Retrieval of cloud microphysical and turbulence profiles using the NOAA/PSD W-band cloud radar from R/V Ronald H. Brown during the VOCALS-REx field program

The NOAA Physical Science Division deployed a new pitch-roll stabilized, vertically pointing W-band (94 GHz) Doppler cloud radar on the NOAA research vessel Ronald H. Brown during the VOCALS-Rex field program in fall 2008 in the stratocumulus region off the coast of Chile. The radar operated at full sensitivity on Leg-2 (November 8-30, 2008). The radar produced profiles of full Doppler spectra and the first three moments of the spectral peak at 0.3 s time intervals; the vertical resolution is 25 m. Pitch-roll stabilization allows Doppler measurement of vertical motion without tilt-contamination by horizontal winds; ship heave is measured independently and subtracted from the radar vertical velocity to yield very accurate particle vertical motions. In this paper we describe the results of processing the radar to retrieve cloud and drizzle microphysical parameters using the method of Frisch, Fairall, and Snider, JAS1995. Additional inputs from a lidar ceilometer and a microwave radiometer are used. We have also included Doppler lidar observations to do combined retrievals of atmospheric turbulence profiles of vertical velocity variance and skeweness and the rate of dissipation of turbulent kinetic energy.