Instrument

2D-S
2D-Stereo Particle Probe

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.

NASA's DC-8 flying laboratory passes Antarctica's tallest peak, Mount Vinson, on Oct. 22, 2012, during a flight over the continent to measure changes in the massive ice sheet and sea ice. Credit: NASA/Michael Studinger (Photography courtesy NASA Images)

Overview

Instrument Details

Measurement Type

Optical/Photon

Measurement/Variables

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Microphysics > Particle Size Distribution

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Aerosol Extinction

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Aerosol Particle Properties

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Microphysics

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds

Vertical Measurement Regions

Troposphere

Temporal Resolution

1 s

Spatial Resolution

10 μm

Measurement Frequency

N/A

Calibration Details

https://www.arm.gov/publications/tech_reports/handbooks/doe-sc-arm-tr-233.pdf

Online Information

https://airbornescience.nasa.gov/instrument/2D-S_Stereo_Probe

Lead Investigator
Sarah Woods, Paul Lawson
Technical Contact
Sarah Woods
Instrument Maker
SPEC Inc.
Funding Source
U.S. Navy Office for Naval Research Center for Interdisciplinary Remotely Piloted Aircraft Studies (CIRPAS)
Overview Publications
Overview Publication
Repositories
- Atmospheric Science Data Center (ASDC)
- Global Hydrology Resource Center DAAC (GHRC)

Instrument Operation

Platform

Campaigns, where the platform was used with this instrument

Citation

Cessna Citation II

10 Campaigns · 24 Instruments

OLYMPEX

Olympic Mountains Experiment

2015—2016

Olympic Peninsula in U.S. Washington State

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· 36 Data Products

IPHEx

Integrated Precipitation and Hydrology Experiment

2014

Southern Appalachians, including portions of North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia

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· 47 Data Products

RADEX

Radar Definition Experiment

2014—2015

Southeastern United States, North Carolina (NC); Olympic Peninsula, Washington (WA) State

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· 30 Data Products

DC-8

Douglas DC-8

43 Campaigns · 180 Instruments

SEAC4RS

Studies of Emissions and Atmospheric Composition, Clouds and Climate Coupling by Regional Surveys

2013

North America including portions of Canada, Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico

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· 20 Data Products

TOGA COARE

Tropical Ocean Global Atmosphere - Coupled Ocean Atmosphere Response Experiment

1992—1993

Western Pacific Ocean, Coral Sea

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· 0 Data Products

DC3

Deep Convective Clouds & Chemistry

2012

Northeastern Colorado, West Texas to Central Oklahoma, Northern Alabama

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· 19 Data Products

NAMMA

NASA African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analyses

2006

Cape Verde Islands, Atlantic Ocean

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· 23 Data Products

TC4

Tropical Composition, Cloud and Climate Coupling

2007

Costa Rica, tropical Eastern Pacific

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· 1 Data Product

HIWC

High Ice Water Content Radar Study

2015—2022

Southeastern United States, Florida, Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, Southern California, Hawaii, Pacific Ocean

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· 0 Data Products

Falcon

Dassault Falcon 20-E5

6 Campaigns · 44 Instruments

HyMeX

Hydrological Cycle in Mediterranean Experiment

2012

The Mediterranean

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· 3 Data Products

ACTIVATE

Aerosol Cloud meTerology Interactions oVer the western ATlantic Experiment

2020—2022

Western North Atlantic Ocean

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· 12 Data Products

WB-57

NASA WB-57

16 Campaigns · 80 Instruments

TC4

Tropical Composition, Cloud and Climate Coupling

2007

Costa Rica, tropical Eastern Pacific

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· 1 Data Product

CR-AVE

Costa Rica Aura Validation Experiment

2006

Costa Rica

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· 0 Data Products

POSIDON

Pacific Oxidants, Sulfur, Ice, Dehydration, and cONvection

2016

Guam, western Pacific

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· 0 Data Products

ACCLIP

Asian Summer Monsoon Chemical & Climate Impact Project

2022

West Pacific, South Korea

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· 8 Data Products

MACPEX

Mid-latitude Airborne Cirrus Properties Experiment

2011

Central United States

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· 7 Data Products

G-V

Gulfstream-V

8 Campaigns · 37 Instruments

ACCLIP

Asian Summer Monsoon Chemical & Climate Impact Project

2022

West Pacific, South Korea

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· 8 Data Products

P-3

P-3 Orion

26 Campaigns · 139 Instruments

ORACLES

Observations of Aerosols above Clouds and their Interactions

2016—2018

Southeastern Atlantic Ocean, Southern Africa

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· 8 Data Products

IMPACTS

Investigation of Microphysics and Precipitation for Atlantic Coast-Threatening Snowstorms

2020—2023

Eastern United States

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· 66 Data Products

ARCSIX

Arctic Radiation-Cloud-Aerosol-Surface Interaction EXperiment

2024

Greenland, Arctic Ocean

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· 0 Data Products

CAMP2Ex

Clouds, Aerosol, and Monsoon Processes-Philippines Experiment

2019

Philippines

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· 12 Data Products

G-1

Gulfstream-159

2 Campaigns · 35 Instruments

CalWater

2015

California, Sierra Nevada Range

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· 0 Data Products

Learjet

SPEC Inc. Learjet 25

8 Campaigns · 29 Instruments

ARCSIX

Arctic Radiation-Cloud-Aerosol-Surface Interaction EXperiment

2024

Greenland, Arctic Ocean

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· 0 Data Products

SEAC4RS

Studies of Emissions and Atmospheric Composition, Clouds and Climate Coupling by Regional Surveys

2013

North America including portions of Canada, Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico

view all deployment dates

· 20 Data Products

CAMP2Ex

Clouds, Aerosol, and Monsoon Processes-Philippines Experiment

2019

Philippines

view all deployment dates

· 12 Data Products

Data Products

Filter data products from this instrument by specific campaigns, platforms, or formats.

