The cloud imaging and particle size experiment (CIPS) is a UV panoramic imager that
uses intensified CCD cameras to image the Polar Mesospheric Clouds (PMC) latitude versus longitude
distribution. It provides nadir imaging with a 120 degrees by 80 degrees field of view (1140 by
960 km) with at least 3 km spatial resolution at 83 km. CIPS observes the backscattered radiance
from PMCs (near 82 km altitude) to derive the morphology of PMCs and the cloud particle sizes.
Rayleigh scattering from the background near 50 km altitude is used to measure gravity wave
activity. Multiple exposures of individual cloud elements provide a measurement of the scattering
phase function and detect spatial scales ~2 km. The Ultraviolet bandpass (265 plus or minus 5 nm)
maximizes cloud contrast. CIPS is designed, fabricated, and calibrated by the Laboratory for
Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) of Colorado University.
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