Cloud Liquid Water (Column/Profile) Measurement Instruments

Measurements > Atmosphere > Cloud particle properties and profile > Cloud liquid water (column/profile)
Measurement Definition: Vertical profile of atmospheric water in the liquid phase (precipitating or not). Requested in the troposphere (assumed height: 12 km), and as total column - Physical unit: profile [ g/kg ], total column [kg/m2] - Accuracy unit: profile [ % ], total column [kg/m2].

Thematic Links
InstrumentStatus/
Accuracy
Instrument DescriptionMeasurement TechnologyTimeline
ABIOperationalDetects clouds, cloud properties, water vapour, land and sea surface temperatures, dust, aerosols, volcanic ash, fires, total ozone, snow and ice cover, vegetation index.n/a
ACE-FTSOperationalMeasure and understand the chemical processes that control the distribution of ozone in the Earth's atmosphere, especially at high altitudes.Limb-scanning IR spectrometer
AMIOperationalContinuous monitoring capability for the near real-time generation of high-resolution meteorological products and long-term change analysis of land/sea surface temperature and cloud coverage.n/a
AMSR2Operational
+/-0.04 kg/m2
Measurements of water vapour, cloud liquid water, precipitation, winds, sea surface temperature, sea ice concentration, snow cover, soil moisture.n/a
AMSU-AOperationalAll-weather night-day temperature sounding to an altitude of 45 km.Absorption-band MW radiometer/spectrometer
AMSU-AOperationalAll-weather night-day temperature sounding to an altitude of 45 km. AMSU-A on Aqua is still partially operational, with 9 of the 15 channels working and collecting data.Absorption-band MW radiometer/spectrometer
GMIOperationalMeasures rainfall rates over oceans and land, combined rainfall structure and surface rainfall rates with associated latent heating. Used to produce three hour, daily, and monthly total rainfall maps over oceans and land.n/a
HARP2OperationalPolarimeter for measuring aerosol optical properties, clouds and aerosol types.n/a
IKFS-2OperationalAtmospheric temperature/humidity profiles, data on cloud parameters, water vapour & ozone column amounts, surface temperature.High-resolution nadir-scanning IR spectrometer
MAESTROOperationalChemical processes involved in the depletion of the ozone layer, and now including a high quality water vapour data product.Limb-scanning SW spectrometer
MHSOperationalAtmospheric humidity profiles, cloud cover, cloud liquid, water content, ice boundaries and precipitation data. MHS on NOAA-18 is considered failed following an anomaly on 21 October 2018.Absorption-band MW radiometer/spectrometer
MTVZA-GYOperationalAtmospheric temperature and humidity profiles, precipitation, sea-level wind speed, snow/ice coverage.Absorption-band MW radiometer/spectrometer
MWRIOperationalAll weather observations of precipitation, cloud features, vegetation, soil moisture sea ice, etc.n/a
VISSR-2OperationalMeteorological.n/a
AMSR3Being developedMeasurements of water vapour, cloud liquid water, precipitation including snowfall, winds, sea surface temperature, sea ice concentration, snow cover, soil moisture.n/a
CPR (EarthCARE)Being developedMeasurement of cloud properties, light precipitation, vertical motion.Cloud and precipitation radar
GXIBeing developedDetects clouds, cloud properties, water vapour, land and sea surface temperatures, dust, aerosols, volcanic ash, fires, total ozone, snow and ice cover, vegetation index.n/a
METimageBeing developedOperational multi spectral imager for meteorological EPS-SG VIS/IR Imaging Mission (VII): imagery data for global and regional NWP, NWC, and climate monitoring with information on LST, SST, clouds coverage, height and micro-physics, land surfaces (vegetation, snow/ice, fire), water vapour column, aerosol and atmospheric motion vectors. Provides collocated cloud mask, height & characterisation as well as intra-pixel heterogeneity to other EPS-SG missions (with larger footprint).n/a
MWIBeing developed
+/-50 %
Measure cloud liquid water content, solid/liquid precipitation information, total column water vapour and temperature profiles, sea ice parameters, sea surface temperature, sea surface wind speed.n/a
ATLIDApprovedDerivation of cloud and aerosol properties - Measurement of molecular and particle backscatter in Rayleigh, co-polar and cross-polar Mie channels.n/a
IKFS-3ProposedAtmospheric temperature/humidity profiles, data on cloud parameters, water vapour & ozone column amounts, surface temperature.High-resolution nadir-scanning IR spectrometer
MTVZA-GY-MPProposedAtmospheric temperature and humidity profiles, precipitation, sea-level wind speed, snow/ice coverage.Absorption-band MW radiometer/spectrometer
AMSR-ENo longer operational
+/-0.05 kg/m2
Measurements of water vapour, cloud liquid water, precipitation, winds, sea surface temperature, sea ice concentration, snow cover and soil moisture. Instrument stopped functioning 4th October 2011.n/a
HSBNo longer operationalHumidity soundings for climatological and atmospheric dynamics applications. The scan mirror motor failed on the 5th of February 2003.Absorption-band MW radiometer/spectrometer