Two-Dimensional Video Disdrometer (VDIS) Instrument Handbook

Technical Report · Mon Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 2020

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/2575719· OSTI ID:2575719

Bartholomew, Mary Jane ^[1]

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1. Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)

In order to improve the quantitative description of precipitation processes in climate models, the U.S. Department of Energy Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) user facility has been collecting observations of the drop size spectra of rain events since early in 2006 with impact disdrometers. While ARM is primarily interested in their contribution to the understanding of precipitation processes, disdrometers can also be used for traffic control, airport observation systems, and hydrology. The latest disdrometers employ microwave or laser technologies. Two-dimensional (2D) video disdrometers (VDIS) make the most detailed and complete observations of hydrometeor shape and fall velocity. Four of ARM’s five video disdrometers are deployed; the last is a spare. This handbook provides a detailed description of the instruments and their datastreams.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Archive; Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER)
• Contributing Organization: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, NY (United States); Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-76RL01830; AC05-00OR22725
• OSTI ID: 2575719
• Report Number(s): DOE/SC--ARM-TR-111
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES