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Plains Elevated Convection at Night
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2015-06-01 2015-07-15 - 7
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The Campaign
The Plains Elevated Convection at Night (PECAN) was a multi-agency field investigation aimed at improving understanding and prediction of nocturnal warm-season continental precipitation. It included one deployment during the boreal summer of 2015 across the Great Plains. NASA DC-8, NOAA P-3, and the University of Wyoming King Air aircraft gathered remote-sensing and in situ data on the dynamics and microphysics of mesoscale convective systems (MCSs), including in clean-air and inflow/outflow regions. Mobile scanning radars, surface weather stations, and the PECAN Integrated Sound Array (PISA) mesoscale profiling network were also used to characterize nocturnal convection across the Great Plains. PECAN was a collaborative effort among NSF, NOAA, NASA, and DOE.
2015-06-01 — 2015-07-15
Great Plains, United States
boreal summer, warm
N: 49°N
S: 33°N
W: 105°W
E: 90°W
Additional Notes
Repositories
data center outside NASA
NOCTURNAL CONVECTION
CONVECTION
CONVECTION INITIATION
STORM STRUCTURE
STORM PROPAGATION
STORM EVOLUTION
BORES
LOW-LEVEL JET
MESOSCALE CONVECTIVE SYSTEM
NOCTURNAL BOUNDARY LAYER PROCESSES
ATMOSPHERIC GRAVITY WAVES
Slide 1 of 7
Douglas DC-8
46 Campaigns · 184 Instruments
The Lidar Atmospheric Sensing Experiment (LASE) is an airborne lidar system developed at NASA's Langley Research Center (LaRC). LASE uses the differential absorption lidar technique to provide profile measurements of atmospheric water vapor and aerosols. LASE operates at 815 nm and has a measurement frequency of 5 Hz. For aerosol scattering profiles, LASE has a horizontal resolution of 200 m and a vertical resolution of 30 m. For water vapor measurements, it has a horizontal resolution of 5 km and a vertical resolution of 0.2 km.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Profiles
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Aerosol Backscatter
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Lidar > Lidar Backscatter
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Aerosol Extinction
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Indicators > Water Vapor
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Indicators > Humidity
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Aerosol Optical Depth/thickness
Ka-band radars operate in the 27-40 GHz range and are highly sensitive to small cloud particles due to their short wavelengths. This sensitivity makes them well-suited for observing light precipitation, early cloud formation, non-precipitating clouds, and fog. Ka-band radars can provide high-resolution vertical profiles and are used in both ground-based and airborne operations.
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Doppler Velocity
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Radar Reflectivity
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Spectrum Width
P-3 Orion
30 Campaigns · 153 Instruments
Generic-Atmospheric State (Gen-AtmsState) refers to non-specific instruments on a platform that measure atmospheric state parameters. These are typically in situ sensors that measure temperature, pressure, humidity, and wind speed and direction. Types of atmospheric state instruments include thermometers, hygrometers, barometers, and anemometers.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Pressure
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Indicators > Humidity
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Temperature > Surface Temperature > Air Temperature
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Upper Level Winds > Wind Direction
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Upper Level Winds > Wind Speed
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Pressure > Atmospheric Pressure Measurements
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Surface Winds > Wind Direction
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Temperature
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Surface Winds > Wind Speed
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds
The Lower Fuselage (LF) Radar is an airborne radar system mounted on the lower fuselage of the NOAA P-3 aircraft used by the Hurricane Research Division. It measures radar reflectivity, Doppler velocity, and other radar parameters to characterize tropical storms and precipitation. It operates at 5370 MHz with a horizontal beamwidth of 1.1 degrees. The LF Radar has a maximum unambiguous range of 750 km and a pulse repetition frequency of 200 Hz.
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Radial Velocity > Mean Radial Velocity
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Spectrum Width
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Radar Imagery
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Doppler Velocity
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Radar Reflectivity
The Cloud Imaging Probe (CIP) is an in situ airborne optical array probe manufactured by Droplet Measurement Technologies. It captures images of cloud particles by recording shadows as particles pass through a laser beam. It also provides data on particle size distribution and cloud liquid water content. CIP typically has a resolution of 25 μm and can measure particles from 12.5 μm to 1.55 mm.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Microphysics > Particle Size Distribution
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Microphysics > Cloud Liquid Water/ice
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Microphysics
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds
The Precipitation and Imaging Probe (PIP) is an airborne optical spectrometer developed by Droplet Measurement Technologies. It measures the size and shape of particles from 100 to 6200 μm and provides two-dimensional images with a 100 μm pixel resolution. PIP operates at 660 nm and typically samples every second. It has a sample area of 260 mm by 6.2 mm and can operate at airspeeds of 10 to 200 meters per second.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Microphysics > Particle Size Distribution
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Microphysics > Cloud Droplet Concentration/size
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Microphysics
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Precipitation
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Precipitation > Droplet Size
The Cloud and Aerosol Spectrometer (CAS) is an in situ airborne spectrometer manufactured by Droplet Measurement Technologies. It measures light scattering at 658 nm to determine aerosol and cloud particle size distributions from 0.51 to 50 μm. It also provides measurements of refractive index and particle shape. CAS has a typical time resolution of 1 Hz and can measure concentrations exceeding 1,000 particles per cubic meter.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Aerosol Particle Properties
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Microphysics
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Microphysics > Particle Size Distribution
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Microphysics > Cloud Droplet Concentration/size
The Stepped Frequency Microwave Radiometer (SFMR) is a passive airborne C-band radiometer developed by ProSensing Inc. It measures brightness temperature across six frequency bands from 4.6 to 7.2 GHz. These measurements can be used to estimate rain rates and surface winds. SFMR is primarily used for research missions involving hurricanes and tropical storms, notably by NOAA’s Hurricane Research Division (HRD). It has a spatial resolution of approximately 1.5 km and a temporal resolution of roughly 4 seconds.
