SAM II (Stratospheric Aerosol Measurement II) and lidar aerosol profile comparisons during AASE (Airborne Arctic Stratospheric Expedition)

Journal Article · Wed Feb 28 23:00:00 EST 1990 · Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/GL017i004p00401· OSTI ID:5398609

Osborn, M T ^[1]; Poole, L R ^[2]; Wang, Pihuan ^[3]

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1. ST Systems Corporation, Hampton, VA (USA)
2. NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA (USA)
3. Science and Technology Corporation, Hampton, VA (USA)

The NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) aerosol lidar system was one of several instruments that flew aboard a DC-8 during the Airborne Arctic Stratospheric Expedition (AASE). Several of the Stratospheric Aerosol Measurement II (SAM II) altitude profiles of aerosol extinction were close enough in time and space to allow for intercomparison with the lidar measurements of aerosol backscatter. Comparisons between three SAM II 1.0 {mu} aerosol extinction profiles and analogous profiles inferred from nearly simultaneous airborne lidar measurements are discussed. As expected, the comparison made during homogeneous background aerosol conditions was excellent, with agreement within error bars. The other two comparisons show the first near-simultaneous SAM II/lidar measurements of a polar stratospheric cloud (PSC). The comparison made well within the edge of a relatively homogeneous PSC layer was also good, especially using an extinction-to-backscatter model derived from in situ PSC particle size measurements. The comparison made near the edge of a PSC showing considerable spatial and temporal variability was poor, likely due to rapid changes which may occur near the cloud edge.

• OSTI ID: 5398609
• Journal Information: Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (United States), Journal Name: Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (United States) Vol. 17:4; ISSN 0094-8276; ISSN GPRLA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540110*
AEROSOLS
AIRCRAFT
ARCTIC REGIONS
ATTENUATION
BACKSCATTERING
COLLOIDS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DISPERSIONS
DISTRIBUTION
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
EVALUATION
EVAPORATION
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
OPTICAL RADAR
PARTICLE SIZE
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
POLAR REGIONS
RADAR
RADIATIONS
RANGE FINDERS
SATELLITES
SCATTERING
SIZE
SOLAR RADIATION
SOLS
STELLAR RADIATION
STRATOSPHERE
TIME DEPENDENCE
VARIATIONS