Instrument

Ceilometer
Ceilometer

Ceilometers are ground-based remote sensing sensors that measure cloud ceilings and vertical visibility. They utilize a laser or another light source to detect backscatter from clouds, precipitation, and aerosols. Ceilometers provide detailed and precise measurements under all weather conditions and are cost-effective to operate. They are commonly used in boundary layer and cloud research.

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 Properties > Cloud Base Height

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Air Quality > Visibility

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Properties > Cloud Ceiling

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Aerosol Backscatter

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Properties

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Altitude > Planetary Boundary Layer Height

Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Lidar > Lidar Backscatter

Vertical Measurement Regions

Boundary Layer, Troposphere

Temporal Resolution

Variable

Spatial Resolution

Variable

Measurement Frequency

Variable

Calibration Details

https://www.arm.gov/publications/tech_reports/handbooks/ceil_handbook.pdf

Online Information

Lead Investigator
Currently unavailable
Technical Contact
Currently unavailable
Instrument Maker
Campbell Scientific, Vaisala
Funding Source
Currently unavailable
Overview Publications
Currently unavailable
Repositories

Instrument Operation

Platform

Campaigns, where the platform was used with this instrument

Field Site

Campaign Field Sites

Stationary

68 Campaigns · 162 Instruments

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

LPVEx

Light Precipitation Evaluation Experiment

2010

Gulf of Finland

view all deployment dates

· 22 Data Products

SARP

Student Airborne Research Program

2009—2030

Southern California, Virginia

Ongoing

view all deployment dates

Deployment Dates

Start Date	End Date
2009-07-12	2009-08-13
2010-06-20	2010-07-30
2011-06-19	2011-07-29
2012-06-17	2012-08-10
2013-06-09	2013-08-02
2014-06-15	2014-08-08
2015-06-14	2015-08-07
2016-06-12	2016-08-05
2017-06-18	2017-08-11
2018-06-18	2018-08-10
2019-06-16	2019-08-09
2021-12-03	2021-12-10
2022-06-12	2022-08-05
2023-06-11	2023-08-04
2023-06-18	2023-08-11
2024-06-16	2024-08-09
2024-06-23	2024-08-16

· 0 Data Products

OWLETS

Ozone Water-Land Environmental Transition Study

2017—2018

Chesapeake Bay

view all deployment dates

· 12 Data Products

LMOS

Lake Michigan Ozone Study

2017

Lake Michigan

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· 14 Data Products

IMPACTS

Investigation of Microphysics and Precipitation for Atlantic Coast-Threatening Snowstorms

2020—2023

Eastern United States

view all deployment dates

· 66 Data Products

CRYSTAL-FACE

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

2002

Southern Florida

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· 1 Data Product

BOREAS

Boreal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study

1994—1996

Boreal forests of central Canada

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· 303 Data Products

C3VP

Canadian CloudSat/CALIPSO Validation Project

2006—2007

Ontario, Canada

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· 6 Data Products

MOOSE

Michigan-Ontario Ozone Source Experiment

2021

Southern Ontario, Southeastern Michigan

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· 2 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.)

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· 44 Data Products

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

SCOAPE

Satellite Coastal and Oceanic Atmospheric Pollution Experiment

2019

Gulf of Mexico

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· 4 Data Products

ASTEX

Atlantic Stratocumulus Transition Experiment

1992

Azores and Madeira islands

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· 0 Data Products

MILAGRO

Megacity Initiative: Local and Global Research Observations

2006

Mexico City Metropolitan Area

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· 0 Data Products

Vehicle

Campaign Vehicles

19 Campaigns · 59 Instruments

COMEX

CO2 and Methane Experiment

2014—2015

Southern California

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· 4 Data Products

DC3

Deep Convective Clouds & Chemistry

2012

Northeastern Colorado, West Texas to Central Oklahoma, Northern Alabama

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· 19 Data Products

FIREX-AQ

Fire Influence on Regional to Global Environments and Air Quality

2019

Northwestern and Southeastern US

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· 26 Data Products

CAMEX

Convection and Moisture Experiment

1993—2001

US Atlantic coast, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean

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· 70 Data Products

TRACER-AQ

TRacking Aerosol Convection ExpeRiment – Air Quality

2021

Galveston Bay, Gulf of Mexico, Houston metropolitan area

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· 5 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

