A laser disdrometer (LDIS) measures the drop size spectra and fall velocity of hydrometeors during precipitation events. The passage of hydrometeors through a horizontal area positioned between an eye-safe laser and an array detector results in blockage of the laser beam in proportion to the size of the drop or particle. In addition to drop/particle size and fall speed, precipitation type is classified.
ARM also deploys video disdrometers (VDIS).
Rees K and T Garrett. 2021. "Idealized simulation study of the relationship of disdrometer sampling statistics with the precision of precipitation rate measurement." Atmospheric Measurement Techniques, 14(12), 10.5194/amt-14-7681-2021.
Wang D, M Bartholomew, SE Giangrande, and JC Hardin. 2021. Analysis of Three Types of Collocated Disdrometer Measurements at the ARM Southern Great Plains Observatory. Ed. by Robert Stafford, ARM user facility. DOE/SC-ARM-TR-275. 10.2172/1828172.
Russell LM, D Lubin, I Silber, E Eloranta, J Muelmenstaedt, S Burrows, A Aiken, D Wang, M Petters, M Miller, A Ackerman, A Fridlind, M Witte, M Lebsock, D Painemal, R Chang, J Liggio, and M Wheeler. 2021. Eastern Pacific Cloud Aerosol Precipitation Experiment (EPCAPE) Science Plan. Ed. by Robert Stafford, ARM user facility. DOE/SC-ARM-21-009. 10.2172/1804710.
Shupe M, D Chu, D Costa, C Cox, J Creamean, G de Boer, K Dethloff, R Engelmann, M Gallagher, E Hunke, W Maslowski, A McComiskey, J Osborn, O Persson, H Powers, K Pratt, D Randall, A Solomon, M Tjernstrom, D Turner, J Uin, T Uttal, J Verlinde, and D Wagner. 2021. Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate (MOSAiC) Field Campaign Report. Ed. by Robert Stafford, ARM user facility. DOE/SC-ARM-21-007. 10.2172/1787856.
Loeb N and A Kennedy. 2021. "Blowing Snow at McMurdo Station, Antarctica during the AWARE Field Campaign: Surface and Ceilometer Observations." Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 126(7), e2020JD033935, 10.1029/2020JD033935.