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Microwave > Brightness Temperature
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Surface Winds > Wind Speed
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Precipitation > Precipitation Rate
The Tail Doppler Radar (TDR) is an airborne, vertically scanning, pulse-Doppler X-band radar operated by NOAA. It is installed on the tail of the research aircraft and is typically equipped on NOAA’s P-3 aircraft for hurricane and precipitation research missions. TDR measures radar reflectivity and Doppler wind velocities in the 9315 MHz frequency band. It has a horizontal beam width of 1.35 degrees and a range gate spacing of 150 or 300 meters.
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Radial Velocity > Mean Radial Velocity
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Radar Imagery
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Return Power
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Radial Velocity
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Radar Reflectivity
The Cloud Droplet Probe (CDP) is an in situ cloud probe manufactured by Droplet Measurement Technologies. It measures the particle size distribution and concentration of cloud particles in the 2-50 μm range. The CDP detects pulses of light scattered by a 658 nm laser to count and size individual cloud droplets. It has a typical measurement rate of 1 Hz and can detect concentrations of up to 2000 particles per cubic centimeter.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Microphysics > Particle Size Distribution
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Microphysics
Beechcraft B-200 King Air
39 Campaigns · 84 Instruments
Generic-Atmospheric State (Gen-AtmsState) refers to non-specific instruments on a platform that measure atmospheric state parameters. These are typically in situ sensors that measure temperature, pressure, humidity, and wind speed and direction. Types of atmospheric state instruments include thermometers, hygrometers, barometers, and anemometers.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Pressure
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Indicators > Humidity
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Temperature > Surface Temperature > Air Temperature
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Upper Level Winds > Wind Direction
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Upper Level Winds > Wind Speed
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Pressure > Atmospheric Pressure Measurements
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Surface Winds > Wind Direction
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Temperature
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Surface Winds > Wind Speed
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds
The Raman Lidar (RL) is a ground-based lidar system operated by the Department of Energy’s (DoE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) User Facility. It detects Raman backscatter at 355 nm to provide profiles of water vapor, temperature, and aerosol and cloud optical properties. It also detects Raman backscatter from water vapor at 408 nm and from molecular nitrogen at 387 nm to help derive aerosol optical properties and water vapor mixing ratios. It has a range resolution of 7.5 m, a time resolution of 10 seconds, and a pulse repetition frequency of 30 Hz. RL can deliver profile measurements from approximately 200 m to 10 km above ground level.
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Lidar > Lidar Backscatter
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Aerosol Extinction
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Lidar
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Properties
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Profiles
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Profiles > Water Vapor Mixing Ratio Profiles
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Aerosol Optical Depth/thickness
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Lidar > Lidar Depolarization Ratio
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Aerosol Backscatter
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Microphysics > Cloud Optical Depth/thickness
The Wyoming Cloud Lidar (WCL) is an airborne lidar system operated by the University of Wyoming. It primarily flies on the University of Wyoming King Air (UWKA) research aircraft. It measures lidar backscatter and depolarization to characterize clouds and aerosols. It can operate as an upward-pointing (zenith) lidar at 355 nm or a downward-pointing (nadir) lidar at 351 nm. It has a temporal resolution of 0.05 seconds for the zenith lidar and 0.01 seconds for the nadir lidar. WCL has a horizontal resolution of about 4.5 meters and a vertical resolution of 3.75 meters at the UWKA aircraft's average cruising speed of 90 meters per second.
