Ground-Based Radar Capabilities at Granada (Spain) to Support EarthCARE Mission

Cloud radiative forcing has a crucial role in current climate change. However, cloud-aerosol interaction on the Earth’s radiative balance is still poorly understood. Hence, a long-term database of ground-based and satellite cloud radar is crucial to further develop large scale cloud physics analysis. Additionally, ground-based radars are important to support current space missions such as EarthCARE, which is equipped with a 94 GHz cloud profiling radar (CPR). Thus, the cloud radar NEPHELE, operated at the ACTRIS/CLOUDNET Granada station (Spain) since 2018 with similar technical characteristics can be used for the calibration and validation (cal/val) of the CPR. NEPHELE provides reflectivity, spectral width and Doppler velocity with scanning capability at different angles, which can be used for EarthCARE CPR cal/val activities. Therefore, this work aims to show the radar capabilities for the cal/val activities to be developed at Granada.