HAMSR Observations from Recent Field Campaigns

The High Altitude MMIC Sounding Radiometer (HAMSR) is a microwave atmospheric sounder that has participated in a number of NASA hurricane field campaigns, a function it is ideally suited for due to the ability of microwave sounders to penetrate clouds and map out the three-dimensional thermodynamic structure of non-precipitating scenes. Furthermore, an algorithm has been developed to derive radar reflectivity in precipitating clouds, which makes it possible to map out the convective structure in precipitating clouds. During the past summer HAMSR participated in the NOAA-sponsored SHOUT hurricane field campaign. The objective of SHOUT was to determine if targeted observations from aircraft can be used to substitute for satellite data, in case there should be a gap in weather satellite capabilities. We present preliminary HAMSR results from the SHOUT campaign. HAMSR has also participated in a couple of atmospheric river field campaigns, and we will present preliminary results from the most recent “CalWater2” campaign, with particular focus on a flight over an atmospheric river making landfall in central California in early February 2015. Copyright 2015 California Institute of Technology. Government sponsorship acknowledged.