Instrument

HVPS
High Volume Precipitation Spectrometer

The High Volume Precipitation Spectrometer (HVPS) is an in situ airborne particle imager manufactured by SPEC Inc. It uses a 128-photodiode array to capture images of precipitation particles. These images can be used to determine the particles' shape, size, and concentration. HVPS-3 has a pixel resolution of 150 μm and a maximum field of view of 1.92 cm.

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

Spectrometer/Radiometer

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 Microphysics

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds

Vertical Measurement Regions

Troposphere

Temporal Resolution

N/A

Spatial Resolution

150 μm

Measurement Frequency

N/A

Calibration Details

Currently unavailble

Online Information

Lead Investigator
Sarah Woods, Paul Lawson
Technical Contact
Paul Lawson
Instrument Maker
SPEC
Funding Source
Currently unavailable
Overview Publications
Currently unavailable
Repositories
- Global Hydrology Resource Center DAAC (GHRC)
- data center outside NASA

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

view all deployment dates

· 36 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

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

MC3E

Mid-latitude Continental Convective Clouds Experiment

2011

Central Oklahoma, Southern Plains

view all deployment dates

· 34 Data Products

RADEX

Radar Definition Experiment

2014—2015

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

view all deployment dates

· 30 Data Products

TRMM-KWAJEX

Tropical Rain Measuring Mission-Kwajalein Experiment

1999

Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands

view all deployment dates

· 0 Data Products

TEFLUN

TExas and FLorida UNderflights

1998

Texas, Florida

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· 0 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

TRMM-LBA

Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission-Large Scale Biosphere-Atmosphere

1999

Brazil, Southwest Amazon basin

view all deployment dates

· 1 Data Product

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

view all deployment dates

· 20 Data Products

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

8 Campaigns · 29 Instruments

TEFLUN

TExas and FLorida UNderflights

1998

Texas, Florida

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· 0 Data Products

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

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

view all deployment dates

· 8 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

ARCSIX

Arctic Radiation-Cloud-Aerosol-Surface Interaction EXperiment

2024

Greenland, Arctic Ocean

view all deployment dates

· 0 Data Products

CAMEX

Convection and Moisture Experiment

1993—2001

US Atlantic coast, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean

view all deployment dates

· 70 Data Products

CAMP2Ex

Clouds, Aerosol, and Monsoon Processes-Philippines Experiment

2019

Philippines

view all deployment dates

· 12 Data Products

CV-580

Convair-580

8 Campaigns · 43 Instruments

TRMM-KWAJEX

Tropical Rain Measuring Mission-Kwajalein Experiment

1999

Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands

view all deployment dates

· 0 Data Products

G-1

Gulfstream-159

2 Campaigns · 35 Instruments

CalWater

2015

California, Sierra Nevada Range

view all deployment dates

· 0 Data Products

WB-57

NASA WB-57

16 Campaigns · 80 Instruments

MACPEX

Mid-latitude Airborne Cirrus Properties Experiment

2011

Central United States

view all deployment dates

· 7 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

Data Products

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

Campaigns

Platforms

Formats

GPM GROUND VALIDATION NCAR CLOUD MICROPHYSICS PARTICLE PROBES GCPEX V1http://dx.doi.org/10.5067/GPMGV/GCPEX/MUTIPLE/DATA201

CampaignsGPM Cold Season Precipitation Experiment

PlatformsCessna Citation II

GPM GROUND VALIDATION GCPEX SNOW MICROPHYSICS CASE STUDY V1http://dx.doi.org/10.5067/GCPEXCS/MULTIPLE/DATA101

CampaignsGPM Cold Season Precipitation Experiment

PlatformsCessna Citation II, Campaign Field Sites, Douglas 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 NCAR CLOUD MICROPHYSICS PARTICLE PROBES MC3E V1http://dx.doi.org/10.5067/GPMGV/MC3E/MULTIPLE/DATA202

CampaignsMid-latitude Continental Convective Clouds 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 NCAR Particle Probes OLYMPEX V1http://dx.doi.org/10.5067/GPMGV/OLYMPEX/PROBES/DATA201

CampaignsOlympic Mountains Experiment, Radar Definition 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

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

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

CampaignsRadar Definition Experiment, Integrated Precipitation and Hydrology 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

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

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

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

HVPSHigh Volume Precipitation Spectrometer

Overview

Instrument Details

Instrument Operation

Data Products

HVPS
High Volume Precipitation Spectrometer