Measurements of Sample Areas - RAF Cloud Droplet Probes

Measurements of CDP sample area were made in urgent but brief laboratory studies for RAF's two CDP probes (s/n #58 and #16). These two probes are nominally identical, but the features of these probes have changed over the past year, as follows: (a) electrical damage of #58 during the ICE-T project (July 2011) required rebuild by DMT; (b) December 2011 electronics and firmware upgrades were made by DMT on both probes. Subsequent to these upgrades, the probes have not flown. The GV will not have a second, comparative method of measuring cloud water in DC3. Results from these lab tests gave sample areas that are close to DMT's nominal 0.24 mm2. We measured 0.23 and 0.35 mm2.