Complex Layered Cloud Experiment (CLEX)

20 June 1996 - 2 July 1996

Lead Scientist: Graeme Stephens

Observatory: sgp, sgp

The Cloud Layer Experiment (CLEX) is funded by DoD and is focused on the investigation of non-precipitating and non-convective cloud systems. The goals of the CLEX IOP are (1) to improve satellite determination of cloud base and cloud top heights, (2) to investigate the impact of these cloud systems on the radiation budget, and (3) to improve the feedback from cloud detection to models. The purpose of the IOP field deployment is to provide ground truth for satellite and aircraft measurements during CLEX. Also, the deployment will provide surface-based measurements of the radiation budget, cloud ceiling, and cloud microphysical properties during periods of opportunity.

A suite of remote sensing instrumentation will be deployed from a single 8x31 ft. trailer. These instruments include a micropulse lidar, a Belfort ceilometer, a solar near IR interferometer, an emission interferometer, a radiotheodolite, a sun photometer, pyranometers and pyrgeometers, a wind monitor, and an optical mount.

The principal investigators for CLEX are Tom Vonder Haar, Graeme Stephens, and Stephen Cox. They are all affiliated with the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmoshere (CIRA) at Colorado State University. Personnel who will be working at the SGP site include Professor Stephen Cox, John Davis, David Wood, John Kleist, Sean Gilles, Norm Wood, and Arlie Huffman.

The 94 GHz cloud radar from Pennsylvania State University will be brought to the SGP central facility for this IOP. A mobile microwave radiometer van from Desert Research Institute will also be at the SGP site.

Hours of operation will depend on the timing of the overflight of the NASA DC8 (which has the NASA/JPL 94 GHz airborne cloud profiling radar) and the Univ. of Wyoming King Air. It is anticipated that extended hours of operation will be necessary during the period from June 23 to June 29 when it would be desirable to have access to the site from 0500 to 2100 local time. This amount of access may not be required every day during that period.

Timeline

2000

Miller SD, GL Stephens, CK Drummond, AK Heidinger, and PT Partain. 2000. "A multisensor diagnostic satellite cloud property retrieval scheme." Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 105(D15), 10.1029/2000jd900273.


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Campaign Data Sets

IOP Participant Data Source Name Final Data
Graeme Stephens University of North Dakota Citation Order Data