The Hydrological Cycle in Mediterranean Experiment (HyMeX) was an international campaign focused on understanding the hydrological cycle in the Mediterranean to improve predictions of hydrometeorological extremes, such as flash floods and landslides, and to help reduce their societal impacts. Although HyMeX was a multi-year effort, NASA served as a significant participant during SOP-1, which took place from September to November 2012. During this period, NASA provided ground-based instrumentation at multiple locations, while French and German organizations supplied airborne and water-based instruments. NASA's contribution to HyMeX was funded in support of the Global Precipitation Mission (GPM).
The HyMeX campaign actually began in 2010, but NASA only participated during one of the deployments. The information in this inventory may contain some information about the larger HyMeX campaign. The NASA effort is considered part of the Ground Validation activities for the GPM satellite.
Radiosondes are a balloon-borne instrument package used to collect profile measurements of pressure, temperature, humidity, and winds. 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 at 1-6 seconds, depending on the type and manufacturer of the radiosonde. Radiosondes are used for weather forecasting, ground truth satellite data, atmospheric research, and input for weather prediction models.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Profiles
The Cloud Particle Imager (CPI) is an airborne imager developed by SPEC Inc. CPI captures high-resolution (2.3 μm pixel size) images of cloud particles that pass through its sampling volume. It uses a charge-coupled device (CCD) camera operating at 810 nm to record images and can capture up to 74 frames per second with a refresh rate of 40 Hz. The images from CPI can be used to determine microphysical properties such as particle size and shape.
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.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Temperature
The Precipitation and Imaging Probe (PIP) is an airborne optical spectrometer developed by Droplet Measurement Technologies. It measures the size and shape of particles ranging from 100 to 6200 μm. It provides two-dimensional images with a pixel resolution of 100 μm. PIP operates at a wavelength of 660 nm and typically samples every second. It has a sample area of 260 mm by 6.2 mm and can function at airspeeds of 10 to 200 meters per second.
The CDP-ROBUST is a combination of the Cloud Droplet Probe (CDP) and the ROBUST TWC probe. It allows for measurements of both particle size concentration/distribution and total liquid water content in the clouds. It was tested and successfully operated during the HyMeX campaign.
The Conveyable Low-noise Infrared radiometer for Measurements of Atmosphere and ground surface Targets (CLIMAT) is a ground-based or airborne in situ radiometer developed by CIMEL Electronique. It was designed to measure brightness temperature or radiances across the infrared spectrum. It operates with up to six channels in the 8-14 μm wavelength range. CLIMAT has a field of view of 10 degrees and typically provides measurements every 1 second.
The 2D-Stereo Particle Probe (2D-S) is an in situ airborne optical imaging device developed by SPEC Inc. It uses two diode laser beams to create stereo images of cloud particles via linear array shadowing. These images allow for the determination of cloud particle size distribution, particle number concentration, and ice or liquid water content. 2D-S has a resolution of 10 µm and can measure hydrometeors ranging from 25 to 1280 µm.
The Radar Airborne System Tool for Atmosphere (RASTA) is an airborne W-band pulsed Doppler cloud radar. It features a multibeam antenna system that enables three-dimensional retrievals of wind profiles above and below the aircraft. RASTA operates at a frequency of 95.04 GHz and has a beam width of 0.6 degrees. It has a range of up to 15 km with a resolution of 60 meters. RASTA is usually flown on the French ATR-42 aircraft.
Conductivity, Temperature, and Depth (CTD) sensors are in situ instrument packages used to measure water depth, pressure, salinity, temperature, and density in the ocean. CTD sensors can be deployed on various water-based platforms such as autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), buoys, gliders, or research vessels. When deployed on a vessel, CTD sensors are typically attached to a rosette and then lowered to the seafloor to measure water properties. CTD sensors have a typical sampling rate of 30 Hz and can collect precise measurements at specific water depths based on the researcher's needs.
