Evaluation of the EarthCARE Cloud Profiling Radar (CPR) Doppler velocity measurements using surface-based observations

The Earth Cloud, Aerosol and Radiation Explorer (EarthCARE) mission was launched on 28 May 2024. One of the most exciting new measurement capabilities of the EarthCARE mission is the CPR Doppler velocity measurement. The availability of Doppler measurements from space will offer a unique opportunity for the collection of a global dataset of vertical motions in clouds and precipitation. An important step in realizing this opportunity is to evaluate the CPR Doppler velocity measurements against those collected by surface-based observatories. Validation with two high-latitude surface-based Doppler radar observatories demonstrates that the CPR Level-2 Doppler velocities exhibit minimal biases (within a few cms⁻¹), especially in ice clouds. Even in low-level mixed-phase clouds, the CPR’s Doppler velocity measurements provide reliable values, although careful consideration is needed for specific limitations such as vertical smoothing effects due to the radar’s pulse length. Despite the inherent challenges associated with space-based Doppler measurements, these results suggest strong potential for the EarthCARE mission to provide unprecedented global climatological insights into hydrometeor sedimentation velocities.