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Provides tools and techniques to identify and address distortions and to interpret data coming from Lidar sensing technology This book covers the issues encountered in separating the backscatter and transmission terms in the LIDAR equation when profiling the atmosphere with zenith-directed and vertically-scanning Lidars. Solutions in Lidar Profiling of the Atmosphere explains how to manage and interpret the Llidar signals when the uncertainties of the involved atmospheric parameters are not treatable statistically. The author discusses specific scenarios for using specific scenarios for profiling vertical aerosol loading. Solutions in Lidar Profiling of the Atmosphere emphasizes the use of common sense when interacting with potentially large distortions inherent in most inversion techniques. Addresses the systematic errors in LIDAR measurements Proposes specific methods to estimate systematic distortions Explains how to apply these methods to both simulated and real data Solutions in Lidar Profiling of the Atmosphere is written for scientists, researchers, and graduate students in Meteorology and Geophysics.

Based on the authors' experimental work over the last 25 years, this self-contained book presents basic concepts, state-of-the-art applications, and future trends in optical, atomic, and molecular physics. It gives a wide-ranging, balanced overview of the areas revolutionized by optical frequency comb synthesizers based on femtosecond mode-locked lasers. It provides all the background information on the main kinds of laser sources and techniques, offers a detailed account of the most recent results obtained for time- and frequency-domain applications of lasers, and develops the theoretical framework necessary for understanding the experimental applications.

This paper presents a detailed description of LIRIC (LIdar-Radiometer Inversion Code) algorithm for simultaneous processing of coincident lidar and radiometric (sun photometric) observations for the retrieval of the aerosol concentration vertical profiles. As the lidar/radiometric input data we use measurements from European Aerosol Research Lidar Network (EARLINET) lidars and collocated sun-photometers of Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET). The LIRIC data processing provides sequential inversion of the combined lidar and radiometric data. The algorithm starts with the estimations of column-integrated aerosol parameters from radiometric measurements followed by the retrieval of height dependent concentrations of fine and coarse aerosols from lidar signals using integrated column characteristics of aerosol layer as a priori constraints. The use of polarized lidar observations allows us to discriminate between spherical and non-spherical particles of the coarse aerosol mode.The LIRIC software package was implemented and tested at a number of EARLINET stations. Intercomparison of the LIRIC-based aerosol retrievals was performed for the observations by seven EARLINET lidars in Leipzig, Germany on 25 May 2009. We found close agreement between the aerosol parameters derived from different lidars that supports high robustness of the LIRIC algorithm. The sensitivity of the retrieval results to the possible reduction of the available observation data is also discussed.

A strategy for European Aerosol Research Lidar Network (EARLINET) correlative measurements for Cloud‐Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) has been developed. These EARLINET correlative measurements started in June 2006 and are still in progress. Up to now, more than 4500 correlative files are available in the EARLINET database. Independent extinction and backscatter measurements carried out at high‐performance EARLINET stations have been used for a quantitative comparison with CALIPSO level 1 data. Results demonstrate the good performance of CALIPSO and the absence of evident biases in the CALIPSO raw signals. The agreement is also good for the distribution of the differences for the attenuated backscatter at 532 nm ((CALIPSO‐EARLINET)/EARLINET (%)), calculated in the 1–10 km altitude range, with a mean relative difference of 4.6%, a standard deviation of 50%, and a median value of 0.6%. A major Saharan dust outbreak lasting from 26 to 31 May 2008 has been used as a case study for showing first results in terms of comparison with CALIPSO level 2 data. A statistical analysis of dust properties, in terms of intensive optical properties (lidar ratios, Ångström exponents, and color ratios), has been performed for this observational period. We obtained typical lidar ratios of the dust event of 49 ± 10 sr and 56 ± 7 sr at 355 and 532 nm, respectively. The extinction‐related and backscatter‐related Ångström exponents were on the order of 0.15–0.17, which corresponds to respective color ratios of 0.91–0.95. This dust event has been used to show the methodology used for the investigation of spatial and temporal representativeness of measurements with polar‐orbiting satellites.

We present for the first time continuous hourly measurements of pollen near-surface concentration and lidar-derived profiles of particle backscatter coefficients and of volume and particle depolarization ratios during a 5-day pollination event observed in Barcelona, Spain, between 27 and 31 March 2015. Daily average concentrations ranged from 1082 to 2830 pollen m−3. Platanus and Pinus pollen types represented together more than 80 % of the total pollen. Maximum hourly pollen concentrations of 4700 and 1200 m−3 were found for Platanus and Pinus, respectively. Every day a clear diurnal cycle caused by the vertical transport of the airborne pollen was visible on the lidar-derived profiles with maxima usually reached between 12:00 and 15:00 UT. A method based on the lidar polarization capabilities was used to retrieve the contribution of the pollen to the total aerosol optical depth (AOD). On average the diurnal (09:00–17:00 UT) pollen AOD was 0.05, which represented 29 % of the total AOD. Maximum values of the pollen AOD and its contribution to the total AOD reached 0.12 and 78 %, respectively. The diurnal means of the volume and particle depolarization ratios in the pollen plume were 0.08 and 0.14, with hourly maxima of 0.18 and 0.33, respectively. The diurnal mean of the height of the pollen plume was found at 1.24 km with maxima varying in the range of 1.47–1.78 km. A correlation study is performed (1) between the depolarization ratios and the pollen near-surface concentration to evaluate the ability of the former parameter to monitor pollen release and (2) between the depolarization ratios as well as pollen AOD and surface downward solar fluxes, which cause the atmospheric turbulences responsible for the particle vertical motion, to examine the dependency of the depolarization ratios and the pollen AOD upon solar fluxes. For the volume depolarization ratio the first correlation study yields to correlation coefficients ranging 0.00–0.81 and the second to correlation coefficients ranging 0.49–0.86.

