Comparison and analysis of cloud base height measured by ceilometer, Infrared cloud measuring system, and cloud radar

Abstract

Abstract:

To compare the consistency of cloud base heights measured by some instruments, the Meteorological Observation Center of China Meteorological Administration firstly organized a nearly 5-month campaign employing 4 ceilometers, 2 Infrared cloud measuring systems, a Total-Sky-Imager, and one cloud radar. The campaign was done at the observation field within the campus of Nanjing University of Information Sciences & Technology. Preliminary analysis of 3-month cloud base heights obtained from most of above instruments shows that a) the data among 3 ceilometers are comparatively consistent, b) the consistency between the two Infrared cloud measuring systems is slightly worse than that from ceilometers, c) the consistency of observed cloud base height of the first cloud layer between cloud radar and ceilometers is comparatively low, but is much better than that between cloud radar and Infrared cloud measuring system.

Key words: atmospheric optics, cloud base height, ceilometer, Infrared cloud measuring system, cloud radar

HUANG Xing-you, XIA Jun-rong, BU Ling-bing, ZHANG Xue-fen, LEI Yong, HUANG Jian-song， WANG Wei-wei, WU Di, JIANG Chang-hua, HU Han-feng. Comparison and analysis of cloud base height measured by ceilometer, Infrared cloud measuring system, and cloud radar[J]. J4, 2013, 30(1): 73-78.

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