Radiometer LWP Radiometers
These radiometers are used for the remote sensing of integrated water vapor (IWV) and Liquid Water Path (LWP). Both quantities give column-integrated (total) values rather than vertically resolved profiles.
Applications:
- Liquid water path (LWP) measurements
- Integrated water vapour (IWV) measurements
- Attenuation monitoring
- Beacon experiments
- Cloud observations
- Climate monitoring
- Satellite tracking (GPS, Galileo)
Models:
The RPG-LWP model is the standard two-channel microwave radiometer typically used for this purpose. Upgraded versions (RPG-LWP-U90, RPG-LWP-U150, RPG-LWP-U72+88) extend the sensitivity to small amounts of LWP (e.g., thin clouds) by adding one or two higher frequency channels. High-frequency two channel versions (RPG-LWP-90-150) are optimised for thin cloud and snow observation. For observation of thick clouds and rain we recommend the dual-polarized Rain Radiometer (LWP-Rain).
| Model | Frequencies | Applications | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| LWP | 23.8 & 31.4 GHz (23.8/36.5 GHz optional) | Standard two-channel radiometer for estimation of IWV and LWP | The RPG-LWP-XXX series of liquid water path radiometers is meant for measurements of total water vapour (IWV, integrated water vapour) and total cloud water (LWP, liquid water path). Higher sensitivity to low-density (thin) clouds can be achieved by upgrading the standard LWP radiometer with higher frequencies. |
| LWP-U90 | 23.8, 31.4, 90 GHz | Improved sensitivity to thin clouds | |
| LWP-U150 | 23.8, 31.4, 150 GHz | Improved sensitivity to thin clouds | |
| LWP-U72-82 | 23.8, 31.4, 72.5, 82.5 GHz | Improved sensitivity to thin clouds, attenuation measurements for data links | |
| LWP-90-150 | 90 & 150 GHz | Observation of thin-clouds only. Ideal extension of all above radiometers in master-slave mode. |
