A Capillary Collector for Measuring the Deposition of Water Drops on a Surface Moving through Clouds

Abstract

An instrument has been devised for the purpose of measuring the amount of water impinging on a small area moving through clouds, rain, or snow. From measurements of this sort, the liquid water content of the atmosphere can be evaluated. The instrument uses capillary phenomena to collect and retain water drops striking a small porous surface. Its function is the same as small scoops which have been used to measure water collection in flight, but it has the advantage that its response rate is sufficiently rapid to measure collection rate over a very short interval of time. It has been successfully used in wind tunnel and flight tests. With slight modification, the instrument should find application in measurements on other liquid aerosols.