Nuvens, Aerosóis e Precipitação - CLAPREC

 The main scientific objectives of the research project are:

1. Understand cloud microstructure and precipitation forming processes

2. Document the aerosols that can contribute to precipitation reduction or suppression, and relate them to cloud

composition

3. Develop numerical models of cloud microphysics and precipitation or use already existing models to assess the

impact of aerosols on precipitation forming processes.

To attain these objectives the Proposed Work is:

1. Measure cloud parameters (indicate below)using the aircraft instrumentation. Cloud types: cumulus,

cumulonimbus and stratocumulus

2. Use the performed measurements to:

a) Improve the inversion algorithms already in operation at CGE, which use multispectral satellite data,provided by

the spectroradiometers MODIS (onboard Terra and Aqua satellites) and SEVERI (onboard Meteosat 8).

b) Validate the retrieved parameters indicated below.

3. Use the observed data to validate and improve parametrizations of cloud microphysics in high resolution numerical

models (e.g. RAMS)

Anticipated output:the first data base of cloud microstructure parameters obtained from in situ observations over

continental Portugal