Millimeter Wavelength Cloud Radar (MMCR)
Instrument Categories: Cloud Properties
General Overview
![Picture of the Millimeter Wave Cloud Radar (MMCR)](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090508174425im_/http://www.arm.gov/instruments/images/mmcr.jpg)
The MMCR systems probe the extent and composition of clouds at millimeter wavelengths. The MMCR is a zenith-pointing radar that operates at a frequency of 35 GHz. The main purpose of this radar is to determine cloud boundaries (e.g., cloud bottoms and tops). This radar will also report radar reflectivity (dBZ) of the atmosphere up to 20 km. The radar possesses a doppler capability that will allow the measurement of cloud constituent vertical velocities.
Primary Measurements Taken
The following measurements are those considered scientifically relevant. Refer to the netCDF File Header Descriptions (Data Object Design Files) for the list of all available measurements, including those recorded for diagnostic or quality assurance purposes.
Available Value-Added Products
This instrument is an input to the following value-added products, which provide improved measurements or derived quantities.
- arscl1cloth - ARSCL: multiple outputs from first Clothiaux algorithms on BLC, MPL, MMCR
- arsclbnd1cloth - ARSCL: cloud boundaries from first Clothiaux algorithms on BLC, MPL, MMCR
- arsclcbh1cloth - ARSCL: cloud base height from first Clothiaux algorithms on BLC, MPL, MMCR
- mmcrmode01v0011cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 1 ("stratus mode") moments (11/96 -12/96)
- mmcrmode01v0021cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 1 ("stratus mode") moments (2/97)
- mmcrmode01v0031cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 1 ("stratus mode") moments (3/97)
- mmcrmode01v0041cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 1 ("stratus mode") moments (4/97-9/97)
- mmcrmode01v0051cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 1 ("stratus mode") moments (12/96-2/97)
- mmcrmode01v0061cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 1 ("stratus mode") moments (9/97-3/04)
- mmcrmode01v0071cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 1 ("stratus mode") moments (11/98-9/02)
- mmcrmode01v0091cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 1 ("stratus mode") moments (3/98-4/04)
- mmcrmode01v0101cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 1 ("stratus mode") moments (7/99-11/04)
- mmcrmode02v0011cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 2 ("cirrus mode") moments (11/96-2/97)
- mmcrmode02v0021cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 2 ("cirrus mode") moments (2/97-3/07)
- mmcrmode02v0031cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 2 ("cirrus mode") moments (3/97-3/04)
- mmcrmode02v0041cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 2 ("cirrus mode") moments (11/98-9/02)
- mmcrmode02v0061cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 2 ("cirrus mode") moments (3/98-4/04)
- mmcrmode02v0071cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 2 ("cirrus mode") moments (7/99-11/04)
- mmcrmode03v0011cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 3 ("general mode") moments (2/97)
- mmcrmode03v0021cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 3 ("general mode") moments (2/97-3/97)
- mmcrmode03v0031cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 3 ("general mode") moments (3/97)
- mmcrmode03v0041cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 3 ("general mode") moments (4/97-3/04)
- mmcrmode03v0051cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 3 ("general mode") moments (11/98-9/02)
- mmcrmode03v0081cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 3 ("general mode") moments (3/98-4/04)
- mmcrmode03v0091cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 3 ("general mode") moments (7/99-11/04)
- mmcrmode04v0011cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 4 ("robust mode") moments (11/96-3/97)
- mmcrmode04v0021cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 4 ("robust mode") moments (4/97-9/97)
- mmcrmode04v0031cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 4 ("robust mode") moments (9/97-3/04)
- mmcrmode04v0041cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 4 ("robust mode") moments (11/98-11/04)
- mmcrmode04v0061cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 4 ("robust mode") moments 3/98-4/04)
- mmcrmode05v0011cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 5 (experimental mode) moments (11/96)
- mmcrmode1bl200408121cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 1 ("boundary layer mode") moments (8/04-5/05)
- mmcrmode1bl200511041cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 1 ("boundary layer mode") moments (since 11/2005)
- mmcrmode1bl200606161cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 1 ("boundary layer mode") moments (version 6/2006)
