
Battaglia, A., Wolde, M., D'Adderio, L. P., Nguyen, C., Fois, F., Illingworth, A., and Midthassel, R.: Characterization of Surface Radar Cross Sections at W-Band at Moderate Incidence Angles, IEEE T. Geosci. Remote, 55, 3846–3859, https://doi.org/10.1109/TGRS.2017.2682423, 2017. a, b
Battaglia, A., Kollias, P., Dhillon, R., Roy, R., Tanelli, S., Lamer, K., Grecu, M., Lebsock, M., Watters, D., Mroz, K., Heymsfield, G., Li, L., and Furukawa, K.: Spaceborne Cloud and Precipitation Radars: Status, Challenges, and Ways Forward, Rev. Geophys., 58, e2019RG000686, https://doi.org/10.1029/2019RG000686, 2020. a
Battaglia, A., Martire, P., Caubet, E., Phalippou, L., Stesina, F., Kollias, P., and Illingworth, A.: Observation error analysis for the WInd VElocity Radar Nephoscope W-band Doppler conically scanning spaceborne radar via end-to-end simulations, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 3011–3030, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-3011-2022, 2022. a, b, c
Battaglia, A., Rizik, A., Tridon, F., and Isakeneta, I.: I and Qs simulation and processing envisaged for space-borne polarisation Diversity Doppler Radars, IEEE T. Geosci. Remote, 63, 5101814, https://doi.org/10.1109/TGRS.2025.3529672, 2025. a, b, c, d
Burns, D., Kollias, P., Tatarevic, A., Battaglia, A., and Tanelli, S.: The performance of the EarthCARE Cloud Profiling Radar in marine stratiform clouds, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 121, 14525–14537, https://doi.org/10.1002/2016JD025090, 2016. a
Delrieu, G., Creutin, J. D., and Andrieu, H.: Simulation of Radar Mountain Returns Using a Digitized Terrain Model, J. Atmos. Ocean, Tech., 12, 1038–1049, https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0426(1995)012<1038:SORMRU>2.0.CO;2, 1995. a
Durden, S. L., Tanelli, S., and Dobrowalski, G.: CloudSat W-Band Radar Measurements of Surface Backscatter, IEEE Geosci. Remote S., 8, 401–405, 2011. a
Fabry, F.: Radar Meteorology: Principles and Practice, Cambridge University Press, https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781107707405, 2015. a
Gabella, M. and Perona, G.: Simulation of the Orographic Influence on Weather Radar Using a Geometric–Optics Approach, J. Atmos. Ocean, Tech., 15, 1485–1494, https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0426(1998)015<1485:SOTOIO>2.0.CO;2, 1998. a
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Short summary
The paper aims to study the ground reflection, or clutter, of the signal from a spaceborne radar in the context of ESA's WIVERN (WInd VElocity Radar Nephoscop) mission, which will observe in-cloud winds. Using topography and land type data, with a model of the satellite orbit and rotating antenna, simulations of scans have been run over the Piedmont region of Italy. These measurements cover the full range of the ground clutter over land for WIVERN and have allowed for analyses of the precision and accuracy of velocity observations.
The paper aims to study the ground reflection, or clutter, of the signal from a spaceborne radar...