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Lidar > Lidar Backscatter
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Lidar > Lidar Depolarization Ratio
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Lidar
Permanent Land Site
Stationary
65 Campaigns · 103 Instruments
Ceilometers are ground-based remote-sensing instruments that measure cloud ceilings and vertical visibility. They use a laser or another light source to detect backscatter from clouds, precipitation, and aerosols. Ceilometers provide detailed, precise measurements in all weather conditions and are cost-effective to operate. They are commonly used in boundary-layer and cloud research.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Properties > Cloud Base Height
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Air Quality > Visibility
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Properties > Cloud Ceiling
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Aerosol Backscatter
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Properties
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Altitude > Planetary Boundary Layer Height
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Lidar > Lidar Backscatter
Generic-Atmospheric State (Gen-AtmsState) refers to non-specific instruments on a platform that measure atmospheric state parameters. These are typically in situ sensors that measure temperature, pressure, humidity, and wind speed and direction. Types of atmospheric state instruments include thermometers, hygrometers, barometers, and anemometers.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Pressure
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Indicators > Humidity
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Temperature > Surface Temperature > Air Temperature
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Upper Level Winds > Wind Direction
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Upper Level Winds > Wind Speed
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Pressure > Atmospheric Pressure Measurements
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Surface Winds > Wind Direction
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Temperature
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Surface Winds > Wind Speed
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds
C-band radars operate in the 4-8 GHz frequency range. They provide measurements of radar reflectivity, Doppler velocity, and other parameters to characterize precipitation and clouds. C-band radars are typically used for short-range weather observations because they are more prone to attenuation.
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Doppler Velocity
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Radar Reflectivity
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Spectrum Width
The Ultra-High Frequency (UHF) wind profiler is a ground-based Doppler radar that measures electromagnetic signals to determine wind speed and direction. UHF wind profilers operate in the 300-1000 MHz frequency range. Their high operating frequency enables high-resolution wind measurements within the boundary layer. NOAA operates a network of radar wind profilers as part of the NOAA Profiler Network (NPN).
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Upper Level Winds > Boundary Layer Winds
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Wind Profiles > Wind Velocity/speed Profiles
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Wind Profiles > Wind Direction Profiles
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds
The Two-Dimensional Video Disdrometer (2DVD) is a stationary, ground-based optical disdrometer. It uses two line-scan cameras to continuously measure precipitation properties, including droplet shape, fall velocity, and size distribution. The 2DVD precisely measures all precipitation particles larger than 0.2 mm in diameter, making it suitable for a wide range of precipitation studies.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Precipitation
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Precipitation > Precipitation Rate
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Precipitation > Droplet Size
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Precipitation > Hydrometeors
The Raman Lidar (RL) is a ground-based lidar system operated by the Department of Energy’s (DoE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) User Facility. It detects Raman backscatter at 355 nm to provide profiles of water vapor, temperature, and aerosol and cloud optical properties. It also detects Raman backscatter from water vapor at 408 nm and from molecular nitrogen at 387 nm to help derive aerosol optical properties and water vapor mixing ratios. It has a range resolution of 7.5 m, a time resolution of 10 seconds, and a pulse repetition frequency of 30 Hz. RL can deliver profile measurements from approximately 200 m to 10 km above ground level.
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Lidar > Lidar Backscatter
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Aerosol Extinction
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Lidar
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Properties
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Profiles
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Profiles > Water Vapor Mixing Ratio Profiles
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Aerosol Optical Depth/thickness
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Lidar > Lidar Depolarization Ratio
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Aerosol Backscatter
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Microphysics > Cloud Optical Depth/thickness
Microwave radiometers (MWRs) are ground-based instruments manufactured by Radiometrics Corporation and operated by the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Research Facility. MWRs measure brightness temperature at 23.8 and 31.4 GHz to determine column amounts of water vapor and liquid water in the atmosphere. MWRs have a field of view (FOV) ranging from about 5.9 to 4.5 degrees, depending on the channel, and typically have a time resolution of 20 seconds for sky-view observations.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Indicators > Water Vapor
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Microwave > Brightness Temperature
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Microphysics > Cloud Liquid Water/ice
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Indicators > Total Precipitable Water
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Microphysics
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor
Rain gauges are ground-based instruments that directly measure the amount of liquid precipitation over a specified period. Different types of rain gauges, such as tipping buckets and weighing gauges, collect and record data in various ways. Because of their small size and easy setup, rain gauges can be placed in different locations and are often used alongside other precipitation instruments, such as disdrometers, to gather additional details, such as precipitation rate and size distribution.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Precipitation > Liquid Precipitation
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Precipitation > Precipitation Amount
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Precipitation
The Atmospheric Emitted Radiance Interferometer (AERI) is a ground-based passive interferometer developed by the University of Wisconsin Space Science and Engineering Center (UW-SSEC) for the Department of Energy (DoE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program. It uses Fourier transform spectroscopy to measure downwelling thermal infrared emissions from the atmosphere. These measurements provide profiles of atmospheric temperature and water vapor and help detect trace gases. AERI operates across the 3.3-19 μm spectral range and up to 25 μm for the extended-range version of the instrument. It has an optimal vertical resolution of 100 meters and completes a full-sky scan about every 20 seconds.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Chemistry > Trace Gases/trace Species
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Profiles
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Temperature > Upper Air Temperature > Vertical Profiles
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Aerosol Optical Depth/thickness
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Infrared Wavelengths > Brightness Temperature
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Temperature
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Microphysics > Cloud Optical Depth/thickness
The Next Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD) is a network of high-resolution, S-band radars operated by the National Weather Service (NWS), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the United States Air Force. NEXRAD measures the magnitude of returned energy to provide reflectivity, velocity, and spectrum width observations, which can be processed into mosaic maps of precipitation. NEXRAD radars typically operate with a 0.9-degree beamwidth, 0.25 to 1 km spatial resolution, and a maximum range of 230 to 460 km. Currently, over 160 NEXRAD radars operate across the United States and in some overseas locations.
