Instrument

CPI
Cloud Particle Imager

The Cloud Particle Imager (CPI) is an airborne imager manufactured by SPEC Inc. CPI collects high-resolution (2.3 μm pixel size) images of cloud particles that pass through its sample volume. It uses a charge-coupled device (CCD) camera that operates at 810 nm to record images and can take up to 74 frames per second with a refresh rate of 40 Hz. The imagery from CPI can be used to derive microphysical properties such as particle size and habit.

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 > Clouds > Cloud Microphysics

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds

Vertical Measurement Regions

Troposphere

Temporal Resolution

40 Hz

Spatial Resolution

2.3 μm

Measurement Frequency

370 THz

Calibration Details

https://doi.org/10.1175/JTECH2096.1

Online Information

https://airbornescience.nasa.gov/instrument/CPI

Lead Investigator
Sarah Woods
Technical Contact
Sarah Woods
Instrument Maker
SPEC Inc
Funding Source
Currently unavailable
Overview Publications
Currently unavailable
Repository
- Atmospheric Science Data Center (ASDC)

Instrument Operation

Platform

Campaigns, where the platform was used with this instrument

Citation

Cessna Citation II

8 Campaigns · 26 Instruments

OLYMPEX

Olympic Mountains Experiment

2015—2016

Olympic Peninsula in U.S. Washington State

view all deployment dates

· 36 Data Products

IPHEx

Integrated Precipitation and Hydrology Experiment

2014

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

view all deployment dates

· 47 Data Products

GCPEx

GPM Cold Season Precipitation Experiment

2012

Ontario, Canada and northern portions of the United States (e.g., New York state, the New England area, etc.)

view all deployment dates

· 44 Data Products

MC3E

Mid-latitude Continental Convective Clouds Experiment

2011

Central Oklahoma, Southern Plains

view all deployment dates

· 34 Data Products

CRYSTAL-FACE

Cirrus Regional Study of Tropical Anvils and Cirrus Layers Florida Area Cirrus Experiment

2002

Southern Florida

view all deployment dates

· 1 Data Product

RADEX

Radar Definition Experiment (RADEX) for ACE Mission

2014—2015

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

view all deployment dates

· 30 Data Products

TEFLUN

TExas and FLorida UNderflights

1998

Texas, Florida

view all deployment dates

· 0 Data Products

DC-8

Douglas DC-8

38 Campaigns · 174 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

view all deployment dates

· 20 Data Products

NAMMA

NASA African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analyses

2006

Cape Verde Islands, Atlantic Ocean

view all deployment dates

· 23 Data Products

TC4

Tropical Composition, Cloud and Climate Coupling

2007

Costa Rica, tropical Eastern Pacific

view all deployment dates

· 1 Data Product

CAMEX

Convection and Moisture Experiment

1993—2001

US Atlantic coast, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean

view all deployment dates

· 70 Data Products

Learjet

SPEC Inc. Learjet 25

6 Campaigns · 19 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

view all deployment dates

· 20 Data Products

TEFLUN

TExas and FLorida UNderflights

1998

Texas, Florida

view all deployment dates

· 0 Data Products

Falcon

Dassault Falcon 20-E5

6 Campaigns · 43 Instruments

HyMeX

Hydrological Cycle in Mediterranean Experiment

2012

The Mediterranean

view all deployment dates

· 3 Data Products

WB-57

NASA WB-57

15 Campaigns · 75 Instruments

TC4

Tropical Composition, Cloud and Climate Coupling

2007

Costa Rica, tropical Eastern Pacific

view all deployment dates

· 1 Data Product

MACPEX

Mid-latitude Airborne Cirrus Properties Experiment

2011

Central United States

view all deployment dates

· 7 Data Products

CR-AVE

Costa Rica Aura Validation Experiment

2006

Costa Rica

view all deployment dates

· 0 Data Products

CRYSTAL-FACE

Cirrus Regional Study of Tropical Anvils and Cirrus Layers Florida Area Cirrus Experiment

2002

Southern Florida

view all deployment dates

· 1 Data Product

ACCLIP

Asian Summer Monsoon Chemical & Climate Impact Project

2022

West Pacific, South Korea

view all deployment dates

· 8 Data Products

POSIDON

Pacific Oxidants, Sulfur, Ice, Dehydration, and cONvection

2016

Guam, western Pacific

view all deployment dates

· 0 Data Products

MidCiX

Middle Latitude Cirrus Experiment

2004

South-central United States

view all deployment dates

· 0 Data Products

CV-580

Convair-580

7 Campaigns · 38 Instruments

FIRE

First International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) Regional Experiment

1986—1998

Central and Midwest United States, California Coast, Northwest Africa, Alaska

view all deployment dates

· 131 Data Products

C-130

C-130 Hercules

15 Campaigns · 85 Instruments

FIRE

First International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) Regional Experiment

1986—1998

Central and Midwest United States, California Coast, Northwest Africa, Alaska

view all deployment dates

· 131 Data Products

P-3

P-3 Orion

19 Campaigns · 124 Instruments

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

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

GPM GROUND VALIDATION UND CITATION CLOUD MICROPHYSICS GCPEX V2http://dx.doi.org/10.5067/GPMGV/GCPEX/MULTIPLE/DATA203

CampaignsGPM Cold Season Precipitation Experiment

PlatformsCessna Citation II

GPM GROUND VALIDATION UND CITATION CLOUD MICROPHYSICS MC3E V1http://dx.doi.org/10.5067/GPMGV/MC3E/MULTIPLE/DATA201

CampaignsMid-latitude Continental Convective Clouds Experiment

PlatformsCessna Citation II

GPM GROUND VALIDATION UND CITATION CLOUD MICROPHYSICS IPHEx V1http://dx.doi.org/10.5067/GPMGV/IPHEX/MULTIPLE/DATA201

CampaignsRadar Definition Experiment (RADEX) for ACE Mission, 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

Cirrus Regional Study of Tropical Anvils and Cirrus Layers - Florida Area Cirrus Experiment (CRYSTAL-FACE) Quick-Look Data

CampaignsCirrus Regional Study of Tropical Anvils and Cirrus Layers Florida Area Cirrus Experiment

PlatformsCessna Citation II, NASA WB-57, Campaign Field Sites, NASA Earth Resources-2 Aircraft

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

CampaignsOlympic Mountains Experiment, Radar Definition Experiment (RADEX) for ACE Mission

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

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

CampaignsAirborne Tropical Tropopause Experiment

PlatformsGlobal Hawk

FormatsICARTT

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

CPICloud Particle Imager

Overview

Instrument Details

Instrument Operation

Data Products

CPI
Cloud Particle Imager