MRI: Development of A Novel Instrument that Minimizes Uncertainties in Airborne Measurements of Precipitation

气象雷达、卫星和数值模式都需要对云和降水粒子的特性有准确的了解。大气科学领域花了几十年的时间进行空中实地测量活动，目的是收集尽可能多的数据，以表征液滴和晶体的大小和形状的分布。然而，飞机探测器的基本限制留下了许多悬而未决的问题和不确定性。该奖项是为了开发一种新的机载探测器，该探测器将加强观测研究界对云和降水粒子特征的研究。该合同的潜在社会影响将来自雷达和卫星的更精确的降水测量，以及对天气和气候模型输入的改进。该主要研究仪器开发奖用于设计和建造第四代高体积降水光谱仪（HVPS-4），用于测量云和降水颗粒。HVPS-4将提供50微米和150微米像素分辨率的云和降水粒子的正交数字图像。正交视图将减少粒子形状、长宽比、体积和质量的不确定性。HVPS-4可以安装在NCAR G-V和C-130研究飞机上，或者其他经常携带粒子探测器的飞机上。该仪器具有以下潜力：1)更好地理解云微物理过程，改进云和降水中冰和液态水含量的估计；2)改进地面和天基雷达的远程检索；3)改进天气和气候模式中的微物理和水文参数化。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Weather radar, satellites, and numerical models all require accurate knowledge of the properties of cloud and precipitation particles. The atmospheric science field has spent decades conducting airborne field measurement campaigns with the goal of collecting as much data as possible to characterize the distribution of droplet and crystal sizes and shapes. However, fundamental limitations of aircraft probes have left many unanswered questions and uncertainties. This award is for the development of a new airborne probe that will enhance the observational research community's efforts to characterize cloud and precipitation particles. The potential societal impacts of this award will be through more accurate precipitation measurements from radar and satellites, and improvements in inputs to weather and climate models. This Major Research Instrumentation development award is for the design and construction of the fourth generation High Volume Precipitation Spectrometer (HVPS-4) for measurement of cloud and precipitation particles. The HVPS-4 will provide orthogonal digital images of cloud and precipitation particles at 50 and 150-micron pixel resolution. The orthogonal views will reduce uncertainties in particle shape, aspect ratio, volume, and mass. The HVPS-4 could be mounted on the NCAR G-V and C-130 research aircraft, or other aircraft that regularly carry particle probes. The instrument has the potential to: 1) Lead to better understanding of cloud microphysical processes and improved estimates of ice and liquid water content in clouds and precipitation, 2) Improve remote retrievals from ground and space-based radar, and 3) Improve microphysical and hydrological parameterizations in weather and climate models.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.