CEOS EO HANDBOOK – MEASUREMENT INSTRUMENTS
Measurements > Atmosphere >
Cloud particle properties and profile >
Cloud ice (column/profile)


Measurement Definition*: Vertical profile of atmospheric water in the liquid phase (precipitating or not). Measured in the troposphere (assumed height: 12 km), and as total column - Physical unit: profile [ g/kg ], total column [g/m2] - Accuracy unit: profile [ % ], total column [g/m2].
InstrumentStatus/
Accuracy
Instrument DescriptionMeasurement TechnologyTimeline
CALIOP
Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization
Operational
Two-wavelength, polarisation lidar capable of providing aerosol and cloud profiles and properties.n/a
CPR (CloudSat)
Cloud Profiling Radar (CPR)
Operational
+/--2 g-m-3
Primary goal to provide data needed to evaluate and improve the way clouds are represented in global climate models. Measures vertical profile of clouds.Cloud and precipitation radar
GMI
GPM Microwave Imager
Operational
Measures 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.Multi-purpose imaging MW radiometer
CPR (EarthCARE)
Cloud Profiling Radar (EarthCARE)
Being developed
Measurement of cloud properties, light precipitation, vertical motion.Cloud and precipitation radar
DMR (INCUS)
Dynamic Microwave Radiometer
Being developed
Measures microwave radiances simultaneously with radar reflectivity pofiles for tropical convective stormsMulti-purpose imaging MW radiometer
ATLID
ATmospheric LIDar
Approved
Derivation of cloud and aerosol properties - Measurement of molecular and particle backscatter in Rayleigh, co-polar and cross-polar Mie channels.n/a
* Description adapted from WMO.