Abstract

This paper describes measurements of the atmospheric backscatter coefficient in and around Australia during May and June 1986. One set of backscatter measurements was made with a CO₂ lidar operating at 10.6 μm; the other set was obtained from calculations using measured aerosol parameters. Despite the two quite different data collection techniques, there is quite good agreement between the two methods. Backscatter values range from near 1 × 10⁻⁸ m⁻¹ sr⁻¹ near the surface to 4 − 5 × 10⁻¹¹ m⁻¹ sr⁻¹ in the free troposphere at 5–7-km altitude. The values in the free troposphere are somewhat lower than those typically measured at the same height in the northern hemisphere.

© 1989 Optical Society of America

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