R/V Glorita

1 Campaign · 7 Instruments

MAST

Monterey Area Ship Track

1994

Central California Coast, Pacific Ocean

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· 0 Data Products

Image of a FLUXNET tower in Harvard Forests, Maine

Permanent Land Site

Campaign Permanent Land Sites

Stationary

55 Campaigns · 77 Instruments

DISCOVER-AQ

Deriving Information on Surface Conditions from COlumn and VERtically Resolved Observations Relevant to Air Quality

2011—2014

Baltimore MD, San Joaquin Valley CA, Houston TX, Denver CO

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· 89 Data Products

WISC-T2000

Wisconsin Snow and Cloud Terra 2000 Experiment

2000

Upper Midwest, Great Lakes, Canada, Wisconsin

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· 0 Data Products

SUCCESS

SUbsonic aircraft: Contrail & Clouds Effects Special Study

1996

Central and Western United States

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· 1 Data Product

ARCSIX

Arctic Radiation-Cloud-Aerosol-Surface Interaction EXperiment

2024

Greenland, Arctic Ocean

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· 0 Data Products

RV 5503

NOAA RV 5503

1 Campaign · 3 Instruments

LMOS

Lake Michigan Ozone Study

2017

Lake Michigan

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· 14 Data Products

SERC

Research Vessel (R/V) Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC)

1 Campaign · 3 Instruments

OWLETS

Ozone Water-Land Environmental Transition Study

2017—2018

Chesapeake Bay

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· 12 Data Products

Onnuri

R/V Onnuri

2 Campaigns · 11 Instruments

KORUS-AQ

Korean United States - Air Quality

2016

South Korean peninsula, including surrounding seas

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· 12 Data Products

KORUS-OC

Korea-United States Ocean Color Study

2016

South Korea, Yellow Sea, East Sea

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· 0 Data Products

Point Sur

R/V Point Sur

2 Campaigns · 11 Instruments

SCOAPE

Satellite Coastal and Oceanic Atmospheric Pollution Experiment

2019

Gulf of Mexico

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· 4 Data Products

photo of the research vessel Ronald H Brown

R/V RHB

R/V Ronald H. Brown

3 Campaigns · 45 Instruments

CalWater

2015

California, Sierra Nevada Range

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· 0 Data Products

TRMM-KWAJEX

Tropical Rain Measuring Mission-Kwajalein Experiment

1999

Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands

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· 0 Data Products

Valdivia

R/V Valdivia

2 Campaigns · 2 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

ASTEX

Atlantic Stratocumulus Transition Experiment

1992

Azores and Madeira islands

view all deployment dates

· 0 Data Products

Malcolm Baldrige

R/V Malcolm Baldrige

2 Campaigns · 9 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

ASTEX

Atlantic Stratocumulus Transition Experiment

1992

Azores and Madeira islands

view all deployment dates

· 0 Data Products

Des Groseilliers

CCGS Des Groseilliers

1 Campaign · 11 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

Data Products

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

Campaigns

Platforms

Formats

First ISCCP Regional Experiment (FIRE) Atlantic Stratocumulus Transition Experiment (ASTEX) PSU Valdivia Ceilometer Data10.5067/ASDC_DAAC/FIRE/0045

CampaignsFirst International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) Regional Experiment

PlatformsR/V Valdivia

FormatsASCII

GPM GROUND VALIDATION VAISALA CEILOMETER IPHEx V1http://dx.doi.org/10.5067/GPMGV/IPHEX/CEILOMETER/DATA101

CampaignsIntegrated Precipitation and Hydrology Experiment

PlatformsCampaign Field Sites

CAMEX-4 MIPS CEILOMETER V110.5067/CAMEX-4/CEILOMETER/DATA101

CampaignsConvection and Moisture Experiment

PlatformsCampaign Vehicles

GPM GROUND VALIDATION ENVIRONMENT CANADA (EC) VAISALA CEILOMETER GCPEX V1http://dx.doi.org/10.5067/GPMGV/GCPEX/CEILOMETERS/DATA201

