METHOD TO DETECT ISOTHERM ALTITUDES IN CONVECTIVE CLOUDS Russian patent published in 2015 - IPC G01W1/00 

FIELD: instrumentation.

SUBSTANCE: least radiation temperature is measured (T_r) for thermal radiation leaving upper areas of cloud cover, and also air temperature near Earth surface corresponding to the same area. They compare value of temperature T_r with the value of temperature (T_I) of the sought-for isotherm. If T_r≤T_I, then they additionally measure near-surface atmospheric pressure and determine dew point temperature. Using the produced data, they calculate air temperature (T_A) in a convective cloud by altitudes with specified discrecity. The calculated value of temperature T_A is compared with the value of temperature T_I of the sought-for isotherm. If T_A≤T_I, then isotherm altitude is altitude of cloud air location at this step.

EFFECT: possibility to determine altitude of any isotherm in convective clouds, possibility to use the method for various areas and seasons without clarification of empirical coefficients.