2021-01-08

Dataset Upload Started

First datasets from the SOCRATES campaign have been uploaded. Further datasets also from other campaigns will be continuously uploaded and will be announced here when available.

2021-01-08

Real Ice Crystals–Database Is Now Online

"I had a dream to offer modelers a dataset that combines microphysical and angular light scattering properties on single atmospheric ice crystals" says Martin Schnaiter, a scientist at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and the founder of schnaiTEC.

He had visited many conferences on electromagnetic light scattering where he had witnessed how modelers developing light scattering models for complex ice crystals, usually had no measurement data to aid their development. The idea of PHIPS instrument was born. Fifteen years later a fully functional prototype instrument was developed and approved in airborne field campaigns with the financial help from the German Research Foundation (DFG) and with a contribution of many individuals.

Since 2017 PHIPS has been operated in its final form in several airborne campaigns that have allowed the collection of a unique dataset of single particle light scattering properties combined with high-resolution information on the particle microphysical properties. To be true to the original idea of the instrument, quality controlled datasets are now provided to be openly available as a database sponsored by KIT and schnaiTEC.

We hope that this way this data reaches as many scientists and atmospheric science enthusiasts as possible.