Convective Processes Experiment

The Microwave Atmospheric Sounder for Cubesat (MASC) is an airborne cross-track scanning microwave sounder developed by Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). It measures microwave radiances across eight channels near the 118 GHz oxygen and 183 GHz water vapor lines. These measurements can be used to derive atmospheric temperature and humidity. It has a spatial resolution of 15 km at the 183 GHz frequency and a spatial resolution of 20 km at the 118 GHz frequency. MASC scans at a rate of 30 revolutions per minute. MASC was designed to be a 6U CubeSat and serve as a prototype for the TEMPEST-D EVI-2 technology demonstrator.

The Airborne Second Generation Precipitation Radar (APR-2) is a cross-track scanning, dual-frequency airborne precipitation radar. It measures radar backscatter from rainfall to provide measurements of reflectivity, Doppler velocity, and linear depolarization ratio (LDR). APR-2 operates at 13.4 GHz and 35.6 GHz and has a pulse repetition frequency (PRF) of 5000 Hz. At a flight altitude of 11,000 feet, it has a horizontal resolution of 730 m at 13.4 GHz and 920 m at 35.6 GHz. APR-2 has a vertical resolution of 60 m and a ground swath width of 10 km.

The High Altitude Monolithic Microwave integrated Circuit (MMIC) Sounding Radiometer (HAMSR) is an airborne microwave sounder developed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory under the NASA Instrument Incubator Program. HAMSR measures brightness temperature which can be used to derive three-dimensional profiles of temperature, water vapor, and cloud liquid water in the atmosphere. It operates across 25 spectral channels in 3 microwave bands (50-60 GHz, 118 GHz, 183 GHz) and has a sampling frequency of 5 seconds. HAMSR has a horizontal spatial resolution of 2 km at nadir and a field of view of about 40 km at an altitude of 20 km.

A dropsondes or dropwindsondes are in situ instruments designed to be released from aircraft. They are equipped with Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers and sensors to collect profile measurements of pressure, temperature, humidity, wind speed, and direction. Dropsondes are important during field investigations because they allow researchers to collect vertical profiles in remote locations and during severe weather events. Dropsondes typically have a vertical resolution of 5 m and provide measurements of wind speed/direction every 0.25 seconds and temperature, pressure, and humidity every 0.5 seconds.

The Microwave Temperature and Humidity Profiler (MTHP) is an airborne microwave radiometer developed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). It was designed to be an updated version of the Microwave Temperature Profiler (MTP) by including an additional frequency band to measure humidity. MTHP takes measurements ahead of the flight path, with measurements taken above and below the aircraft, to generate vertical profiles of temperature and humidity. It profiles temperature around 60 GHz frequency channel and humidity at 183 GHz frequency channel. MTHP has a scan rate of 1.5 seconds.

The Doppler Aerosol WiNd Lidar (DAWN) is an active remote, airborne lidar developed by NASA Langley Research Center. DAWN uses a pulsed, solid-state laser that operates at a wavelength of 2 micrometers to detect aerosol backscatter in the atmosphere. DAWN can also provide vertical profiles of the horizontal winds below the aircraft and the line of sight winds at each azimuth angle. Typically, DAWN provides profiles at a resolution of 60 m and emits a pulse at a rate of 10 Hz.