In this paper, we report the preliminary studies of cloud microphysics by using ground-based 95GHz cloud radar and lidar systems. Although the active sensors are expected to increase our knowledge about clouds, e.g., vertical profiles of clouds, the single use of radar or lidar gives limited information and it is difficult to retrieve the ice water content (IWC and effective radius of cloud particles. We develop the new method for the combinational use of radar and lidar signals. The algorithm includes the attenuation corrections on both signals which is a long standing problems especially in the analysis of lidar signals. The system enables to retrieve the vertical profiles of effective radius and IWC in each cloud layer. Since both active sensors have dual polarization capabilities, the system provides a unique opportunity to study cloud microphysics form many aspects, e.g., vertical profiles of the relationship between effective radius, IWC and/or depolarization ratio. This system also has a great potential to study aerosol-cloud interaction studies.

Date Published: 21 December 2000
PDF: 9 pages
Proc. SPIE 4152, Microwave Remote Sensing of the Atmosphere and Environment II, (21 December 2000); doi: 10.1117/12.410618

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 4152:
Microwave Remote Sensing of the Atmosphere and Environment II
Thomas T. Wilheit; Harunobu Masuko; Hiroyuki Wakabayashi, Editor(s)