- mmcrmode1bl200608121cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 1 ("boundary layer mode") moments (version 11/2006)
- mmcrmode1bl200804181cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 1 ("boundary layer mode") moments, 20080418 version
- mmcrmode1st200309091cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 1 ("status mode") moments
- mmcrmode1st200404151cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 1 ("stratus mode") moments, 20040415 version
- mmcrmode2ci200309091cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 2 ("cirrus mode") moments
- mmcrmode2ci200404141cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 2 ("cirrus mode") moments, 20040415 version
- mmcrmode2ci200408121cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 2 ("cirrus mode") moments (8/04-5/05)
- mmcrmode2ci200511041cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 2 ("cirrus mode") moments (since 11/2005)
- mmcrmode2ci200606161cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 2 ("cirrus mode") moments (version 6/2006)
- mmcrmode2ci200608161cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 2 ("cirrus mode") moments (version 11/2006)
- mmcrmode2ci200804181cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 2 ("cirrus mode") moments, 20080418 version
- mmcrmode3ge200309091cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 3 ("general mode") moments
- mmcrmode3ge200404141cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 3 ("general mode") moments, 20040415 version
- mmcrmode3ge200408121cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 3 ("general mode") moments (8/04-5/05)
- mmcrmode3ge200511041cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 3 ("general mode") moments (since 11/2005)
- mmcrmode3ge200606161cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 3 ("general mode") moments (version 6/2006)
- mmcrmode3ge200608161cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 3 ("general mode") moments (version 11/2006)
- mmcrmode3ge200804181cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 3 ("general mode") moments, 20080418 version
- mmcrmode4pr200408121cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 4 ("precipitation mode") moments (8/04-5/05)
- mmcrmode4pr200511041cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 4 ("precipitation mode") moments (since 11/2005)
- mmcrmode4pr200606161cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 4 ("precipitation mode") moments (version 6/2006)
- mmcrmode4pr200608161cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 4 ("precipitation mode") moments (version 11/2006)
- mmcrmode4pr200804181cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 4 ("precipitation mode") moments, 20080418 version
- mmcrmode4ro200309091cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 4 ("robust mode") moments
- mmcrmode4ro200404141cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 4 ("robust mode") moments, 20040415 version
- mmcrmode5p0200408121cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 5 ("co-polarized mode") moments
- mmcrmode5p0200804181cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 5 ("co-polarized mode") moments, 20080418 version
- mmcrmode6p1200408121cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 6 ("cross-polarized mode") moments
- mmcrmode6p1200804181cloth - ARSCL: derived, MMCR Mode 6 ("cross-polarized mode") moments, 20080418 version
Available Datastreams
- mmcrcal - Millimeter Wavelength Cloud Radar (MMCR): calibration data
- mmcrmom - Millimeter Wave Cloud Radar (MMCR), replaces mmcrcal and mmcrmoments datastreams following C-40 processor upgrade of 2003.09.09
- mmcrmoments - Millimeter Wavelength Cloud Radar (MMCR): moments data
- mmcrspeccmaskbl - Millimeter Wave Cloud Radar (MMCR), filtered spectral data, boundary layer mode
- mmcrspeccmaskci - Millimeter Wave Cloud Radar (MMCR), filtered spectral data, cirrus mode
- mmcrspeccmaskcopol - Millimeter Wave Cloud Radar (MMCR), filtered spectral data, co-polarized mode
- mmcrspeccmaskge - Millimeter Wave Cloud Radar (MMCR), filtered spectral data, general mode
- mmcrspeccmaskpr - Millimeter Wave Cloud Radar (MMCR), filtered spectral data, precipitation mode
- mmcrspeccmaskxpol - Millimeter Wave Cloud Radar (MMCR), filtered spectral data, cross-polarized mode
- mmcrspecmom - Millimeter Wave Cloud Radar (MMCR), spectral data
- mmcrspectra - Millimeter Wavelength Cloud Radar (MMCR): spectral data
Sites / Facilities
Note: Click the "" to expand/collapse the list.
- North Slope Alaska (NSA)
- Central Facility, Barrow AK (C1)
- Southern Great Plains (SGP)
- Central Facility, Lamont, OK (C1)
- Tropical Western Pacific (TWP)
- Central Facility, Darwin, North Australia (C3)
- Central Facility, Manus I., PNG (C1)
- Central Facility, Nauru Island (C2)
Mentor(s)
Kevin Widener
(509) 375-2487
kevin.widener@pnl.gov
Karen Johnson
data analysis
(631) 344-5952
kjohnson@bnl.gov