Profiling Radiometer for Atmospheric and Cloud Observation PRACO

Boulder Environmental Sciences and Technology is developing an airborne, very compact microwave radiometer build specifically for atmospheric and cloud observation. This project is currently in Phase II. Project was funded under DOE Phase I SBIR program. DOE SBIR program awarded also Phase II project for the same radiometer.



PRACO

PRACO

Overall instrument size:


  • Length: 406 mm (16”)
  • Diameter: 102 mm (4”)
  • Weight: 4.86 kg (10.41 lbs)
  • Power consumption: 144 W
  • Input voltage range: 18-36 V
  • Nominal input voltage: 28 V
  • Maximum current at nominal voltage: 5.15 A

Ambient variables measurements:


  • Pressure range: 1 to 110 kPa (10 to 1100 mbar)
  • Pressure accuracy: -0.2 to +0.3 kPa (-2 to +3 mbar)
  • Temperature: -40°C to +85°C (-2° to +3°C accuracy)
  • Humidity: 0 to 100% (±2% accuracy)

Position and Attitude:


  • GPS location: 2.5 m CEP, 4 Hz update rate
  • Static accuracy Roll/Pitch: <0.5°
  • Static accuracy Heading: <1°

Scanning capabilities: Two scanning modes fully controlled by the software:


  • Scanning in the plane perpendicular to aircraft motion with constant speed up to 4 rotations per second, i.e. 240 rpm.
  • Holding desired angular position with 0.1 degree accuracy.

PRACO retrieved products:


  • Temperature and water vapor profiles
  • Liquid/Ice water content – 3rd moment of particle size distribution corresponding to liquid water content (for liquid phase and ice content for ice phase particles)
  • Mean particle size - 6th moment of particle size distribution function –directly related to scattering (e.g., for an exponential distribution the 3rd moment (liquid water content) and the 6th moment could be used to calculate mean particle size).
  • Water – ice particle discrimination.

PRACO technical specifications:


Radiometer Channels (GHz) Bandwidth (MHz) 3 dB Beamwidth (°) Aperture Diameter (mm) Polarization Sensitivity* (K) Wavelength (mm)
22 GHz 21.7351-22.7351 1000 17 60 V 0.028 13.5
50 GHz 51.25-52.75 1500 12 24 V 0.046 5.8
  53.25-54.75 1500 12 24 V 0.046 5.6
  55.25-56.75 1500 12 24 V 0.046 5.4
  57.25-58.75 1500 12 24 V 0.046 5.2
118 GHz 118.7503±0.1 90 5 11.2 V,H 0.42 2.5
  118.7503±0.325 315 5 11.2 V 0.22  
  118.7503±1.0 900 5 11.2 V 0.14  
  118.7503±2.5 1800 5 11.2 V,H 0.13  
183.3101 GHz 118.3101±0.5 800 5 7.1 V,H 0.29 1.6
  118.3101±2 2000 5 7.1 V 0.19  
  118.3101±5.5 3000 5 7.1 V 0.1  
  118.3101±10 4000 5 7.1 V,H 0.08  
               

*Channels sensitivity is estimated for scanning rate of 2 rotations per second while samples are averaged over 10 second period.


Please contact BEST, LLC for further information.