The Optical Array: An Alternative to Scattering or Extinction for Airborne Particle Size Determination

Abstract

An electro-optical technique is described for the measurement of the size distributions of cloud and precipitation particles. The technique utilizes a linear array of photodetectors as a size measuring grid in a typical shadowgraph-type imaging system. Several instruments have been designed and are described in various stages of testing and development. A thorough description of one such instrument and preliminary field data are given.