Stratus cloud measurements with a K{sub {alpha}}-band Doppler radar and a microwave radiometer
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Boulder, CO (United States)
- National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO (United States)
The goal of the Atlantic Stratocumulus Transition Experiment (ASTEX) held in the North Atlantic during June 1992 was to determine the physical reasons for the transition from stratocumulus to broken clouds. Some possible reasons for this transition were such things as cloud top entrainment instability and the decoupling effects of drizzle. As part of this experiment, the Environmental Technology Laboratory`s cloud sensing Doppler radar and three-channel microwave radiometer were deployed in the island of Porto Santo in the Madeira Islands of Portugal along with a carbon dioxide Doppler lider. Drizzle properties in stratus were examined using a log-normal droplet distribution model that related the model`s three parameters to the first three Doppler spectral moments of the cloud radar. With these moments, we are then able to compute the drizzle droplet concentration, modal radius, liquid water, and liquid water flux as a function of height.
- Research Organization:
- USDOE Office of Energy Research, Washington, DC (United States). Environmental Sciences Div.
- OSTI ID:
- 83172
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-940277-; ON: DE95009951; CNN: Contract 164514-a-91; TRN: 95:003626-0031
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Atmospheric radiation measurement science team meeting, Charleston, SC (United States), 28 Feb - 3 Mar 1994; Other Information: PBD: Apr 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of Proceedings of the Fourth Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Science Team Meeting; PB: 373 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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