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Eigenbrodt Optical Disdrometer ODM 470

Eigenbrodt Optical Disdrometer ODM470 aboard the R/V Atlantic Condor
Eigenbrodt Optical Disdrometer ODM470 aboard the R/V Atlantic Condor

 

Eigenbrodt Optical Disdrometer ODM470 deployed during Fatima Grand Banks Campaign
Eigenbrodt Optical Disdrometer ODM470 deployed during Fatima Grand Banks Campaign

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For cloud and fog research, in addition to precipitation accumulation, precise information on the particle-size distributions for rain and snow are required for improved understanding of microphysics of precipitation and drizzle. The automated optical disdrometer system -- Eigenbrodt ODM 470 – is proven to be the most suitable for measuring precipitation occurrences, intensity and accumulation through minute-based particle size distributions discriminated for rain, snow and mixed-phase precipitation. ODM 470 is specially designed for shipboard operations under high and frequently varying wind speeds, flow distortion conditions and rough sea states.

ODM 470 offers many advantages. The rain-drop/snow measurements therein are independent of the incidence angle due to the cylindrical shape of the optical volume, which is always adjusted perpendicular to the local wind velocity with the aid of a wind vane. The high dynamic range allows resolving 128 size bins with logarithmic increase in size from 0.1 (drizzle) to 22 mm in diameter. The system is automatic and requires minimal maintenance.