A three millimeter airborne radar for high resolution polarimetric cloud measurements

The Microwave Remote Sensing Laboratory of the University of Massachusetts has fabricated a high power 95 GHz (three millimeter wavelength) polarimetric airborne radar that is being used in a cooperative experiment with the University of Wyoming to remotely study clouds. In November 1992 a series of aircraft experiments was conducted which observed a wide range of cloud particle types and precipitation processes along with in-situ measurements of the weather conditions and particle characteristics. This paper reviews polarimetric radar technology used in the experiment and presents results that demonstrate the radar´s ability to detect and display fine scale variations in particle phase, and cloud structure