Chilbolton Disdrometers

Disdrometer from Disdromet Ltd


Introduction

Disdrometers measure the drop size distribution of rain. Distromet Joss Waldvogel Impact Disdrometer RD-69 are installed at Chilbolton and Sparsholt and work by converting the vertical momentum of a falling drop into signals whose amplitude depends on the diameter of the impacting drop. A conical styrofoam body is used to transmit the mechanical impulse of an impacting drop to a set of two moving coil systems in magnetic fields.

Data format

The data are in NetCDF format. There is a file for both the Chilbolton Observatory and the supporting Sparsholt station 8 km to the SE.

Conditions of use

If data are used in any publication or report then acknowledgement must be given to the Radiocommunications Research Unit at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory for providing the data.

Who to contact

If you have problems obtaining the data, please contact the British Atmospheric Data Centre.