Published: 6 June 2011

Today, Monday June 6, is the final day of operations for MC3E. The radiosonde launches at 6:30 PM local time will mark the official end of the field operations phase of the experiment. The final evaluation of the success of MC3E will depend on the insights that are gained into the atmospheric processes important for convective parameterization, but initial indications are that we have collected a data set that through analysis and modeling studies will lead to answers to many of the questions outlined in the original science plan. Some of the operational highlights include:

• Sampling a variety of convective cloud conditions with both aircraft and ground-based radar including: strong convective line with trailing stratiform (7), widespread stratiform rain (3), elevated or weak convection (3), boundary layer clouds (9), mid- or high-level clouds (6)
• Launched more than 1400 radiosondes from six different sites to capture environmental conditions within which convection occurs for use in deriving a model-forcing data set
• Multiple coordinated missions with ARM surface-based observations (radar, radiosonde, etc.), NASA surface-based observations (N-Pol, disdrometer network), NASA ER-2 aircaft, and the UND Citation Cessna
• Sampling of convective clouds by multiple scanning radar systems providing opportunities for multi-Doppler analysis of atmospheric motions
• Flexible scanning radar modes (C-band, X-band) to fill observational gaps during campaign operations
• Dedicated cloud missions with UND Citation flying over scanning cloud radar
• Excellent sampling of large precipitation drops by 2D video disdrometers and accompanying NASA disdrometer array

All of this could not have been accomplished without the efforts of many people. From our program management at ASR, ARM and NASA GPM, to the SGP site operations team, to ASR and GPM scientists who gave their input to the proposals and science plan, to the researchers and students in the field, to the administrative and public relations staff, to our home institution colleagues, all of whom have contributed to the first successes from MC3E. On behalf of the MC3E science leads, I offer a huge thank you for all of your efforts.

Submitted by Dr. Michael P. Jensen, MC3E principal investigator, Brookhaven National Laboratory.