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Cumulus Humilis Aerosol Process Study
Atmospheric Composition
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2025-06-04 2025-06-25 - 4
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The Campaign
The Cumulus Humilis Aerosol Process Study (CHAPS) was a field investigation led by the Department of Energy (DOE) that focused on characterizing freshly emitted aerosols below, within, and above cumulus cloud fields and on studying changes in cloud microphysics within these fields. CHAPS included one deployment in June 2007 around Oklahoma City. The DOE G-1 aircraft was equipped with in situ sensors to measure aerosol optical and chemical properties. The NASA B-200 aircraft was equipped with the High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL) to measure profiles of aerosol backscatter, extinction, and depolarization. Ground-based measurements of aerosol optical properties, aerosol backscatter profiles, and meteorological parameters were also collected. CHAPS was funded by the DOE Atmospheric Science Program and the NASA Radiation Sciences Program.
2007-06-04 — 2007-06-25
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
boreal summer
N: 37°N
S: 34°N
W: 98°W
E: 96°W
no campaign DOI available
- Overview of the CHAPS campaign
- CHAPS Project Website
Additional Notes
Repositories
data center outside NASA
AEROSOLS
AEROSOL-CLOUD INTERACTIONS
AEROSOL OPTICAL PROPERTIES
AEROSOL EXTINCTION
CLOUDS
CLOUD MICROPHYSICS
CLOUD NUCLEATING PROPERTIES
CUMULUS HUMILIS
FAIR-WEATHER CUMULUS
Slide 1 of 4
Beechcraft B-200 King Air
39 Campaigns · 84 Instruments
The High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL) is an airborne lidar system developed at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC). It uses the HSRL technique at 532 nm and the standard backscatter technique at 1064 nm to provide profiles of aerosol backscatter, extinction, and depolarization. Aerosol backscatter and depolarization profiles typically have a vertical resolution of 30 m and a horizontal resolution of about 1 km. Extinction profiles have a vertical resolution of 300 m and a horizontal resolution of approximately 6 km. HSRL is usually flown during investigations to validate observations from the CALIPSO spaceborne lidar.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Aerosol Backscatter
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Aerosol Extinction
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Aerosol Optical Depth/thickness
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Lidar > Lidar Backscatter
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Lidar > Lidar Depolarization Ratio
Gulfstream-159
4 Campaigns · 45 Instruments
The Cloud Aerosol and Precipitation Spectrometer (CAPS) is an in situ airborne spectrometer manufactured by Droplet Measurement Technologies. It integrates the Cloud Imaging Probe (CIP), the Cloud and Aerosol Spectrometer (CAS), and the Hotwire Liquid Water Content (LWC) Sensor into a single instrument. CAPS measures the size distribution of aerosol, cloud, and liquid droplets for particles between 50 and 1600 μm, with a time resolution of 1 Hz. It can also capture images of cloud particles and provide measurements of temperature, pressure, and LWC.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Aerosol Particle Properties
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Microphysics > Particle Size Distribution
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Precipitation > Droplet Size
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Microphysics > Cloud Droplet Concentration/size
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Microphysics
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Precipitation
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Microphysics > Cloud Liquid Water/ice
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds
The Particulate Volume Matter (PVM-100A) is an in situ airborne cloud probe manufactured by Gerber Scientific. It measures liquid water content and the effective radius of cloud droplets by measuring the scattering intensity, which is proportional to droplet density and particle surface area density. The PVM-100A operates at 780 nm and has a measurement rate of up to 5000 Hz. It can measure droplets with diameters of 3-50 μm. The ground-based model of this instrument is the PVM-100.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Microphysics > Cloud Liquid Water/ice
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Microphysics > Cloud Droplet Concentration/size
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Microphysics
Chilled Mirror Hygrometers (CMHs) are in situ sensors that directly measure dew point temperature by condensing water vapor onto a chilled mirror surface. The mirror's temperature is lowered with thermoelectric coolers until water vapor from the sample gas condenses as dew or frost. The mirror's temperature is then measured with a platinum resistance thermometer (PRT) to determine the dew point and humidity. CMHs have been used on both airborne and ground-based platforms and serve as the NIST-traceable reference standard for calibrating other sensors.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Indicators > Humidity
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Temperature > Surface Temperature > Dew Point Temperature
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Indicators > Dew Point Temperature
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Temperature > Upper Air Temperature > Dew Point Temperature
A pyrgeometer is a ground-based or airborne passive radiation sensor that measures downward and upward longwave radiation in the 4-50 μm spectral range. It uses a thermopile sensor to detect changes in resistance or voltage, which are then used to determine longwave radiation. These measurements can be used to calculate the infrared radiation flux. Pyrgeometers are typically used for climatological, meteorological, and agricultural applications.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Radiation
