A prototype suite comprised of calibrated radiometric cameras was developed to derive estimates of key cloud properties such as brightness temperature and droplet effective radius, with high spatial and temporal resolution. The system was assembled aboard an airplane to measure shortwave radiation scattered by clouds, and longwave infrared radiation emitted by clouds. This allowed deriving cloud droplet radii in shallow cumuli, with values ranging from about 6 to 14 μm. The measured longwave radiance was inverted using Planck's equation to derive the brightness temperature, with results ranging between −18 ∘ C and +15 ∘ C.
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