Earth Science > Oceans > Ocean Pressure > Water Pressure
Earth Science > Oceans > Bathymetry/seafloor Topography > Water Depth
Conductivity, Temperature, and Depth (CTD) sensors are in situ instrument packages used to measure water depth, pressure, salinity, temperature, and density in the ocean. CTD sensors can be deployed on various water-based platforms such as autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), buoys, gliders, or research vessels. When deployed on a vessel, CTD sensors are typically attached to a rosette and then lowered to the seafloor to measure water properties. CTD sensors have a typical sampling rate of 30 Hz and can collect precise measurements at specific water depths based on the researcher's needs.
Earth Science > Oceans > Ocean Pressure > Water Pressure
Earth Science > Oceans > Bathymetry/seafloor Topography > Water Depth
Conductivity, Temperature, and Depth (CTD) sensors are in situ instrument packages used to measure water depth, pressure, salinity, temperature, and density in the ocean. CTD sensors can be deployed on various water-based platforms such as autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), buoys, gliders, or research vessels. When deployed on a vessel, CTD sensors are typically attached to a rosette and then lowered to the seafloor to measure water properties. CTD sensors have a typical sampling rate of 30 Hz and can collect precise measurements at specific water depths based on the researcher's needs.
Earth Science > Oceans > Ocean Pressure > Water Pressure
Earth Science > Oceans > Bathymetry/seafloor Topography > Water Depth
Earth Science > Oceans > Ocean Temperature > Water Temperature
Earth Science > Oceans > Salinity/density
Generic-Atmospheric State (Gen-AtmsState) refers to non-specific instruments on a platform used for measurements of atmospheric state parameters. These are typically in situ sensors that measure temperature, pressure, humidity, and wind speed/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
Rosemount Temperature Probes are in situ airborne temperature sensors manufactured by Rosemount, Inc. They provide atmospheric temperature measurements and are typically used to collect flight-level meteorological observations. Rosemount Temperature Probes consist of temperature transmitters, thermocouple sensors, resistance temperature detectors, and other temperature sensors.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Temperature > Upper Air Temperature
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Temperature
The Community Aerosol Inlet (CAI) is an airborne in situ sampler that collects aerosol samples during large airborne research campaigns. It is a shrouded inlet typically mounted on the nose of an aircraft to collect samples ahead of the aircraft's fuselage. It has a design flow rate of 8000 liters per minute and can sample aerosol particles up to 5 μm in size.
The Cloud Droplet Probe (CDP) is an in situ cloud probe manufactured by Droplet Measurement Technologies. It measures the particle size distribution and concentration for cloud particles in the 2-50 μm size range. CDP detects pulses of light scattered from a laser (658 nm) to count and size individual cloud droplets. CDP has a typical measurement rate of 1 Hz and can detect concentrations of up to 2000 particles per cubic centimeter.
The Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (AMS) is an in situ spectrometer developed by Aerodyne Research. It employs quadrupole mass spectrometry to measure aerosol chemical composition and properties. It can detect particles ranging from 40 nm to 1 micron in size and has 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
Condensation Particle Counters (CPCs) are in situ sensors that measure aerosol particle concentrations. CPCs determine aerosol levels by condensing fluid onto particles, causing them to grow to sizes detectable by optical scattering. Typically, CPCs can detect particles ranging 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.
The Particle Soot Absorption Photometer (PSAP) is an in situ airborne photometer manufactured by Radiance Research. It applies Beer's Law to measure the change in light transmission of aerosol particles. These measurements help determine aerosol absorption and extinction. PSAP operates across three wavelengths (467, 530, and 660 nm) and has a 1-second time resolution. It is usually deployed on aircraft, but it can also be used on ships and vehicles.
The Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS) is an in situ aerosol sensor that can be operated on airborne or ground-based platforms, manufactured by TSI Incorporated. SMPS uses a differential mobility analyzer (DMA) to measure the electrical mobility diameter of aerosol particles, which helps determine the size distribution. It also counts the number of aerosol particles using a condensation particle counter (CPC). It detects particles in the size range of 10-1000 nm and typically takes about 10 seconds to complete each scan.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Chemical Composition
The Optical Particle Counter is an instrument based on the principle of light scattering from particles. It is a real time instrument that is typically used to measure particles above 0.05 μm in diameter.
