THE CEOS DATABASE : MISSION, INSTRUMENTS AND MEASUREMENTS

CPR (CloudSat) Instrument

Measurements and Applications

Primary goal to provide data needed to evaluate and improve the way clouds are represented in global climate models. Measures vertical profile of clouds.

Instrument Summary

Full Name

Cloud Profiling Radar (CPR)

Status

No longer operational

Instrument Agencies

NASA

Maturity

Instrument Type

Cloud profile and rain radars

Geometry

Nadir-viewing

Instrument Technology

Cloud and precipitation radar

Sampling

Sounding

Data Access

Open Access

Data Format

HDF-EOS

Performance Summary

Resolution

Vertical: 500 m, Cross-track: 1.4 km, Along-track: 2.5 km

Swath

Instantaneous Footprint < 2 km

Accuracy

detects ice clouds optical depth >1, water clouds optical depth >3, ice content to +100%, -50%, liquid content to <50%, in-cloud heating to within 1K day-1 km-1

Waveband

Microwave: 94 GHz

MW (~0.1 cm - ~100 cm)
W-Band (94 GHz)

Instrument Missions

CloudSat - CloudSat (2006 - 2023)

Instrument Measurements

Thematic Links

Global Climate Observing System Essential Climate Variables (GCOS ECVs)

*ECV*	*Description*	*Product(s)*	*ECV Inventory 3.0 Record(s)*
Cloud Properties	click here	click here	search ECV Inventory records
Earth Radiation Budget	click here	click here	search ECV Inventory records
Precipitation	click here	click here	search ECV Inventory records

Category	Parameter
Atmospheric Temperature Fields	Cloud base height
Cloud particle properties and profile	Cloud liquid water (LT, HT, TC)
	Precipitation Profile (liquid or solid)
	Cloud ice (LT, HT, TC)
	Cloud ice content (at cloud top)
	Cloud optical depth
Cloud type, amount and cloud top temperature	Cloud imagery
	Cloud type
	Cloud cover
Liquid water and precipitation rate	Precipitation intensity at the surface (liquid or solid)
Radiation budget	Downward long-wave irradiance at Earth surface