Atmospheric optical extinction measured by lidar

Document ID: 142

Philbrick, C. Russell
Lysak, Jr., Daniel B.

 The Pennsylvania State University, Applied Research Laboratory, University Park, PA, U.S.A.
 

Presented: NATO Sensors and Electronics Panel Symposium
Italian Air Force Academy, Naples, Italy, March 16-19 1998

Summary

Two independent lidar techniques, one using Raman scatter in a monostatic configuration and one using the polarization ratio of the scattering phase function in a bistatic configuration have been developed to determine the optical properties in the lower atmosphere. The direct backscatter measured at the transmit wavelength of a monostatic lidar has been found to have limited utility in describing the important parameters because the measurement is a mixture of signals from molecular and particle scattering. A bistatic lidar technique has been used to demonstrate that useful information on number, size and distribution of particles is contained in measurements of the polarization ratio of the scattering phase function. An independent Raman lidar technique can be used to provide measurements of the molecular scattering profiles at several wavelengths through the lower atmosphere. The departures of the signal profile from the molecular density gradient then provide a direct measure of the optical extinction. The optical extinction profiles at visible and ultraviolet wavelengths are routinely measured today using Raman lidar.

 

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Citation:        "Atmospheric optical extinction measured by lidar", Philbrick, C. R., D. B. Lysak, Jr., RTO Meeting Proceedings 1: E-O Propagation, Signature and System Performance Under Adverse Meteorological Conditions Considering Out-of-Area Operations, NATO, 1998, pp. 40-1 - 40-7, RTO-MP-1 AC/323(SET)TP/2