Cloud Remote Sensing
in support ofEarthCARE cal/Val

This project receives funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research andinnovation programme under grant agreements No 871115

Cloud remote sensing in ACTRISCCRES Centralised QA/QC• Develop & define
operation & calibration
procedure• Verify implementation• Monitor measurement
quality

ACTRIS Site PI• Operate cloud radar,microwave radiometer,
ceilometer, disdrometer(Doppler lidar) ...
• Monitor instrument status• Submit data

CLU Data Centre• Operate centralised
Cloudnet processing• Calculate and propagate allmeasurement
uncertainties• QC of data productsCloud remote sensing in ACTRIS

Cloud Remote Sensing
National Facilities
DCR MWRCCRESDCR MWR DL

CARS
ALC

ACTRIS DC - CLU

Common practices applied to QC and calibration• CCRES provides:• Guidelines for instrument design and setup• CLU ensures:•

Centralised processing (Cloudnet)
Data traceability (provenance)• PIDs for individual files• DOIs for data collections
Centralised automated QC•

Standard Quality Assurance tests•

Standardisation of advanced products across diverse sensor networks•Calibration monitoring and implement instrument specific corrections••• Standard Operation Procedures• Standard Quality Assurance tests• Software tools for instrument housekeeping data monitoring• CCRES organises:• Regular meetings with other networks to ensure consistency ininstrument measurement, quality, formats, procedures:
FRM4RADAR, E-PROFILE, …
• Training for ACTRIS site personnel about calibration and QA• CLU evaluates:•clouds in NWP and climate models•• Annual expert analysis of the QA/QC tests• Characterise individual instrument performance•• Calibration and intercomparison exercises at CCRES facilities orACTRIS sites (funding required!)•routine metrics•

Climatologies•

Mean profiles, distributions

Evaluate NWP forecast skill•

Evaluate different model versions••

Forecast the correct cloud at the right timeMore sophisticated schemes

Location or regime specific aspects

Instruments

Microwave radiometers: HATPRO (RPG), Radiometrics

Cloud radars: Metek (35GHz), RPG (35, 94 GHz), Meteomodem (94GHz)

Disdrometers: Parsivel, Thies

Ceilometers: CS135, CL31, CL51, CL61D, CHM15k, CHM15x

Doppler lidar: Halo Photonics (Streamline, XR, Pro), Leosphere (100S, 200S, 400S)

ACTRIS Cloud Remote Sensing Facilities- MIRA 35 GHz- RPG HATPRO- Lufft CHM15K- MIRA 35 GHz- EIKA 35 GHz- RPG HATPRO- Vaisala CL51
- Halo Streamline- RPG 94 GHz- RPG HATPRO- Lufft CHM15K- Halo Streamline- RPG 94 GHz- Vaisala 5 GHz- RPG HATPRO- Halo Streamline- METEK MIRA 35 GHz- METEK 10 GHz- RPG 94 GHz- RPG HATPRO- Lufft CHM15K,Vaisala CT25K- HALO Streamline- MODEM BASTA 94 GHz- RPG HATPRO G2- Lufft CHM15k, Vaisala
CL31- Leopshere WLS 70- MIRA 35 GHz- Vaisala CL31
- Halo Streamline- MIRA 35 GHz- Radiometrics MP-300A- Lufft CHM15K- 35 GHz Degreane- RPG HATPRO- Ceilometer- MIRA 35 GHz- RPG HATPRO- Lufft CHM15X- MIRA 35 GHz- RPG 94 GHz- RPG HATPRO- Lufft CHM15K- Halo Streamline- RPG 94 GHz- Vaisala CL51

- MIRA 35 GHz- RPG HATPRO- Lufft CHM15X- MIRA 35 GHz- Radiometrics MP3014- Vaisala CT25K- Lufft CHM15k- Halo Streamline- RPG 94GHz- RPG HATPRO- Vaisala CL51

« xxx »: Doppler Cloud Radar« xxx »: Microwave radiometer« xxx »: Ceilometer« xxx »: Doppler lidar