The Passive-Cavity Aerosol Spectrometer Probe (PCASP) is an in situ airborne optical spectrometer manufactured by Droplet Measurement Technologies. It detects light scattered by particles to determine aerosol size distribution and concentration within the 0.1 to 3.0 μm range. PCASP operates at a wavelength of 632 nm and typically samples at 10 Hz.
The Particule 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 proportional to the droplets' density and particle surface area density. PVM-100A operates at 780 nm and has a measurement rate of up to 5000 Hz. It can measure droplets in the size range of 3-50 μm diameter. The ground-based model of this instrument is PVM-100.
The Two Stage Viable Andersen Cascade Impactor (ACI) is an in situ impactor for aerosol sampling. It is used when the size distribution is not required and only the total particle counts are needed for analysis. The sampled air flows through the instrument, and the aerosol particles are collected on the corresponding plates within the two sampling stages. Larger particles (> 8 μm) are collected in the first stage, while smaller particles (0.8-8 μm) are collected in the second stage. It has an exact flow rate of 28.3 liters per minute.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols
The Condensation Nuclei Counter (CNC) is optical method for
counting atmospheric aerosol particles.
Earth Science > >
The Fast Mobility Particle Sizer (FMPS) is an in situ spectrometer manufactured by TSI Incorporated. It measures aerosol particle size distribution in the range of 5.6 to 560 nm with 32 resolution channels. FMPS has a data rate of 1 Hz and a sample flow rate of 10 liters per minute. It can be deployed on airborne and ground-based platforms and is ideal for studying relatively stable aerosols.
The Forward Scattering Spectrometer Probe (FSSP) is an in situ airborne optical particle counter initially developed by Particle Measuring Systems, Inc. It determines particle size distribution by measuring the light intensity scattered by individual particles within the cloud. FSSP can detect particles ranging from 0.5 to 47 μm in diameter. It functions at a wavelength of 633 nm and typically samples at a rate of 1 Hz.
The Cloud Imaging Probe (CIP) is an in situ airborne optical array probe manufactured by Droplet Measurement Technologies. It captures cloud particle images by recording shadows as particles pass through a laser. Additionally, it provides data on particle size distribution and cloud liquid water content. CIP typically has a resolution of 25 μm and can measure particles ranging from 12.5 μm to 1.55 mm.
The LEANDRE II is an airborne lidar system developed at the Service d’Ae´ronomie du Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) in Paris. It uses the differential absorption lidar technique to provide profile measurements of water vapor mixing ratio. LEANDRE II operates in a double-pulse, double-wavelength mode in the 727-770 nm spectral range. It has a vertical resolution of 300 m and a horizontal resolution of 800 m. LEANDRE II has a double-pulse temporal separation of 50 microseconds and a repetition rate of 10 Hz.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Indicators > Water Vapor
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Profiles > Water Vapor Mixing Ratio Profiles
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Profiles
The Water vapor and Aerosol LIdar (WALI) is a mobile ground-based Raman lidar developed at the Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement (LSCE). It measures lidar backscatter to determine aerosol optical properties and water vapor mixing ratio profiles. WALI operates at the 354.7 nm wavelength and has a temporal sampling of about 1 minute. It has a vertical resolution of about 30 meters and a field of field of view of about 2.3 mrad.
The Two-Dimensional Video Disdrometer (2DVD) is a stationary, ground-based optical disdrometer. It features two line-scan cameras that continuously measure various precipitation properties such as droplet shape, fall velocity, and size distribution. The 2DVD accurately measures all precipitation particles with a diameter greater than 0.2 mm, making it ideal for different precipitation studies.
