Abstract

The European Space Agency will launch the Atmospheric Laser Doppler Instrument (ALADIN) for global wind profile observations in the near future. The potential of ALADIN to measure the optical properties of aerosol and cirrus, as well, is investigated based on simulations. A comprehensive data analysis scheme is developed that includes (a) the correction of Doppler-shifted particle backscatter interference in the molecular backscatter channels (cross-talk effect), (b) a procedure that allows us to check the quality of the cross-talk correction, and (c) the procedures for the independent retrieval of profiles of the volume extinction and backscatter coefficients of particles considering the height-dependent ALADIN signal resolution. The error analysis shows that the particle backscatter and extinction coefficients, and the corresponding extinction-to-backscatter ratio (lidar ratio), can be obtained with an overall (systematic + statistical) error of 10%–15%, 15%–30%, and 20%–35%, respectively, in tropospheric aerosol and dust layers with extinction values from $50\text{\hspace{0.17em} to}200{\text{Mm}}^{-1}$; 700-shot averaging ($50\text{\hspace{0.17em} km}$ horizontal resolution) is required. Vertical signal resolution is $500\text{\hspace{0.17em} m}$ in the lower troposphere and $1000\text{\hspace{0.17em} m}$ in the free troposphere. In cirrus characterized by extinction coefficients of $200{\text{Mm}}^{-\text{1}}$ and an optical depth of $>0.2$, backscatter coefficients, optical depth, and column lidar ratios can be obtained with 25%–35% relative uncertainty and a horizontal resolution of $10\text{\hspace{0.17em} km}$ (140 shots). In the stratosphere, only the backscatter coefficient of aerosol layers and polar stratospheric clouds can be retrieved with an acceptable uncertainty of 15%–30%. Vertical resolution is 2000 m.

© 2007 Optical Society of America

Particle backscatter, extinction, and lidar ratio profiling with Raman lidar in south and north China

Matthias Tesche, Albert Ansmann, Detlef Müller, Dietrich Althausen, Ronny Engelmann, Min Hu, and Yuanghang Zhang
Appl. Opt. 46(25) 6302-6308 (2007)

Airborne high spectral resolution lidar for measuring aerosol extinction and backscatter coefficients

Michael Esselborn, Martin Wirth, Andreas Fix, Matthias Tesche, and Gerhard Ehret
Appl. Opt. 47(3) 346-358 (2008)

Independent measurement of extinction and backscatter profiles in cirrus clouds by using a combined Raman elastic-backscatter lidar

Albert Ansmann, Ulla Wandinger, Maren Riebesell, Claus Weitkamp, and Walfried Michaelis
Appl. Opt. 31(33) 7113-7131 (1992)

Spaceborne profiling of atmospheric temperature and particle extinction with pure rotational Raman lidar and of relative humidity in combination with differential absorption lidar: performance simulations

Paolo Di Girolamo, Andreas Behrendt, and Volker Wulfmeyer
Appl. Opt. 45(11) 2474-2494 (2006)

Retrieval of atmospheric particles optical properties by combining ground-based and spaceborne lidar elastic scattering profiles

Xuan Wang, Maria Grazia Frontoso, Gianluca Pisani, and Nicola Spinelli
Opt. Express 15(11) 6734-6743 (2007)