DMT - Model CAPS-DPOL -Cloud, Aerosol, and Precipitation Spectrometer with Depolarization
The CAPS-DPOL is a multipurpose, research-grade cloud spectrometer that includes three Droplet instruments (CIP, LWC, and CAS); temperature and relative humidity sensors; and polarization measurement to discriminate between water and ice.
Broad Array of Data
Combine multiple probes with ranges optimized to measure cloud particles prior to and during transition to precipitation.
Extreme Versatility
CAS measures aerosol particle and cloud hydrometeor size distributions from 2 µm to 50 µm; CIP measures precipitation size distributions from 25 µm to 1550 µm, and LWC measures liquid water content from 0.01 g/m3 to 3 g/m3, along with aircraft velocity, and atmospheric temperature and pressure.
Advanced Precision
Gather data on particle optical properties (refractive index), as well as particle shape assessments (discrimination between water and ice for probes with depolarization feature).
- Cloud Physics Research
- Climate Models & Radiative Forcing
- Weather Modification Research
- Pollution Characterization
The three Droplet instruments included in the CAPS-DPOL are the Cloud Imaging Probe (CIP), the Cloud and Aerosol Spectrometer (CAS), and the Hotwire Liquid Water Content Sensor (Hotwire LWC).
CIP:
- Shadow images of particles passing through a collimated laser beam are projected onto a linear array of 64 photodetectors to determine presence of particles.
- Particle images are reconstructed from individual “slices,” where a slice is the state of the 64-element linear array at a given moment in time.
CAPS-DPOL:
- The CAPS-DPOL collects forward-scattered light to determine particle size, and polarized back-scatter light to differentiate between spherical and aspherical particles.
LWC:
- The LWC features a coiled wire that is maintained at 150 °C, which acts as variable resistance in a Wheatstone Bridge circuit.
- The resistance of the sensing coil is directly proportional to its temperature.
- Power dissipated by the sensor to maintain temperature is used to calculate vaporization, and in turn, liquid water content.
- PADS software and laptop
- Data Acquisition System
The Lifecycle Care Program ensures CAPS-DPOL integrity and performance vital to your research mission for 3 years or 3 calls (whichever comes first). When conducting complex and time intensive laboratory or field measurements it is critical to avoid down time, and ensure data collection accuracy. The program consists of 3 key deliverables for each year or call:
- Instrument Logistics
- Instrument Integrity
- Instrument Performance
Lifecycle Care Program Includes:
LOGISTICS
- Shipping to and from Droplet Measurement Technologies facility
- Customs handling, including CARNET ATA if required
INTEGRITY
- Incoming instrument evaluation and health check
PERFORMANCE
- Software and firmware validation
- 100%-unit functionality test
- Calibration data
- Calibration report
- Certificate of calibration
At times, our technician might discover an instrument issue, which might not be covered by the Lifecycle Care Program or by our product warranty. In such case we will reach out to you with a service & repair estimate to allow you to provide us with the next steps of action.