The Autonomous Parsivel Unit (APU) is an in situ ground-based optical disdrometer. APU measures the size and fall velocity of hydrometeors with a range of 0-25 mm in size and 0-20 m/s in fall speed. Using these measurements, the drop size distribution, type, intensity, and amount of precipitation can be determined. APU operates in the 650-780 nm wavelength range and typically samples every 10 seconds.
The Ultra-High Frequency (UHF) Wind Profiler is a ground-based Doppler radar. It measures electromagnetic signals to detect wind speed and direction. UHF Wind Profilers operate at the 300-1000 MHz frequency range. Due to operating at a high frequency, they allow for high-resolution wind measurements within the boundary layer.
The University of Basilicata Lidar System (BASIL) is a ground-based Raman lidar located in Potenza, Italy. It was developed by the Department of Environmental Engineering and Physics at the University of Basilicata. It measures atmospheric temperature and water vapor mixing ratio using the rotational Raman lidar technique. BASIL also measures aerosol backscatter, extinction, and depolarization. It operates at wavelengths of 355 nm, 532 nm, and 1064 nm and can collect data during both day and night. BASIL has a typical spatial resolution of 30 m and a temporal resolution of 1 minute.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Temperature
The Dual-frequency Dual-polarized Doppler Radar (D3R) is a mobile Ku-/Ka-band radar that was developed for NASA’s Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission Ground The Dual-frequency Dual-polarized Doppler Radar (D3R) is a mobile Ku-/Ka-band radar developed for NASA’s Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission Ground Validation (GV) program. D3R measures radar backscatter to provide reflectivity, Doppler velocity, differential reflectivity, correlation coefficient, and other radar observations. These measurements help derive droplet size distribution and identify hydrometer types. D3R has a beam width of approximately 0.9 degrees, a maximum range of 30 km, and a gate spacing of 150 m. It operates at wavelengths similar to the Dual-frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) on the GPM Core satellite and can be used to validate DPR observations.
W-band radars are highly sensitive radars used for atmospheric research. They operate around the 94-95 GHz frequency band, allowing for the detection of small water droplets. W-band radars are used for cloud and precipitation studies since they can provide more detailed observations than typical weather radars. They can be deployed on research vessels, aircraft, and mobile ground-based platforms.
The Lightning Mapping Array (LMA) is a ground-based network of lightning detection sensors. An LMA network includes very high frequency (VHF) antennas, GPS receivers, and processing systems that determine the location, timing, and structure of total lightning. LMA has a horizontal spatial resolution of about 6-12 meters, a vertical resolution of roughly 20-30 meters, and a spatial coverage of approximately 200 km from the network center. It typically samples at 10 µs with about 95% accuracy within 100 km of the network. LMA networks are located in several areas, including Oklahoma, New Mexico, North Alabama, West Texas, Colorado, and Southern Ontario.
The Micro Rain Radar (MRR) is a ground-based, vertically oriented, continuous wave K-band (24.23 GHz) radar that measures various parameters of precipitation, such as liquid water content and rain rate, from near ground level to the lower troposphere. The backscatter captured by the MRR’s antenna can determine precipitation size distributions ranging from 0.25 mm to 4.53 mm and can also calculate the frequency shift of falling precipitation to determine its velocity. Additional uses of the MRR include identifying bright bands, nowcasting precipitation, and tracking chemical transport during precipitation events. It has a range resolution of 10 to 200 meters and a sampling time of 10 seconds.
An Electric Field Mill (EFM) is a ground-based and airborne electric sensor developed at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). It measures the full vector components of the atmospheric electric field and provides information about the electrical structure within and around storms. EFMs can detect both intracloud and cloud-to-ground lightning and can operate in large thunderstorm fields (thousands of volts per meter). An EFM typically has a response time of about 10 Hz.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Electricity > Electric Field
S-band radars are ground-based or shipborne radars that operate at the frequency range of 2-4 GHz. They provide measurements of radar reflectivity, Doppler velocity, and other radar parameters to characterize precipitation and clouds. They are not easily attenuated making them useful for near and far-range weather observations.
