A lightweight balloon-carried cloud charge sensor.
Despite the importance of microphysical cloud processes on the climate system, some topics are under-explored. For example, few measurements of droplet charges in nonthunderstorm clouds exist. Balloon carried charge sensors can be used to provide new measurements. A charge sensor is described for use with meteorological balloons, which has been tested over a range of atmospheric temperatures from -60 to 20 degrees C, in cloudy and clear air. The rapid time response of the sensor (to >10 V s(-1)) permits charge densities from 100 fC m(-3) to 1 nC m(-3) to be determined, which is sufficient for it to act as a cloud edge charge detector at weakly charged horizontal cloud boundaries.
Nicoll
K A
KA
Department of Meteorology, University of Reading, P.O. Box 243, Earley Gate, Reading, Berkshire RG6 6BB, United Kingdom. k.a.nicoll@reading.ac.uk
Harrison
R G
RG