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Doppler Velocity
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Radar Reflectivity
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Radial Velocity > Mean Radial Velocity
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Radar Imagery
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Spectrum Width
Generic-Radiometers refer to non-specific radiometers on a platform. These are typically passive microwave radiometers that measure brightness temperature. Radiometers can be used to retrieve temperature and water vapor profiles, soil moisture content, ocean salinity, precipitation and cloud properties, and vegetation.
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Microwave > Brightness Temperature
The Total Sky Imager (TSI) is a ground-based optical instrument developed by Yankee Environmental Systems (YES), Inc. TSI provides full-color, hemispheric images of the sky during daylight hours using a charge-coupled device (CCD) imager. It also measures fractional sky cover and sun obscuration caused by clouds. TSI can be mounted on mobile platforms such as trailers and research vehicles, enabling it to collect cloud cover data at different locations during field studies.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Properties > Cloud Fraction
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds
The Scanning ARM Cloud Radar (SACR) is a ground-based Doppler radar system operated by the Department of Energy (DoE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) User Facility. It is a polarimetric Doppler radar comprising three radar designs operating at different frequencies: X-SACR (9.71 GHz), Ka-SACR (35.3 GHz), and W-SACR (94 GHz). At each deployment site, two SACR radars are deployed, with operating frequencies determined by atmospheric attenuation at the site. SACR provides measurements of radar reflectivity, Doppler velocity, spectrum width, and other polarimetric parameters at a gate spacing of 25 meters.
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Doppler Velocity
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Radar Reflectivity
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Spectrum Width
The Doppler Lidar (DL) is a ground-based lidar system that measures radial velocity and attenuated aerosol backscatter. It detects aerosol backscatter in the near-infrared (1.5 microns) and uses coherent detection to measure the Doppler frequency shift of the backscatter signal to determine radial velocity. It features a range gate size of 18 to 60 meters, a typical maximum data range of 9.6 km, and a temporal resolution of 0.01 to 30 seconds. The Department of Energy operates DLs at its Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) User Facility sites.
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Lidar > Lidar Backscatter
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Aerosol Backscatter
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Radial Velocity
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Lidar
The Micropulse Lidar (MPL) is a ground-based lidar system used for cloud detection. It measures lidar backscatter at 532 nm to retrieve cloud properties, including cloud top and base heights. It can also detect aerosols. MPL has a vertical resolution of 15 m and a maximum range of 18 km. MPL can operate autonomously and typically provides 10-second averaged data.
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Lidar > Lidar Backscatter
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Properties > Cloud Top Height
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Lidar
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Properties
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Properties > Cloud Base Height
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Lidar > Lidar Depolarization Ratio
The Ka-band ARM Zenith Radar (KAZR) is a ground-based Doppler radar operated by the Department of Energy (DoE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) User Facility. It is a 35 GHz, zenith-pointing radar that provides vertical profiles of clouds by measuring radar reflectivity, Doppler velocity, and spectrum width. KAZR has a beamwidth of 0.3 degrees, a maximum range of 15 kilometers, and a spatial resolution of 30 meters. KAZR is available at several DoE ARM sites and can be deployed for mobile observations.
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Doppler Velocity
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Radar Reflectivity
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Spectrum Width
Field Site
Stationary
76 Campaigns · 175 Instruments
Generic-Atmospheric State (Gen-AtmsState) refers to non-specific instruments on a platform that measure atmospheric state parameters. These are typically in situ sensors that measure temperature, pressure, humidity, and wind speed and direction. Types of atmospheric state instruments include thermometers, hygrometers, barometers, and anemometers.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Pressure
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Indicators > Humidity
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Temperature > Surface Temperature > Air Temperature
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Upper Level Winds > Wind Direction
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Upper Level Winds > Wind Speed
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Pressure > Atmospheric Pressure Measurements
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Surface Winds > Wind Direction
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Temperature
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Surface Winds > Wind Speed
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds
The Ultra-High Frequency (UHF) wind profiler is a ground-based Doppler radar that measures electromagnetic signals to determine wind speed and direction. UHF wind profilers operate in the 300-1000 MHz frequency range. Their high operating frequency enables high-resolution wind measurements within the boundary layer. NOAA operates a network of radar wind profilers as part of the NOAA Profiler Network (NPN).