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Radiation > Outgoing Longwave Radiation
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Radiation > Longwave Radiation
A pyranometer is a ground-based or airborne radiation sensor that measures solar irradiance over a hemispherical field of view. It detects the amount of solar energy reaching the surface, capturing both direct and diffuse sunlight. Pyranometers operate across a spectral range of 280-3000 nm. They are most commonly used for solar monitoring, climate research, weather forecasting, agriculture, and energy management.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Radiation > Solar Irradiance
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Radiation > Solar Radiation
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Radiation
The 2B Technologies Ozone (O3) Monitor is an in situ dual-beam ozone monitor suitable for airborne and ground-based use. It measures O3 concentration via dual-beam ultraviolet (UV) absorption at 254 nm. The device has a detection range of 0 to 20 ppm, a resolution of 0.1 ppb, and provides measurements every 2 seconds. Its operating temperature range is 0 to 50 degrees Celsius, with an altitude range of approximately 0 to 13.5 km.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Chemistry > Oxygen Compounds > Ozone
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Air Quality > Tropospheric Ozone
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Chemistry
The Fast Integrated Mobility Spectrometer (FIMS) is an in situ airborne spectrometer that measures aerosol size distributions. It separates charged aerosol particles by electrical mobility and then uses a charge-coupled device (CCD) imaging system to determine the particle size distribution. FIMS can measure aerosol size distributions from 8 to 600 nm at a sampling rate of 1 Hz.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Aerosol Particle Properties
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols
Generic-Atmospheric State (Gen-AtmsState) refers to non-specific instruments on a platform that measure atmospheric state parameters. These are typically in situ sensors that measure temperature, pressure, humidity, and wind speed and direction. Types of atmospheric state instruments include thermometers, hygrometers, barometers, and anemometers.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Pressure
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Indicators > Humidity
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Temperature > Surface Temperature > Air Temperature
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Upper Level Winds > Wind Direction
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Upper Level Winds > Wind Speed
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Pressure > Atmospheric Pressure Measurements
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Surface Winds > Wind Direction
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Temperature
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Surface Winds > Wind Speed
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds
Generic-Chemistry Related Sensors (Gen-Chemistry) refers to non-specific instruments on a platform used for atmospheric chemistry measurements. These are typically in situ analyzers that measure chemical compounds such as trace gases, halocarbons, volatile organic compounds, nitrates, aerosols, and other chemical species. Measurements can include mixing ratios, composition, particle size, optical properties, and particle size distribution.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Chemistry > Trace Gases/trace Species
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Chemistry
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Air Quality > Volatile Organic Compounds
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Aerosol Particle Properties
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Chemistry > Halocarbons And Halogens
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Air Quality
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Chemistry > Carbon And Hydrocarbon Compounds
The Proton Transfer Mass Spectrometer (PTR-MS) is an in situ spectrometer developed by the University of Innsbruck in Austria and used both on aircraft and on the ground. It detects volatile organic compounds (VOCs) without sample preparation at very low concentrations. PTR-MS employs chemical ionization mass spectrometry, enabling rapid, highly sensitive VOC detection. It has a signal integration time of 0.5 to 1 second.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Air Quality > Volatile Organic Compounds
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Chemistry > Halocarbons And Halogens > Methanol
The Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS) is an in situ aerosol sensor manufactured by TSI Incorporated. The SMPS uses a differential mobility analyzer (DMA) to measure the electrical mobility diameter of aerosol particles, thereby determining the size distribution. It also counts aerosol particles using a condensation particle counter (CPC). It detects particles in the 10-1000 nm size range and typically completes each scan in about 10 seconds. The SMPS can be used on airborne or ground-based platforms.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Chemical Composition
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Aerosol Particle Properties
The Passive-Cavity Aerosol Spectrometer Probe (PCASP) is an in situ airborne optical spectrometer manufactured by Droplet Measurement Technologies. It measures light scattered by particles to determine aerosol size distribution and concentration across 0.1 to 3.0 μm. PCASP operates at 632 nm and typically samples at 10 Hz.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Aerosol Particle Properties