X-band radars are ground-based radars that operate in the 8-12 GHz frequency range. They provide measurements of radar reflectivity, Doppler velocity, and other radar parameters to characterize precipitation and clouds. Due to operating on a smaller wavelength, the X-band radars are more sensitive and can detect smaller particles, making them useful for studying light precipitation and cloud development.
Generic-Atmospheric State (Gen-AtmsState) refers to non-specific instruments on a platform used for measurements of atmospheric state parameters. These are typically in situ sensors that measure temperature, pressure, humidity, and wind speed/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
A thermosalinograph (TSG) is an in situ shipborne instrument used to measure sea surface temperature and conductivity. TSGs are typically mounted near the ship’s seawater intake where they collect continuous measurements. A TSG uses a conductivity cell and a thermistor cell to measure conductivity and temperature from underway vessels. These measurements can be used to derive salinity and other ocean parameters.
Earth Science > Oceans > Ocean Temperature > Sea Surface Temperature
The Picarro gas concentration analyzer is an in situ airborne or ground-based sensor manufactured by Picarro, Inc. It uses Wavelength-Scanned Cavity Ring Spectroscopy (WS-CRDS) to measure trace gases such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, methane, and water vapor. For carbon dioxide measurements, the laser within Picarro operates at 1603 nm wavelength, while 1651 nm wavelength is used for methane and water vapor measurements. Picarro has a typical sampling time of 2.5 seconds. Depending on the model, Picarro can also provide measurements of carbon isotopes for gas concentrations.
A pyrometer is a remote-sensing infrared thermometer that measures the temperature of distant objects. It determines an object's temperature by detecting its thermal radiation. It can be mounted on aircraft, ground vehicles, or water-based platforms for surface and sea surface temperature observations. For atmospheric studies, the pyrometer usually operates in the 9.6 to 11.5 µm spectral range and has a temperature range of -25 to 200 degrees Celsius. Pyrometers typically have a response time between 5 milliseconds and 600 seconds.
Earth Science > Oceans > Ocean Temperature > Sea Surface Temperature
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Temperature > Surface Temperature > Skin Temperature
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Temperature > Surface Temperature
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Infrared Wavelengths > Brightness Temperature
The Lyman-alpha Hygrometer is an in situ hygrometer designed for deployment on airborne or ground-based platforms. It measures water vapor absorption at the Lyman-alpha wavelength (121.6 nm) of atomic hydrogen to determine the total water content in the atmosphere. It has a detection limit of 0.1 ppmv and a typical data acquisition rate of 1 second. The Lyman-alpha hygrometer provides water vapor measurements with an accuracy of 6% and a precision of 5%.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Indicators > Water Vapor
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Profiles > Water Vapor Mixing Ratio Profiles
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Indicators > Total Precipitable Water
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor
Generic-Atmospheric State (Gen-AtmsState) refers to non-specific instruments on a platform used for measurements of atmospheric state parameters. These are typically in situ sensors that measure temperature, pressure, humidity, and wind speed/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
Rosemount Pressure Probes are in situ airborne pressure sensors manufactured by Rosemount, Inc. They provide high-precision atmospheric pressure measurements and are typically used to gather flight-level meteorological observations. Rosemount Pressure Probes consist of various pressure transducers, gauges, and multivariable and coplanar transmitters.
Rosemount Temperature Probes are in situ airborne temperature sensors manufactured by Rosemount, Inc. They provide atmospheric temperature measurements and are typically used to collect flight-level meteorological observations. Rosemount Temperature Probes consist of temperature transmitters, thermocouple sensors, resistance temperature detectors, and other temperature sensors.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Temperature > Upper Air Temperature
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Temperature
A pyrgeometer is a ground-based or airborne passive radiation sensor. It measures downward and upward longwave radiation in the 4-50 μm spectral range. Pyrgeometers measure changes in resistance/voltage using a thermopile sensor 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.