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Upper Level Winds > Boundary Layer Winds
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Wind Profiles > Wind Velocity/speed Profiles
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Wind Profiles > Wind Direction Profiles
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds
The Autonomous Parsivel Unit (APU) is an in situ, ground-based optical disdrometer. It measures the size and fall velocity of hydrometeors, with a size range of 0-25 mm and a fall speed range of 0-20 m/s. Using these measurements, the drop size distribution, type, intensity, and amount of precipitation can be determined. The APU operates in the 650-780 nm wavelength range and typically samples every 10 seconds.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Precipitation
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Precipitation > Droplet Size
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Precipitation > Hydrometeors
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Precipitation > Liquid Precipitation > Rain
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Precipitation > Precipitation Rate
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Precipitation > Precipitation Amount
The Raman Lidar (RL) is a ground-based lidar system operated by the Department of Energy’s (DoE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) User Facility. It detects Raman backscatter at 355 nm to provide profiles of water vapor, temperature, and aerosol and cloud optical properties. It also detects Raman backscatter from water vapor at 408 nm and from molecular nitrogen at 387 nm to help derive aerosol optical properties and water vapor mixing ratios. It has a range resolution of 7.5 m, a time resolution of 10 seconds, and a pulse repetition frequency of 30 Hz. RL can deliver profile measurements from approximately 200 m to 10 km above ground level.
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Lidar > Lidar Backscatter
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Aerosol Extinction
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Lidar
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Properties
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Profiles
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Profiles > Water Vapor Mixing Ratio Profiles
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Aerosol Optical Depth/thickness
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Lidar > Lidar Depolarization Ratio
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Aerosol Backscatter
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Microphysics > Cloud Optical Depth/thickness
Microwave radiometers (MWRs) are ground-based instruments manufactured by Radiometrics Corporation and operated by the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Research Facility. MWRs measure brightness temperature at 23.8 and 31.4 GHz to determine column amounts of water vapor and liquid water in the atmosphere. MWRs have a field of view (FOV) ranging from about 5.9 to 4.5 degrees, depending on the channel, and typically have a time resolution of 20 seconds for sky-view observations.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Indicators > Water Vapor
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Microwave > Brightness Temperature
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Microphysics > Cloud Liquid Water/ice
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Indicators > Total Precipitable Water
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Microphysics
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor
The Atmospheric Emitted Radiance Interferometer (AERI) is a ground-based passive interferometer developed by the University of Wisconsin Space Science and Engineering Center (UW-SSEC) for the Department of Energy (DoE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program. It uses Fourier transform spectroscopy to measure downwelling thermal infrared emissions from the atmosphere. These measurements provide profiles of atmospheric temperature and water vapor and help detect trace gases. AERI operates across the 3.3-19 μm spectral range and up to 25 μm for the extended-range version of the instrument. It has an optimal vertical resolution of 100 meters and completes a full-sky scan about every 20 seconds.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Chemistry > Trace Gases/trace Species
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Profiles
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Temperature > Upper Air Temperature > Vertical Profiles
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Aerosol Optical Depth/thickness
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Infrared Wavelengths > Brightness Temperature
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Temperature
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Microphysics > Cloud Optical Depth/thickness
The Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) is an airborne lidar system developed at NASA’s Langley Research Center (LaRC). It uses four lasers to detect lidar backscatter and provide profiles of ozone and aerosols in the atmosphere. DIAL operates in the ultraviolet (289-300 nm) for ozone detection and in the visible (572-600 nm) and infrared (1064 nm) for aerosols. It has a horizontal spatial resolution of approximately 15 km and a measurement accuracy of 5 ppbv.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Chemistry > Oxygen Compounds > Ozone
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Lidar > Lidar Backscatter
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Aerosol Backscatter
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Lidar > Lidar Depolarization Ratio
The Micropulse Lidar (MPL) is a ground-based lidar system used for cloud detection. It measures lidar backscatter at 532 nm to retrieve cloud properties, including cloud top and base heights. It can also detect aerosols. MPL has a vertical resolution of 15 m and a maximum range of 18 km. MPL can operate autonomously and typically provides 10-second averaged data.
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Lidar > Lidar Backscatter
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Properties > Cloud Top Height
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Lidar
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Properties
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Properties > Cloud Base Height
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Lidar > Lidar Depolarization Ratio
The Doppler Lidar (DL) is a ground-based lidar system that measures radial velocity and attenuated aerosol backscatter. It detects aerosol backscatter in the near-infrared (1.5 microns) and uses coherent detection to measure the Doppler frequency shift of the backscatter signal to determine radial velocity. It features a range gate size of 18 to 60 meters, a typical maximum data range of 9.6 km, and a temporal resolution of 0.01 to 30 seconds. The Department of Energy operates DLs at its Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) User Facility sites.
