MTP-5 Community

MTP-5 is a passive microwave radiometer which retrieves the vertical temperature profile of the atmosphere above a measurement site.
The first instrument became operational in 1992, and today around 100 devices are operating in 17 countries worldwide.
The main advantages of this radiometer are: ease of use, reliability, autonomous operation and low maintenance.

The MTP-5 Community

This page is dedicated to MTP-5 and its users, in order to exchange experiences, facts, and seek advice. To join this community please send an email to: info@altostratus.it
Your email address will be entered into a mailing list, and all MTP-5 users will be able to send emails to the "postal address",
which will forward the messages to individual members.
The project it started on 20th March 2021 we are in 14 MTP-5 members.

History of MTP-5

The MHTP Microwave Humidity and Temperature Profiler was developed at the Radiophysical Research Institute. N.Novgorodin (1984), Westwater (1986) and Troitsky (1986)
described a multi-frequency (also called multi-channel) passive microwave radiometer, which had the possibility to measure temperature profiles, WV and LWC in the troposphere (up to 10 km).
The idea of using microwave radiometry to measure temperature profiles of the atmospheric boundary layer was suggested by A.V. Troitsky
and realized jointly with A.N. Shaposhnikov and E.N. Kadygrov 1989.

The first experimental instrument (alfa-sample) based on an upgraded microwave system measuring stratospheric temperature profiles from high-altitude balloons,
was developed at the Central Aerological Observatory (project director E.N. Kadygrov) jointly with specialists from the Institute of Space Research of the USSR Academy of Sciences
( I.A. Strukov, Dr.of Sc , with his co-workers) in 1986-1989.
As suggested by Evgeny Kadygrov, the new instrument was called MTP-5 (Meteorological Temperature Profiler using wavelength of 5mm).
The instrument from CAO received a Roshydromet certificate and was included in the departmental registry of measuring instruments for hydrometeorology.
Troitsky et al. (1993) and Kadygrov and Pick (1998) described an angular scanning single-channel microwave radiometer centered on the molecular oxygen band at 60 GHz.
During 1995-2010 MTP-5 was developed and marketed with the support of Kipp & Zonen (Holland).

About MTP-5

Manuals and Operator Documents for MTP-5

Articles on MTP-5

Web site on MTP-5

Press

Article on Star

Practical information about MTP-5

FAQ on MTP-5

The MTP-5 needs a free view to work properly. How many kilometres, without obstacles, are necessary? (Q. by M.E. Ferraio)	MTP-5 needs an unobstructed view in one direction of at least 1000m. (A. by A.G.Giles)
The best orientation for MTP-5 is looking to the North. What happens if other orientations are used? (Q. by M.E. Ferrario)	Other orientations, even South, have been used with good results.(A. by A.G.Giles)
For how many Km from the MTP-5 site can the thermal profile of MTP-5 be assumed to be representative? (Q. by M.E. Ferrario).	This depends very much on local geography. In the metropolitan area of Turin there are 4 MTP-5 radiometers which give very similar profiles. (A. by A.G.Giles)
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Best images of MTP-5

Participate! Send your best MTP-5 image and comment to: info@altostratus.it

Data	Image	Comment
02 mar 2012		Note the diffenent profile retrived by two MTP-5, one in Rovigo under the fog, the other in Padua in almost clear sky
6 jan 2013		An episode of freezing rain during the winter of 2013. You can see the area under zero between the ground and upper levels that cause the freezing rain
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