CampaignsGPM Cold Season Precipitation Experiment

PlatformsCampaign Field Sites

First ISCCP Regional Experiment (FIRE) Atlantic Stratocumulus Transition Experiment (ASTEX) Colorado State University (CSU) Ceilometer Data (FIRE_AX_CSU_CEILOM)10.5067/ASDC_DAAC/FIRE/0019

CampaignsFirst International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) Regional Experiment

PlatformsCampaign Field Sites

FormatsASCII

First ISCCP Regional Experiment (FIRE) Atlantic Stratocumulus Transition Experiment (ASTEX) PSU Malcolm Baldridge Data10.5067/ASDC_DAAC/FIRE/0047

CampaignsFirst International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) Regional Experiment

PlatformsR/V Malcolm Baldrige

FormatsASCII

TRACER-AQ La Porte Ground Site Data10.5067/ASDC/SUBORBITAL/TRACERAQDATA001/Ground/LaPorte_1

CampaignsTRacking Aerosol Convection ExpeRiment – Air Quality

PlatformsCampaign Vehicles

First ISCCP Regional Experiment (FIRE) Marine Stratocumulus Ceilometer and Cross-chain Loran Atmospheric Sounding System (CLASS) Data10.5067/ASDC_DAAC/FIRE/0123

CampaignsFirst International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) Regional Experiment

PlatformsCampaign Balloons, Campaign Field Sites

FormatsBinary

BOREAS/AES MARS-II 15-minute Surface Meteorological Data: 199410.3334/ORNLDAAC/407

CampaignsBoreal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study

PlatformsCampaign Field Sites

BOREAS TF-08 NSA-OJP and SSA-OBS Ceilometer Data10.3334/ORNLDAAC/453

CampaignsBoreal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study

PlatformsCampaign Field Sites

BOREAS/AES READAC 15-minute Surface Meteorological Data10.3334/ORNLDAAC/408

CampaignsBoreal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study

PlatformsCampaign Field Sites

SBU Ceilometers IMPACTS V110.5067/IMPACTS/CEILOMETERS/DATA101

CampaignsInvestigation of Microphysics and Precipitation for Atlantic Coast-Threatening Snowstorms

PlatformsCampaign Field Sites

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

First ISCCP Regional Experiment (FIRE) Atlantic Stratocumulus Transition Experiment (ASTEX) PSU Malcolm Baldridge Ceilometer Data10.5067/ASDC_DAAC/FIRE/0043

CampaignsFirst International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) Regional Experiment

PlatformsR/V Malcolm Baldrige

FormatsASCII

First ISCCP Regional Experiment (FIRE) Atlantic Stratocumulus Transition Experiment (ASTEX) PSU Santa Maria Ceilometer Data10.5067/ASDC_DAAC/FIRE/0044

CampaignsFirst International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) Regional Experiment

PlatformsCampaign Field Sites

FormatsASCII

SCOAPE Ground Site Data10.5067/ASDC/SUBORBITAL/SCOAPE_Ground_Data_1

CampaignsSatellite Coastal and Oceanic Atmospheric Pollution Experiment

PlatformsCampaign Field Sites

FormatsHDF5, ICARTT

SCOAPE R/V Point Sur Data10.5067/ASDC/SUBORBITAL/SCOAPE_RVPointSur_Data_1

CampaignsSatellite Coastal and Oceanic Atmospheric Pollution Experiment

PlatformsR/V Point Sur

FormatsNetCDF-3, ICARTT

DISCOVER-AQ Colorado Deployment NREL-Golden Ground Site Data10.5067/ASDC/SUBORBITAL/DISCOVERAQ_Colorado_Ground_NREL-Golden_Data_1