Instrument diversity with centralized QA/QC and data processing

ACTRIS Cloud Remote Sensing Facilities- MIRA 35 GHz- RPG HATPRO- Lufft CHM15K- MIRA 35 GHz- EIKA 35 GHz- RPG HATPRO- Vaisala CL51
- Halo Streamline- RPG 94 GHz- RPG HATPRO- Lufft CHM15K- Halo Streamline- RPG 94 GHz- Vaisala 5 GHz- RPG HATPRO- Halo Streamline- MIRA 35 GHz- METEK 10 GHz- RPG 94 GHz- RPG HATPRO- Lufft CHM15K,Vaisala CT25K- HALO Streamline- MODEM BASTA 94 GHz- RPG HATPRO G2- Lufft CHM15k, VaisalaCL31- Leopshere WLS 70- MIRA 35 GHz- Vaisala CL31- Halo Streamline- MIRA 35 GHz- Radiometrics MP-300A- Lufft CHM15K- 35 GHz Degreane- RPG 94 GHz- RPG HATPRO- Ceilometer- MIRA 35 GHz- RPG HATPRO- Lufft CHM15X- MIRA 35 GHz- RPG 94 GHz- RPG HATPRO- Lufft CHM15K- Halo Streamline- RPG 94GHz- Vaisala CL51

- MIRA 35 GHz METEK- RPG HATPRO- Lufft CHM15X- METEK MIRA 35 GHz- Radiometrics MP3014- Vaisala CT25K- Lufft CHM15k- Halo Streamline- RPG 94 GHz- RPG HATPRO- Vaisala CL51

« xxx »: Doppler Cloud Radar« xxx »: Microwave radiometer« xxx »: Ceilometer« xxx »: Doppler lidar

Instrument diversity with centralized QA/QC and data processingComprehensive instrument monitoring & calibration
DCR monitoring using disdrometer• For selected precipitation events (0.2 < rainrates < 2 mm/hr)• Monitor offset between DCR vs DSD Reflectivity• Standard procedure under review

Comprehensive instrument monitoring & calibration
Calibration
setup
Calibration setup

Absolute calibration of reference DCR• Using corner reflectors• CCRES maintains 2 reference DCRs (Cabauw & Palaiseau)/ 01

Γ4l2 01• Calibration uncertainty: 0.5 dB

Dataprocessing

01

Regular calibration using calibration transfer• Co-located DCRs
• Requires sampling 5-10 non-precip cloud events• Calibration transfer uncertainty: 1 dB

Innovative tools to support measurement quality
QA: measurement conditions• Tool for analyzing instrument technical data
• Data / metadata read in near real time;• Acceptable physical thresholds / variabilities todetect correct operating interval;• Technical staff automatically alerted ;• Enables rapid intervention and problem solving ;• Visualize in near real time if the action has resolved
the system fault ;• Provides metadata for QC

Attenuation

Mitigate wet radome• Blower• Monitor power• Disdrometer check
Mitigate rain
• Derive rain attenuation• Use disdrometer
Mitigate melting level• Spectral approach• Dual-λ approachACTRIS Cloud Remote Sensing Facilities – multi-λ radar- MIRA 35 GHz- Vaisala CL31
- Halo Streamline- 35 GHz Degreane- RPG 94 GHz- RPG HATPRO- Ceilometer- MIRA 35 GHz- EIKA 35 GHz- RPG HATPRO- Vaisala CL51
- Halo Streamline- METEK MIRA 35 GHz- METEK 10 GHz- RPG 94 GHz- RPG HATPRO- Lufft CHM15K,Vaisala CT25K- HALO Streamline- RPG 94 GHz- Vaisala 5 GHz- RPG HATPRO- Halo Streamline- MIRA 35 GHz- RPG 94 GHz- RPG HATPRO- Lufft CHM15K- Halo Streamline« xxx »: Doppler Cloud Radar« xxx »: Microwave radiometer« xxx »: Ceilometer« xxx »: Doppler lidar

CLU timeline
Satellite services

RRTClimatologies
Model evaluation

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

New products‘Normal’T,q prof

Continual update with community
Scanning MWR
Test

Winds

Operational
Operational

Synergy+ aerosol

SpectraSpectral processing operational

Dual-λOperational

Together with the community

Spectral cloudnet ?

2025