Detecting aerosol backscattering coefficient across the whole troposphere by the sidescattering lidar system with three CCD cameras.

Due to geometric overlap factor, the backscattering lidar is not suitable to detect atmospheric characteristics near the ground. A new sidescattering lidar system consisting of three CCD cameras and one CW laser is developed for the first time to measure the profiles of the backscattering coefficient of atmospheric aerosols across the whole troposphere, which has no detection blind zone near the ground. The aerosol relative phase function was detected by its horizontal CCD channel. The vertical distribution of aerosol backscattering coefficient across the whole troposphere was observed by the other two CCD cameras of vertical channel. The reasons for choosing three CCD cameras and their respective functions are analyzed in detail. Comparative experiments and continuous observations indicate that the new sidescattering lidar system including three CCD cameras is simple in structure and reliable in performance with low cost as well.

New experimental method for lidar overlap factor using a CCD side-scatter technique.

In theory, lidar overlap factor can be derived from the difference between the particle backscatter coefficient retrieved from lidar elastic signal without overlap correction and the actual particle backscatter coefficient, which can be obtained by other measured techniques. The side-scatter technique using a CCD camera is testified to be a powerful tool to detect the particle backscatter coefficient in near ground layer during night time. A new experiment approach to determine the overlap factor for vertically pointing lidar is presented in this study, which can be applied to Mie lidars. The effect of overlap factor on Mie lidar is corrected by an iteration algorithm combining the retrieved particle backscatter coefficient using CCD side-scatter method and Fernald method. This method has been successfully applied to Mie lidar measurements during a routine campaign, and the comparison of experimental results in different atmosphere conditions demonstrated that this method is available in practice.

Measurements of aerosol phase function and vertical backscattering coefficient using a charge-coupled device side-scatter lidar.

By using a charge-coupled device (CCD) as the detector, side-scatter lidar has great potential applications in the near range atmospheric detection. A new inversion method is proposed for CCD side-scatter lidar (Clidar) to retrieve aerosol phase function and vertical backscattering coefficient. Case studies show the retrieved results from Clidar are in good agreements with those obtained from other instruments. It indicates that the new proposed inversion method is reliable and feasible and that the Clidar is practicable.

[The estimation of cirrus cloud particulate shape using combined simulation and a three-wavelength lidar measurement].

The global occurrence of cirrus clouds can reach as high as 30%, whose scattering properties are essential impact on the climatic model, radiative transfer, and remote sensing. Their scattering properties are determined by the ice crystal shape, size distribution, refractive index and so on. Retrieval of the backscattering color ratios of cirrus cloud using a 355, 532 and 1 064 nm three-wavelength lidar, combined with the simulation of the three backscattering color ratios of different ice crystal shape, the shape of the lidar-measured ice crystal can be estimated. The results indicate that the shape of cirrus cloud over Hefei city is mostly composed by aggregates.

Determination of aerosol extinction-to-backscatter ratios from simultaneous ground-based and spaceborne lidar measurements.

A technique that determines the aerosol extinction-to-backscatter ratio (lidar ratio) as well as extinction and backscatter coefficients from simultaneous downlooking and uplooking lidar measurements is described. The feasibility of this technique is demonstrated by applying the technique to data acquired by the cloud-aerosol lidar pathfinder satellite observation (CALIPSO) lidar measurements and ground-based lidar measurements made at Hampton University (37.02 degrees N, 76.34 degrees W).

Measurements of cirrus cloud backscatter color ratio with a two-wavelength lidar.

We present observations of cirrus clouds from June 2006 to July 2007 performed by using a two-wavelength lidar located at Hampton University. For this time period, cirrus clouds were observed mostly in 7-13.5 km altitudes. Data analyses have been performed focusing on a color-ratio retrieval. In total, 86,369 samples from 1,689 profiles (1 min average and 15 m range resolution) containing cirrus clouds with attenuated backscatter ratio (ratio of attenuated total backscatter to the molecular backscatter) larger than 10 have been selected. The cirrus color ratio distribution shows a peak value at about 0.88 and a full width at half-maximum of 0.12.

[Study on the nonlinear Raman lidar monitoring the CO2 gas].

It is a new skill to use SRS rays as emitting waves for the lidar monitoring CO2 gas, and the nonlinear Raman lidar based on the SRS process was devised. The third harmonic Nd: YAG laser wave (354.7 nm) was injected into the Raman cells filled with higher pressure gases, CO2 and N2. The first Stokes (S1) line 371.66 nm (CO2) and 386.7 nm (N2) were generated by stimulated Raman scattering. The variable S1 energy was measured by changing the gas pressure in the Raman cell andthe Nd:YAG laser system output energy. The optimum pressures of the CO2 and N2 in the Raman cell were achieved. Moreover, the principles of this physical process were put forward. This skill has been applied to the lidar for monitoring the CO2 gas.