Instrument

FCDP
Fast Cloud Droplet Probe

The Fast Cloud Droplet Probe (FCDP) is an in situ airborne cloud probe manufactured by SPEC Inc. The FCDP measures cloud droplet concentration and size by detecting light scattered by particles. It detects particles with diameters from 1.5 to 50 microns and typically records measurements at 1 Hz.

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

Meter/Analyzer

Measurement/Variables

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

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Microphysics > Cloud Droplet Concentration/size

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Droplet Distribution

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Microphysics

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Microphysics > Cloud Liquid Water/ice

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds

Vertical Measurement Regions

Troposphere

Temporal Resolution

1 Hz

Spatial Resolution

Point

Measurement Frequency

N/A

Calibration Details

Currently unavailable

Online Information

Lead Investigator
Sarah Woods, Paul Lawson
Technical Contact
Sarah Woods
Instrument Maker
SPEC Inc.
Funding Source
Currently unavailable
Overview Publications
Currently unavailable
Repository
- data center outside NASA

Instrument Operation

Platform

Campaigns, where the platform was used with this instrument

DC-8

Douglas DC-8

45 Campaigns · 182 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

Global Hawk

5 Campaigns · 30 Instruments

ATTREX

Airborne Tropical Tropopause Experiment

2011—2015

California, Guam, Tropics

view all deployment dates

· 5 Data Products

ER-2

NASA Earth Resources-2 Aircraft

63 Campaigns · 109 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

Falcon

Dassault Falcon 20-E5

6 Campaigns · 44 Instruments

ACTIVATE

Aerosol Cloud meTerology Interactions oVer the western ATlantic Experiment

2020—2022

Western North Atlantic Ocean

view all deployment dates

· 12 Data Products

WB-57

NASA WB-57

17 Campaigns · 84 Instruments

POSIDON

Pacific Oxidants, Sulfur, Ice, Dehydration, and cONvection

2016

Guam, western Pacific

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· 0 Data Products

MACPEX

Mid-latitude Airborne Cirrus Properties Experiment

2011

Central United States

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· 7 Data Products

ACCLIP

Asian Summer Monsoon Chemical & Climate Impact Project

2022

West Pacific, South Korea

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· 8 Data Products

G-1

Gulfstream-159

4 Campaigns · 45 Instruments

CalWater

2015

California, Sierra Nevada Range

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· 0 Data Products

Learjet

SPEC Inc. Learjet 25

8 Campaigns · 30 Instruments

ARCSIX

Arctic Radiation-Cloud-Aerosol-Surface Interaction EXperiment

2024

Greenland, Arctic Ocean

view all deployment dates

· 13 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

P-3

P-3 Orion

30 Campaigns · 153 Instruments

ARCSIX

Arctic Radiation-Cloud-Aerosol-Surface Interaction EXperiment

2024

Greenland, Arctic Ocean

view all deployment dates

· 13 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 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

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

SEAC4RS ER-2 Aircraft In-Situ Cloud Data10.5067/ASDC/SUBORBITAL/SEAC4RS_Cloud_AircraftInSitu_ER2_Data_1

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

PlatformsNASA Earth Resources-2 Aircraft

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

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

ARCSIX P-3B In-Situ Cloud Data10.5067/SUBORBITAL/ARCSIX/DATA001/P3B/Cloud_AircraftInSitu_1

CampaignsArctic Radiation-Cloud-Aerosol-Surface Interaction EXperiment

PlatformsP-3 Orion

FormatsICARTT, Text File

ARCSIX Learjet In-Situ Cloud Data10.5067/SUBORBITAL/ARCSIX/DATA001/Learjet/Cloud_AircraftInSitu_1

CampaignsArctic Radiation-Cloud-Aerosol-Surface Interaction EXperiment

PlatformsSPEC Inc. Learjet 25

FormatsICARTT

FCDPFast Cloud Droplet Probe

Overview

Instrument Details

Instrument Operation

Data Products

FCDP
Fast Cloud Droplet Probe