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 are used to derive atmospheric temperature and humidity. It has a spatial resolution of 15 km at the 183 GHz frequency and 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 dual-frequency, cross-track scanning airborne radar used for measuring precipitation. It detects radar backscatter from rain to determine 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 meters at 13.4 GHz and 920 meters at 35.6 GHz. APR-2 has a vertical resolution of 60 meters 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 through 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 three 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 approximately 40 km at an altitude of 20 km.

Dropsondes, also known as 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 wind direction. Dropsondes are important during field investigations because they enable researchers to collect vertical profiles in remote locations and during severe weather conditions. Typically, dropsondes have a vertical resolution of 5 meters and provide wind speed and direction measurements every 0.25 seconds, while temperature, pressure, and humidity are recorded 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 as an improved version of the Microwave Temperature Profiler (MTP), incorporating an additional frequency band to measure humidity. MTHP collects measurements ahead of the flight path and above and below the aircraft to produce vertical temperature and humidity profiles. It profiles temperature at the 60 GHz frequency channel and humidity at the 183 GHz channel. MTHP has a scan rate of 1.5 seconds.

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