Lidar profiles of atmospheric structure properties
Document ID: 75
The Pennsylvania State University, Communications and Space Sciences Laboratory, University Park, PA, U.S.A.
Abstract
Comparisons of the lidar derived profiles of the atmospheric structure properties, density and temperature, with the standard meteorological rocket profiles have been made. Seventeen flights of meteorological rockets, using both datasonde and passive falling sphere payloads, provide the first study to compare and evaluate the lidar measurements simultaneously with rocket measurements. The measurements were made at Poker Flat Research Range, Alaska during the period February through April 1986. The molecular backscatter lidar signal from a Nd:YAG laser has been used, in the regions of the atmosphere where molecular scattering dominates, to determine the profiles of the relative atmospheric density. By comparison with radiosonde balloon measurements in the region where the scattering is purely molecular, typically the 27 to 30 km altitude region, the density profile can be placed on an absolute scale. The temperature profiles have been determined directly from integration of the relative density profile, using the assumption of hydrostatic equilibrium. While the backscatter signals from the region of the atmosphere above 25 km are usually representative of the molecular density, the lidar was developed using a two-color approach to provide added discrimination against particle scatter. By using two wavelengths, 532 and 355 nm, we can discern the region where the molecular scattering results are expected to be valid. The results show the present capability of the lidar remote sensing technique for measurements of the structure properties of the atmosphere. The results point out the directions for the design of a lidar sounder that can be used as an operational sounder to replace the meteorological rocket and balloon techniques in the future.
| Citation: | "Lidar profiles of atmospheric structure properties", Philbrick, C. R., Earth and Atmospheric Remote Sensing, Vol. 1492, SPIE, 1991, pp. 76 - 84 |