Advanced Methods for Extracting Cloud Microphysical Properties from Single Particle Measurements with Optical Spectrometers

Measurements of cloud properties with single particle light scattering and imaging optical spectrometers have been ongoing for more than 50 years. The majority of studies that have been published from these measurements have not taken advantage of the single particle data, but have instead used size distributions that are constructed from the individual particle equivalent optical diameters or bulk properties like total number concentration, liquid water content, effective radius or median volume diameters. There is a significant amount of information, however, that can be extracted for the individual hydrometeor measurements that is lost when these are grouped or averaged. This presentation describes how small scale features can be identified from the spacing of the particles, the liquid phase can be deduced from evaluation of the high resolution single particle scattering, and an additional bonus is the capability of the high resolution measurement to calibrate light scattering probes with the in situ measurements. Not only can these analysis methodologies be implemented with future measurements, but there is a vast data base of similar measurements that can be mined to extend the usefulness of the information in these data sets.