Condensation Particle Counters (CPCs) are in situ sensors that measure aerosol particle concentrations. CPCs determine aerosol concentrations by condensing a fluid onto particles, causing them to grow to sizes detectable by optical scattering. Typically, CPCs detect particles from 7 nm to 3 μm, measure concentrations up to 100,000 particles per cubic centimeter, and provide readings every second. CPCs are manufactured by TSI Incorporated and can be used on airborne, shipborne, and ground-based platforms.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Aerosol Particle Properties
The Time-Resolved Aerosol Collector (TRAC) is an airborne aerosol sampler developed by the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL) at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). It collects atmospheric samples and deposits aerosol particles onto individual carbon films for laboratory-based Computer-Controlled Scanning Electron Microscopy/Energy-Dispersive X-ray (CCSEM/EDX) single-particle analysis. It collects samples at sequential time intervals as short as 1 minute. Purdue University operates an upgraded version of TRAC on its Airborne Laboratory for Atmospheric Research (ALAR) aircraft.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols
The Counterflow Virtual Impactor (CVI) is an in situ airborne instrument that samples cloud droplets by removing them from the surrounding air through inertial impaction. It is typically deployed with additional sensors to measure cloud particle concentration, cloud liquid water, and water vapor in the sampled droplets. The CVI can detect cloud droplets as small as 7 microns in diameter and has a typical time response of 1 second.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Microphysics
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Microphysics > Cloud Liquid Water/ice
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Microphysics > Cloud Droplet Concentration/size
The Condensation Nuclei Counter (CNC) is an in situ optical sensor produced by Droplet Measurement Technologies and TSI, Inc. It detects cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) by supersaturating the sampled air, making CCN particles detectable. The particles are then measured by an optical particle counter (OPC). The CNC detects particles from 0.75 to 10 μm in diameter and operates at a sampling rate of 1 Hz. It is suitable for both airborne and ground-based operations.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Microphysics
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Cloud Condensation Nuclei
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Microphysics > Cloud Condensation Nuclei
The Cloud Imaging Probe (CIP) is an in situ airborne optical array probe manufactured by Droplet Measurement Technologies. It captures images of cloud particles by recording shadows as particles pass through a laser beam. It also provides data on particle size distribution and cloud liquid water content. CIP typically has a resolution of 25 μm and can measure particles from 12.5 μm to 1.55 mm.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Microphysics > Particle Size Distribution
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Microphysics > Cloud Liquid Water/ice
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Microphysics
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds
Nephelometers are in situ optical sensors that can be airborne or ground-based. They measure the total scattering and backscattering of atmospheric aerosol particles. Nephelometers operate at three wavelengths: 450 nm, 550 nm, and 700 nm, with a typical time resolution of 1 Hz.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Aerosol Forward Scatter
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Aerosol Backscatter
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Aerosol Extinction
The Particle Soot Absorption Photometer (PSAP) is an in situ airborne photometer manufactured by Radiance Research. It applies Beer's Law to measure changes in light transmission caused by aerosol particles. These measurements help determine aerosol absorption and extinction. The PSAP operates at three wavelengths (467, 530, and 660 nm) and has a 1-second time resolution. It is typically deployed on aircraft but can also be used on ships and vehicles.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Aerosol Extinction
The Cloud and Aerosol Spectrometer (CAS) is an in situ airborne spectrometer manufactured by Droplet Measurement Technologies. It measures light scattering at 658 nm to determine aerosol and cloud particle size distributions from 0.51 to 50 μm. It also provides measurements of refractive index and particle shape. CAS has a typical time resolution of 1 Hz and can measure concentrations exceeding 1,000 particles per cubic meter.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Aerosol Particle Properties
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Microphysics
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Microphysics > Particle Size Distribution
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Microphysics > Cloud Droplet Concentration/size
Thermo Scientific Gas Analyzers are in situ gas analyzers manufactured by ThermoFisher Scientific. They provide precise measurements of trace gases, including ozone, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and sulfur dioxide. Thermo Scientific Gas Analyzers can be deployed on aircraft, research vessels, and ground-based platforms.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Chemistry > Carbon And Hydrocarbon Compounds > Carbon Monoxide
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Chemistry > Carbon And Hydrocarbon Compounds > Carbon Dioxide
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Chemistry > Sulfur Compounds > Sulfur Dioxide