Campaigns

Platforms

Formats

CAMP2Ex P-3 In-Situ Cloud Data10.5067/Airborne/CAMP2Ex_Cloud_AircraftInSitu_P3_Data_1

CampaignsClouds, Aerosol, and Monsoon Processes-Philippines Experiment

PlatformsP-3 Orion

FormatsICARTT

DC3 In-Situ DC-8 Cloud Data10.5067/ASDC/SUBORBITAL/DC3_Cloud_AircraftInSitu_DC8_Data_1

CampaignsDeep Convective Clouds & Chemistry

PlatformsDouglas DC-8

NAMMA TWO-DIMENSIONAL STEREO PROBE AND CLOUD PARTICLE IMAGER V1http://dx.doi.org/10.5067/NAMMA/PROBES/DATA202

CampaignsNASA African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analyses

PlatformsDouglas DC-8

CAMP2Ex Learjet In-Situ Cloud Data10.5067/Airborne/CAMP2Ex_Cloud_AircraftInSitu_Learjet_Data_1

CampaignsClouds, Aerosol, and Monsoon Processes-Philippines Experiment

PlatformsSPEC Inc. Learjet 25

FormatsICARTT

GPM GROUND VALIDATION CLOUD SPECTROMETER AND IMPACTOR (CIP) LPVEX V1http://dx.doi.org/10.5067/GPMGV/LPVEX/PROBES/DATA201

CampaignsLight Precipitation Evaluation Experiment

PlatformsBeechcraft B-200 King Air

GPM Ground Validation NCAR Particle Probes OLYMPEX V1http://dx.doi.org/10.5067/GPMGV/OLYMPEX/PROBES/DATA201

CampaignsOlympic Mountains Experiment, Radar Definition Experiment

PlatformsCessna Citation II

GPM Ground Validation NCAR Particle Probes IPHEx V1http://doi.org/10.5067/GPMGV/IPHEX/MUTIPLE/DATA201

CampaignsRadar Definition Experiment, Integrated Precipitation and Hydrology Experiment

PlatformsCessna Citation II

NCAR Particle Probes IMPACTS V110.5067/IMPACTS/PROBES/DATA101

CampaignsInvestigation of Microphysics and Precipitation for Atlantic Coast-Threatening Snowstorms

PlatformsP-3 Orion

UND Cloud Microphysics IMPACTS V110.5067/IMPACTS/MULTIPLE/DATA101

CampaignsInvestigation of Microphysics and Precipitation for Atlantic Coast-Threatening Snowstorms

PlatformsP-3 Orion

ORACLES Cloud Aircraft InSitu Data10.5067/ASDC_DAAC/ORACLES_Cloud_AircraftInSitu_Data_1

CampaignsObservations of Aerosols above Clouds and their Interactions

PlatformsP-3 Orion

FormatsICARTT

ACTIVATE Falcon In Situ Cloud Data10.5067/ASDC/ACTIVATE_Cloud_AircraftInSitu_Falcon_Data_1

CampaignsAerosol Cloud meTerology Interactions oVer the western ATlantic Experiment

PlatformsDassault Falcon 20-E5

FormatsICARTT

GPM Ground Validation UND Citation Cloud Microphysics OLYMPEX V1http://dx.doi.org/10.5067/GPMGV/OLYMPEX/MULTIPLE/DATA201

CampaignsOlympic Mountains Experiment, Radar Definition Experiment

PlatformsCessna Citation II

SEAC4RS Learjet Aircraft In-Situ Cloud Data10.5067/ASDC/SUBORBITAL/SEAC4RS_Cloud_AircraftInSitu_Learjet_Data_1

CampaignsStudies of Emissions and Atmospheric Composition, Clouds and Climate Coupling by Regional Surveys

PlatformsSPEC Inc. Learjet 25

SEAC4RS DC-8 Aircraft In-Situ Cloud Data10.5067/ASDC/SUBORBITAL/SEAC4RS_Cloud_AircraftInSitu_DC8_Data_1

CampaignsStudies of Emissions and Atmospheric Composition, Clouds and Climate Coupling by Regional Surveys

PlatformsDouglas DC-8

ACTIVATE Falcon Aircraft Merge Data Files10.5067/ASDC/SUBORBITAL/ACTIVATE_Merge_Data_1

CampaignsAerosol Cloud meTerology Interactions oVer the western ATlantic Experiment

PlatformsDassault Falcon 20-E5

FormatsICARTT

ATTREX Global Hawk UAS In-Situ Cloud Property Measurements10.5067/ASDC_DAAC/ATTREX/0002

CampaignsAirborne Tropical Tropopause Experiment

PlatformsGlobal Hawk

FormatsICARTT

2D-S2D-Stereo Particle Probe

Overview

Instrument Details

Instrument Operation

Data Products

2D-S
2D-Stereo Particle Probe