NCAR Airborne Instrumentation Inventory

1. INSTRUMENT IDENTIFICATION

Instrument Designation:
Multichannel Cloud Radiometer

Instrument Acronym:
MCR

Instrument Measurements:

a) Trace Gas
O2 A-band studies

b) Cloud Physics/Aerosol
Cloud phase, optical depth, particle size

c) Radiation/Optical/Electrical
Thermal (temperature) mapping
Spectral radiance (visible, IR)

d) Additional Capabilities


Resource Person/Developer:
Name: Mark Tschudi
Affiliation: NCAR / ATD / RAF
Phone: (303)497-1017
Email: tschudi@ucar.edu


Principle of Measurement:
Airborne downward-looking scanning radiometer

In situ/Remote/Flux Measurement:
7 spectral channels (1 vis, 5 NIR, 1 thermal IR)

2. INSTRUMENT APPLICATION

Scientific questions to be answered:
Surface and cloud properties

Field projects in which the instrument has been used:
BASE, SHEBA, INDOEX

Publications describing the instrument, applications and field project results:
Laursen, K.K., NCAR Bulletin #25
Tschudi, M.A. and K. Laursen, 2001: Airborne spectral reflectance observations at SHEBA from NCAR's Multichannel Cloud Radiometer (MCR), Sixth Conference on Polar Meteorology and Oceanography, Amer. Met. Soc.
Tschudi, M.A. and K. Laursen, 2001: NCAR'S Multichannel Cloud Radiometer (MCR): Calibration and Applications, Fifth Int'l Airborne Remote Sensing Conference and Exhibition.

3. Instrument Deployment

Altitude:
Minimum 4.5 km above target

Aircraft Platform:
NSF/NCAR C-130Q

Inlet Configuration/Location:
Right wind pod

Calibration/Cross Calibration:
Pre, post-flight calibration recommended (typically performed at RAF)

Operator Requirements:


Data Collection:
self

Post-flight Data Validation, Processing, Hours per Flight Hour etc.
Post-mission processing performed by ATD/RAF

Physical Characteristics:
Dimensions:
Weight:
Power:
Other:

4. Instrument Performance

Linear Range:


Response Time:


Detection Limits:


Accuracy:


Precision:


Limitations (such as altitude, airspeed, etc.)

5. Alternative Techniques

6. Status/Plans

7. Comments