Abstract
A mobile ground-based vehicle has been equipped with an aspirated 2D-C optical array cloud droplet probe from Particle Measuring Systems, Inc. for measuring the size and concentration of precipitation particles at ground level. This automated equipment continuously records images of precipitating particles that can be processed in the same manner as aircraft measurements. Probe aspiration, necessary to operate the 2D-C in a stationary mode, introduces new uncertainties that require detailed laboratory calibrations before confidence limits can be placed on output parameters. However, preliminary results show that the ground application of the 2D-C probe provides an improved method of observing precipitation changes continuously and with high time resolution.
