A method for computing the three-dimensional radial distribution function of cloud particles from holographic images

Authors

Michael L. Larsen, College of Charleston
Raymond Shaw, Michigan Technological UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

7-19-2018

Department

Atmospheric Sciences; Department of Physics

Abstract

Reliable measurements of the three-dimensional radial distribution function for cloud droplets are desired to help characterize microphysical processes that depend on local drop environment. Existing numerical techniques to estimate this three-dimensional radial distribution function are not well suited to in situ or laboratory data gathered from a finite experimental domain. This paper introduces and tests a new method designed to reliably estimate the three-dimensional radial distribution function in contexts in which (i) physical considerations prohibit the use of periodic boundary conditions and (ii) particle positions are measured inside a convex volume that may have a large aspect ratio. The method is then utilized to measure the three-dimensional radial distribution function from laboratory data taken in a cloud chamber from the Holographic Detector for Clouds (HOLODEC).

Publisher's Statement

© Author(s) 2018. Article deposited here in compliance with publisher policies. Publisher's version of record: https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-11-4261-2018

Publication Title

Atmospheric Measurement Techniques

Recommended Citation

Larsen, M. L., & Shaw, R. (2018). A method for computing the three-dimensional radial distribution function of cloud particles from holographic images. Atmospheric Measurement Techniques, 11(7), 4261-4272. http://doi.org/10.5194/amt-11-4261-2018
Retrieved from: https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/michigantech-p/366

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Version

Publisher's PDF