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Lidar > Lidar Backscatter
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Aerosol Backscatter
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Radial Velocity
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Lidar
Sound Detection and Ranging (SODAR) is an active, ground-based acoustic sensor that measures atmospheric winds and turbulence. It emits acoustic energy into the atmosphere and detects the strength and frequency of the backscattered signal. The backscattered signal can be used to determine the horizontal wind field, assuming the scattered energy moves with the mean wind. SODARs are frequently used in boundary layer studies to measure turbulence and wind profiles.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Wind Profiles
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Wind Dynamics > Horizontal Wind Velocity/speed
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Wind Profiles > Wind Velocity/speed Profiles
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Wind Profiles > Wind Direction Profiles
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Wind Dynamics > Vertical Wind Velocity/speed
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Wind Dynamics > Turbulence
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds
The S-band Polarimetric (S-POL) Doppler radar is a transportable ground-based radar operated by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). It is a dual-polarization radar that measures reflectivity, Doppler velocity, and spectrum width to characterize precipitation and convective systems. S-Pol operates at 2.7-2.9 GHz and has a beam width of 0.92 degrees. Its range extends from 150 to 675 meters, with a gate spacing of 37.5 to 150 meters.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Precipitation > Hydrometeors
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Spectrum Width
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Precipitation > Liquid Precipitation > Rain
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Precipitation
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Doppler Velocity
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Precipitation > Precipitation Rate
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Radar Reflectivity
X-band radars are ground-based radars operating in the 8-12 GHz frequency range. They measure radar reflectivity, Doppler velocity, and other parameters to characterize precipitation and clouds. Due to their shorter wavelength, X-band radars are more sensitive and can detect smaller particles, making them useful for studying light precipitation and cloud development.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Precipitation
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Doppler Velocity
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Radar Backscatter
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Radar Reflectivity
Vehicle
21 Campaigns · 68 Instruments
The Mobile Integrated Profiling System (MIPS) is a ground-based mobile instrument suite operated by the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH). It comprises several remote-sensing instruments mounted on a trailer to measure profiles and vertical structures of winds, precipitation, and clouds. These instruments include an X-band Profiling Radar (XPR), a Microwave Profiling Radiometer (MPR), a 915 MHz Wind Profiler, a ceilometer, and a Doppler Sodar. It also features multiple in situ meteorological sensors for surface measurements of temperature, pressure, relative humidity, and wind. MIPS is primarily used for studies of severe weather and the boundary layer.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Pressure
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Radiation > Solar Radiation
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Temperature > Surface Temperature > Air Temperature
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Temperature > Surface Temperature
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Indicators > Humidity > Relative Humidity
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Surface Winds > Wind Direction
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Surface Winds > Wind Speed
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Surface Winds
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Wind Profiles > Wind Direction Profiles
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Wind Profiles > Wind Velocity/speed Profiles
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Wind Profiles
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Microphysics > Cloud Liquid Water/ice
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Properties > Cloud Base Height
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Properties > Cloud Base Temperature
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Precipitation
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Lidar > Lidar Backscatter
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Microwave > Brightness Temperature
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Doppler Velocity
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Radar Reflectivity
The Rapid X-band Polarimetric Radar (RaXPol) is a mobile, truck-mounted radar operated by the University of Oklahoma’s Advanced Radar Research Center (ARRC). It measures radar reflectivity, Doppler velocity, spectrum width, and other parameters, primarily for severe weather research. It operates at 9.73 GHz with a 1-degree beamwidth. RaXPol has a gate spacing of 7.5 to 75 meters and can complete a volume scan in as little as 20 seconds due to its rapid pedestal speeds. RaXPol is part of the National Science Foundation’s Community Instruments and Facilities (CIF) program.
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Radial Velocity > Mean Radial Velocity
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Spectrum Width
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Doppler Velocity
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Radial Velocity
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Radar Reflectivity
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar
The Doppler Lidar (DL) is a ground-based lidar system that measures radial velocity and attenuated aerosol backscatter. It detects aerosol backscatter in the near-infrared (1.5 microns) and uses coherent detection to measure the Doppler frequency shift of the backscatter signal to determine radial velocity. It features a range gate size of 18 to 60 meters, a typical maximum data range of 9.6 km, and a temporal resolution of 0.01 to 30 seconds. The Department of Energy operates DLs at its Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) User Facility sites.