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Chemistry > Oxygen Compounds > Ozone
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Chemistry > Trace Gases/trace Species
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Chemistry
The Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (AMS) is an in situ spectrometer developed by Aerodyne Research. It uses quadrupole mass spectrometry to measure aerosol chemical composition and properties. It detects particles from 40 nm to 1 micron in size and offers a time resolution of up to 10 Hz. It can be installed on aircraft, research vessels, mobile laboratories, or other ground-based platforms.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Chemical Composition
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Aerosol Particle Properties
Field Site
Stationary
76 Campaigns · 175 Instruments
The Ultra-High Frequency (UHF) Wind Profiler is a ground-based Doppler radar that measures electromagnetic signals to determine wind speed and direction. UHF Wind Profilers operate in the 300-1000 MHz frequency range. Because of their high operating frequency, they provide high-resolution wind measurements within the boundary layer.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Upper Level Winds > Boundary Layer Winds
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Wind Profiles > Wind Velocity/speed Profiles
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Wind Profiles > Wind Direction Profiles
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds
Nephelometers are in situ optical sensors that can be airborne or ground-based. They measure the total scattering and backscattering of atmospheric aerosol particles. Nephelometers operate at three wavelengths: 450 nm, 550 nm, and 700 nm, with a typical time resolution of 1 Hz.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Aerosol Forward Scatter
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Aerosol Backscatter
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Aerosol Extinction
The Total Sky Imager (TSI) is a ground-based optical instrument developed by Yankee Environmental Systems (YES), Inc. TSI provides full-color, hemispheric images of the sky during daylight hours using a charge-coupled device (CCD) imager. It also measures fractional sky cover and sun obscuration caused by clouds. TSI can be mounted on mobile platforms such as trailers and research vehicles, enabling it to collect cloud cover data at different locations during field studies.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Properties > Cloud Fraction
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds
The Micropulse Lidar (MPL) is a ground-based lidar system used for cloud detection. It measures lidar backscatter at 532 nm to retrieve cloud properties, including cloud top and base heights. It can also detect aerosols. MPL has a vertical resolution of 15 m and a maximum range of 18 km. MPL can operate autonomously and typically provides 10-second averaged data.
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Lidar > Lidar Backscatter
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Properties > Cloud Top Height
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Lidar
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Properties
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Properties > Cloud Base Height
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Lidar > Lidar Depolarization Ratio
The Particle Soot Absorption Photometer (PSAP) is an in situ airborne photometer manufactured by Radiance Research. It applies Beer's Law to measure changes in light transmission caused by aerosol particles. These measurements help determine aerosol absorption and extinction. The PSAP operates at three wavelengths (467, 530, and 660 nm) and has a 1-second time resolution. It is typically deployed on aircraft but can also be used on ships and vehicles.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Aerosol Extinction
Condensation Particle Counters (CPCs) are in situ sensors that measure aerosol particle concentrations. CPCs determine aerosol concentrations by condensing a fluid onto particles, causing them to grow to sizes detectable by optical scattering. Typically, CPCs detect particles from 7 nm to 3 μm, measure concentrations up to 100,000 particles per cubic centimeter, and provide readings every second. CPCs are manufactured by TSI Incorporated and can be used on airborne, shipborne, and ground-based platforms.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Aerosol Particle Properties
Balloon Launch Site
88 Campaigns · 23 Instruments
Radiosondes are balloon-borne instrument packages that collect profiles of pressure, temperature, humidity, and wind. These sensors are connected to a radio transmitter that sends the measurements to a ground receiver, typically operating in the 400-406 MHz range. They typically provide measurements every 1-6 seconds, depending on the radiosonde type and manufacturer. Radiosondes are used for weather forecasting, ground-truthing satellite data, atmospheric research, and as input for weather prediction models.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Profiles
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds > Wind Profiles
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Temperature
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Pressure
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Temperature > Upper Air Temperature > Vertical Profiles
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Pressure > Atmospheric Pressure Measurements
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Temperature > Upper Air Temperature
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds
Events
1 Deployment
1 IOP
DOE, NASA
DOE Atmospheric Science Program, NASA Radiation Sciences Program
Currently unavailable
Carl Berkowitz
Currently unavailable
data center outside NASA
NOAA