The annual and seasonal variability of aerosol optical properties observed by means of a Raman lidar over Northeastern Spain has been assessed. The lidar representativeness has first been checked against sun-photometer measurements in terms of aerosol optical thickness. Then the annual cycle and the seasonal variability of the planetary boundary layer aerosol optical thickness and its fraction compared to the columnar optical thickness, the lidar ratio, the backscatter-related Ångström exponent and the planetary boundary layer height are analyzed and discussed. Winter and summer mean profiles of extinction, backscatter and lidar ratio retrieved with the Raman algorithm are presented. The analysis shows the impact of most of the natural events (Saharan dust intrusions, wildfires, etc.) and meteorological situations (summer anticyclonic situation, the formation of the Iberian thermal low, winter long-range transport from North Europe and/or North America, re-circulation flows, etc.) occurring in the Barcelona area. A detailed study of a special event including a combined intrusion of Saharan dust and biomass-burning particles proves the suitability of combining the retrieval of aerosol optical properties from Raman and pure elastic lidar measurements to discriminate spatially different types of aerosols and to follow their spatial and temporal evolution.

Identification of aerosol layers on lidar measurements is of interest to determine ranges where aerosol properties are likely to be homogeneous and to infer transport phenomena and atmosphere dynamics. For instance, the range-corrected backscattered signal from aerosol measured with lidars has long been used as a proxy to determine the depth of the planetary boundary layer. The method relies on the assumption that in a well-mixed atmosphere, a rather homogenous aerosol distribution will exist within the boundary layer; hence, a sudden drop in the lidar range-corrected signal profile will mark the end of the layer. The most usual methods to detect that drop are the gradient method, which detects a negative maximum in the derivative with respect to range of the lidar range-corrected signal, or of its logarithm, and the wavelet correlation transform method, which detects a maximum in the correlation function of the lidar range-corrected signal and a wavelet, usually the Haar wavelet. These methods are not restricted to determining the boundary layer height but can also be used to locate the edges of lofted aerosol layers. Using fundamentals of linear system theory, this study shows the deep link existing between the gradient method and the wavelet correlation transform method using the Haar wavelet, the latter being equivalent to the gradient method applied to a range-corrected signal profile smoothed by a low-pass spatial filtering, which seems not to have been explicitly noted in the literature so far. Consequences are readily drawn for the wavelet correlation transform method using other wavelets.

An extremely fresh smoke plume (<5 h) was transported over Barcelona on 23 July 2009, just 5 h after an intense Saharan dust event finalized. Both events were observed by sun-photometer, lidar and satellite systems. Results indicate surprisingly large absorption of mixed dust particles (SSA ∼ 0.83 ± 0.04) with lower SSA than that observed for smoke (0.86 ± 0.04) particles at 440 nm. Our investigation shows that dust particles may have mixed during their transport with anthropogenic and smoke particles. Dust and smoke layers are observed between 1-6 and 1-4 km, with associated lidar ratios at 532 nm of 51 and 36 sr, respectively. Due to low SSAs and moderate surface albedos, shortwave (SW) radiative forcing calculations reveal that a large part of the solar energy losses at the surface is gained by the atmosphere for each aerosol. Here, dust particles produced a positive instantaneous forcing at TOA ( + 8 W m−2 at 12 UT), while the smoke produced a negative forcing of − 13 W m−2 at 17 UT. The associated SW heating rate is calculated to be around 2-3 K day−1 for both dust and smoke aerosols.

Ground-based laser scanning is investigated as a tool for use in glacier observations. Repeat scans, a month apart, enabled changes in the spatial distribution of glacier surface elevation to be established. Ninety-five percent of the glacier area subject to repeat scans lowered by between 0.3 m and 2.0 m, with a mean of 1.3 m. The measurements provide a baseline to determine the long-term mass balance of the Rolleston Glacier. Laser scanning proved especially useful in crevassed areas, and for steep or dangerous regions the ground-based laser scanner is seen as the only means of obtaining surface position data. However, the size and weight of the equipment, combined with the complexity of the data processing, currently prevents the technology from immediately being widely used in glaciological field work. As these limitations are reduced, the application of ground-based laser scanning to glaciology will become increasingly common. For regions of icefalls and calving faces, the ground-based laser scanner presents a means of obtaining quantitative data that has been unavailable before now. This will expand current observations beyond limited, safe, easily accessible areas to the full spectrum of glacier surfaces.

A mobile laser-induced fluorescence spectrum (LIFS) lidar was developed for monitoring pollens floating in the atmosphere. The fluorescence spectrum of pollens excited at 355 nm was measured with a fluorescence spectrometer and the results suggested that in general they had peaks at around 460 nm and the ranges were 400–600 nm. A fluorescence spectrum database of 25 different pollens was made with the 355 nm excitation. Based on these results, we developed a LIFS lidar that had features in pollen species identification and daytime operation. The former was achieved by the database and the latter was possible by introducing a synchronous-delay detection to a gated CCD spectrometer in an operation time of 200 ns. Fluorescence detection of pollens floating in the atmosphere was performed using the LIFS lidar in a field where cedars grow in the spring and ragweed in the autumn. The LIFS lidar system successfully detected fluorescence spectrums of the pollens at a distance of approximately 20 m away. We discussed the performance of the LIFS lidar by estimating the number of cedar pollens using a lidar equation, introducing a fluorescence cross section of cedar pollens and a sensitivity of the CCD spectrometer that was measured by ourselves.