Abstract

ALADIN (standing for Atmospheric Laser Doppler Instrument), as a spaceborne Doppler wind lidar instrument, is intended to respond to the pressing need for an accurate wind field description at global scale for both meteorology and numerical weather prediction and climate applications. Such an active instrument will fulfill the gap existing between the present capability of sophisticated numerical models and the drastic lack of information they do require. It will also bring a full-size demonstration of the potential of spaceborne wind lidar in world meteorological and climate monitoring.

© 1995 Optical Society of America