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Lidar > Lidar Backscatter
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Aerosol Backscatter
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Radial Velocity
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Lidar
Generic-Atmospheric State (Gen-AtmsState) refers to non-specific instruments on a platform that measure atmospheric state parameters. These are typically in situ sensors that measure temperature, pressure, humidity, and wind speed and direction. Types of atmospheric state instruments include thermometers, hygrometers, barometers, and anemometers.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Pressure
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Indicators > Humidity
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Temperature > Surface Temperature > Air Temperature
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Upper Level Winds > Wind Direction
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Upper Level Winds > Wind Speed
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Pressure > Atmospheric Pressure Measurements
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Surface Winds > Wind Direction
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Temperature
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Surface Winds > Wind Speed
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds
The Mobile Alabama X-Band Radar (MAX) is a truck-mounted dual-polarization radar owned and operated by the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH). It is typically deployed to collect radar data on tropical storms, severe weather, and boundary-layer conditions. MAX operates at 9450 MHz with a beam width of 0.95 degrees and a range gate spacing of 125 meters.
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Radar Reflectivity
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Radar Imagery
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Doppler Velocity
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Radial Velocity > Mean Radial Velocity
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Spectrum Width
The Goddard Lidar Observatory for Wind (GLOW) is a mobile, van-mounted Doppler lidar system operated by Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). It uses direct-detection Doppler lidar techniques to measure line-of-sight wind profiles. It detects either aerosol backscatter at 1064 nm or molecular backscatter at 355 nm to determine wind profiles from the surface to the lower stratosphere. Under typical clean-air conditions, GLOW can provide lidar wind profiles up to 20 km with a 1 km vertical resolution and 1-minute averaging.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Wind Profiles
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Lidar > Lidar Backscatter
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Lidar
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Aerosol Backscatter
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Wind Profiles > Line Of Sight Winds
The Microwave Profiling Radiometer (MPR) is a ground-based passive radiometer manufactured by Radiometrics Corporation. It measures brightness temperature across 21 K-band channels (21-30 GHz) and 14 V-band channels (51-59 GHz). These measurements can be used to retrieve cloud base temperature, cloud base height, integrated liquid, and profiles of temperature, water vapor, relative humidity, and liquid water. The MPR has a vertical range from the surface to 10 km and provides retrievals every 1 minute. It has a height resolution of 50 m from the surface to 0.5 km, 100 m from 0.5 to 2 km, and 250 m from 2 to 10 km.
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Microwave > Brightness Temperature
The Shared Mobile Atmospheric Research and Teaching Radar (SMART-R) is a mobile Doppler radar program operated by the University of Oklahoma. SMART-R is a C-band radar mounted on a truck to collect radar measurements during precipitation events, including tornadic storms, hurricanes, and flash floods. SMART-R has a beamwidth of 1.5 degrees and selectable bin spacing from 67 to 2000 meters. The University of Oklahoma operates two SMART-R C-band radars: SR-1 (5635 MHz) and SR-2 (5612.82 MHz).
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Doppler Velocity
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Radar Reflectivity
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Radial Velocity > Mean Radial Velocity
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Spectrum Width
Microwave radiometers (MWRs) are ground-based instruments manufactured by Radiometrics Corporation and operated by the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Research Facility. MWRs measure brightness temperature at 23.8 and 31.4 GHz to determine column amounts of water vapor and liquid water in the atmosphere. MWRs have a field of view (FOV) ranging from about 5.9 to 4.5 degrees, depending on the channel, and typically have a time resolution of 20 seconds for sky-view observations.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Indicators > Water Vapor
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Microwave > Brightness Temperature
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Microphysics > Cloud Liquid Water/ice
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Indicators > Total Precipitable Water
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Microphysics
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor
The NOAA X-band dual-polarimetric (NOXP) radar is a mobile ground-based radar developed by the National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL). It measures weather phenomena such as tornadoes, hurricanes, winter storms, and dust storms. Operating at a 3 cm wavelength, it detects small particles, including tiny water droplets and snowflakes. NOXP has a gate spacing of 75 m, a maximum unambiguous range of 88 km, and a volume scan time of 2-3 minutes.
