Mass and density of individual frozen hydrometeors

Abstract. A new precipitation sensor, the Differential Emissivity Imaging Disdrometer (DEID), is used to provide first continuous measurements of mass, diameter, and density individual hydrometeors. The DEID consists an infrared camera pointed at a heated aluminum plate. It exploits contrasting thermal emissivity water metal determine particle mass by assuming that energy conserved during transfer heat from plate evaporation. Particle determined combination morphology. Multi-Angle Snowflake Camera (MASC) was deployed alongside refined imagery size shape. Broad consistency found between derived mass–diameter density–diameter relationships those obtained in prior studies. However, show generally weaker dependence with for hydrometeor stronger aggregate snowflake mass.