First comprehensive imaging done of evolving thunderstorm
Radar was the primary means by which the "body scan" was taken. A team of scientists from NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), and other universities used radar equipment sensitive enough to detect the different kinds of particles from the storm's base up to its top, some 14 km (8.7 miles) above the jungle floor.
Different types of radar examined different aspects of the storm. These included a scanning Doppler radar, often seen on television weather broadcasts, but specially designed with the capability to measure particle types and sizes and rain rates, provided by NCAR; and a vertically oriented Doppler radar, which measures particle motion and size, and vertical air motions, supplied by NOAA. The analysis was also greatly aided by measurements within the storm made by a jet aircraft operated by the University of North Dakota. NASA provided funds for the use of the two radars and the operation of the jet aircraft during this field experiment."
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