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Doppler Velocity
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Radar Reflectivity
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Radar Imagery
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Radar Cross-section
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Spectrum Width
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Radar Backscatter
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Radial Velocity
The Atmospheric Emitted Radiance Interferometer (AERI) is a ground-based passive interferometer developed by the University of Wisconsin Space Science and Engineering Center (UW-SSEC) for the Department of Energy (DoE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program. It uses Fourier transform spectroscopy to measure downwelling thermal infrared emissions from the atmosphere. These measurements provide profiles of atmospheric temperature and water vapor and help detect trace gases. AERI operates across the 3.3-19 μm spectral range and up to 25 μm for the extended-range version of the instrument. It has an optimal vertical resolution of 100 meters and completes a full-sky scan about every 20 seconds.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Chemistry > Trace Gases/trace Species
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Profiles
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Temperature > Upper Air Temperature > Vertical Profiles
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Aerosol Optical Depth/thickness
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Infrared Wavelengths > Brightness Temperature
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Temperature
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Microphysics > Cloud Optical Depth/thickness
The High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL) is an airborne lidar system developed at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC). It uses the HSRL technique at 532 nm and the standard backscatter technique at 1064 nm to provide profiles of aerosol backscatter, extinction, and depolarization. Aerosol backscatter and depolarization profiles typically have a vertical resolution of 30 m and a horizontal resolution of about 1 km. Extinction profiles have a vertical resolution of 300 m and a horizontal resolution of approximately 6 km. HSRL is usually flown during investigations to validate observations from the CALIPSO spaceborne lidar.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Aerosol Backscatter
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Aerosol Extinction
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Aerosol Optical Depth/thickness
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Lidar > Lidar Backscatter
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Lidar > Lidar Depolarization Ratio
X-band radars are ground-based radars operating in the 8-12 GHz frequency range. They measure radar reflectivity, Doppler velocity, and other parameters to characterize precipitation and clouds. Due to their shorter wavelength, X-band radars are more sensitive and can detect smaller particles, making them useful for studying light precipitation and cloud development.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Precipitation
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Doppler Velocity
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Radar Backscatter
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Radar Reflectivity
The Autonomous Parsivel Unit (APU) is an in situ, ground-based optical disdrometer. It measures the size and fall velocity of hydrometeors, with a size range of 0-25 mm and a fall speed range of 0-20 m/s. Using these measurements, the drop size distribution, type, intensity, and amount of precipitation can be determined. The APU operates in the 650-780 nm wavelength range and typically samples every 10 seconds.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Precipitation
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Precipitation > Droplet Size
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Precipitation > Hydrometeors
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Precipitation > Liquid Precipitation > Rain
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Precipitation > Precipitation Rate
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Precipitation > Precipitation Amount
The Doppler on Wheels (DOW) is a network of mobile Doppler radars operated by the Center for Severe Weather Research (CSWR). DOW comprises three dual-frequency, dual-polarization radars operating in the X-band (9.35-9.55 GHz). These radars feature a narrow beam (0.8-0.9 degrees), rapid-scan capabilities, and a gate spacing of 15 to 600 meters. DOW radars are mounted on 7500-series International Workstar trucks and can be rapidly deployed to various locations to collect radar measurements of meteorological phenomena such as tornadoes, hurricanes, and microbursts. Since its inception in the 1990s, the DOW has participated in numerous research and educational programs. It has been part of the National Science Foundation (NSF) Lower Atmospheric Observing Facilities (LAOF) program since 2008.
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Radial Velocity > Mean Radial Velocity
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Spectrum Width
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Doppler Velocity
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Return Power
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Radar Reflectivity
The Ultra-High Frequency (UHF) wind profiler is a ground-based Doppler radar that measures electromagnetic signals to determine wind speed and direction. UHF wind profilers operate in the 300-1000 MHz frequency range. Their high operating frequency enables high-resolution wind measurements within the boundary layer. NOAA operates a network of radar wind profilers as part of the NOAA Profiler Network (NPN).
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Upper Level Winds > Boundary Layer Winds
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Wind Profiles > Wind Velocity/speed Profiles
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Wind Profiles > Wind Direction Profiles
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds
An Electric Field Mill (EFM) is a ground-based and airborne electric field sensor developed at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). It measures the full vector components of the atmospheric electric field and provides information about the electrical structure within and around storms. EFMs can detect both intracloud and cloud-to-ground lightning and operate in large thunderstorm fields (thousands of volts per meter). An EFM typically has a response time of about 10 Hz.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Electricity > Electric Field
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Electricity
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Electricity > Lightning
Ceilometers are ground-based remote-sensing instruments that measure cloud ceilings and vertical visibility. They use a laser or another light source to detect backscatter from clouds, precipitation, and aerosols. Ceilometers provide detailed, precise measurements in all weather conditions and are cost-effective to operate. They are commonly used in boundary-layer and cloud research.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Properties > Cloud Base Height
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Air Quality > Visibility
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Properties > Cloud Ceiling
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Aerosol Backscatter
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Properties
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Altitude > Planetary Boundary Layer Height
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Lidar > Lidar Backscatter
Balloon Launch Site
89 Campaigns · 23 Instruments
Radiosondes are balloon-borne instrument packages that collect profiles of pressure, temperature, humidity, and wind. These sensors are connected to a radio transmitter that sends the measurements to a ground receiver, typically operating in the 400-406 MHz range. They typically provide measurements every 1-6 seconds, depending on the radiosonde type and manufacturer. Radiosondes are used for weather forecasting, ground-truthing satellite data, atmospheric research, and as input for weather prediction models.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Profiles
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Wind Profiles
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Temperature
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Pressure
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Temperature > Upper Air Temperature > Vertical Profiles
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Pressure > Atmospheric Pressure Measurements
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Temperature > Upper Air Temperature
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds
Events
1 Deployment
1 IOP
3 Significant Events
NASA, NOAA, NSF, DOE
Currently unavailable
Currently unavailable
Conrad Ziegler, David Turner, Dave Jorgensen
Scott Loehrer
data center outside NASA
DoE, NASA, NOAA