ICEGENESIS is an international project which aims at improving the characterization of snowfall microphysics in the perspective of aircraft safety and icing mitigation. A field campaign was conducted from January to March 2021 in La-Chaux-de-Fonds (NE), which included the deployment of ground instruments (from LTE and other labs and institutes), as well as scientific aircraft overpasses.
The main site is at the Eplatures airport, where WProf, MRR and other ground radars (LATMOS) are located. Up in the sky, the ATR42 equipped with snow sensors is flying.
The MASC is 500 m away, within a MeteoSuisse weather station. Top: location of the MASC, bottom: example of MASC image (17/01/2021 17:01 UTC)
MXPol is deployed 5 km away and performs routine RHI scans over the airport ( top: in operation during one of the winter’s intense snowfall events on January 23rd, middle: installation with the help of the landowner and his tractor!, bottom: example of RHI scan).
