The Ku-/Ka-band, Doppler, scanning, polarimetric airborne radar, known as the Airborne Dual-Frequency Precipitation
Radar (APR-2) has been collecting data since 2001 in support of many spaceborne instruments and missions aiming at
the observation of clouds and precipitation (e.g., TRMM, AMSR-E, GPM, CloudSat, ACE). The APR-2 suite of
processing and retrieval algorithms (ASPRA) produces Level 1 (L1) products, microphysical classification and retrievals,
and wind intensity estimates. ASPRA was also generalized to operate on an arbitrary set of radar configuration
parameters to study the expected performance of multi-frequency spaceborne cloud and precipitation radars such as the
GPM DPR (Global Precipitation Measurement mission, Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar) and a notional radar for the
Aerosol/Clouds/Ecosystem (ACE) mission.
In this paper we illustrate the unique dataset collected during the Global Precipitation Measurement Cold-season
Precipitation Experiment (GCPEx, US/Canada Jan/Feb 2012). We will focus on the significance of these observations
for the development of algorithms for GPM and ACE, with particular attention to classification and retrievals of frozen
and mixed phase hydrometeors.
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