Differential absorption lidar measurements of atmospheric temperature profiles - Theory and experiment

Journal Article · Thu Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1993 · Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0426(1993)010<0165:DALMOA>2.0.CO;2· OSTI ID:6035658

Theopold, F A; Boesenberg, J ^[1]

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1. Max-Planck-Inst. fuer Meteorologie, Hamburg (Germany)

The method of measuring atmospheric temperature profiles with differential absorption lidar (DIAL), based on the temperature dependence of oxygen absorption lines in the near-IR, is investigated in detail. Particularly, the influence of Doppler broadening on the Rayleigh-backscattered signal is evaluated, and a correction method for this effect is presented which requires an accurate estimate of the molecular and particle backscatter contributions; this is noted not to be achievable by the usual lidar inversion techniques. Under realistic conditions, resulting errors may be as high as 10 K. First range-resolved measurements using this technique are presented, using a slightly modified DIAL system originally constructed for water vapor measurements. While much better resolution can certainly be achieved by technical improvements, the errors introduced by the uncertainty of the backscatter contributions will remain and determine the accuracy that can be obtained with this method. 35 refs.

• OSTI ID: 6035658
• Journal Information: Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology; (United States), Vol. 10:2; ISSN 0739-0572
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
TEMPERATURE GRADIENTS
OPTICAL RADAR
TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT
ENERGY ABSORPTION
NEAR INFRARED RADIATION
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
TEMPERATURE DISTRIBUTION
ABSORPTION
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
INFRARED RADIATION
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
RADAR
RADIATIONS
RANGE FINDERS
SORPTION
540110*
440600 - Optical Instrumentation- (1990-)