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The Aeolus mission objectives are to improve numerical weather prediction (NWP) and enhance the understanding and modeling of atmospheric dynamics on global and regional scale. Given the first successes of Aeolus in NWP, it is time to look forward to future vertical wind profiling capability to fulfill the rolling requirements in operational meteorology. Requirements for wind profiles and information on vertical wind shear are constantly evolving. The need for high-quality wind and profile information to capture and initialize small-amplitude, fast-evolving, and mesoscale dynamical structures increases, as the resolution of global NWP improved well into the 3D turbulence regime on horizontal scales smaller than 500 km. In addition, advanced requirements to describe the transport and dispersion of atmospheric constituents and better depict the circulation on climate scales are well recognized. Direct wind profile observations over the oceans, tropics, and Southern Hemisphere are not provided by the current global observing system. Looking to the future, most other wind observation techniques rely on cloud or regions of water vapor and are necessarily restricted in coverage. Therefore, after its full demonstration, an operational Aeolus-like follow-on mission obtaining globally distributed wind profiles in clear air by exploiting molecular scattering remains unique.

Le LIDAR (light detection and ranging) est une méthode de télédétection optique active. Des lasers de plus en plus performants ont conduit à la formidable expansion des applications LIDAR dans les domaines géophysiques et industriels. On utilise des lasers impulsionnels pour la mesure de distance (télémétrie) à laquelle s’ajoutent des mesures de composition atmosphérique ou marine, de vitesse et de réflectivité des cibles (terrain, végétation, bâti urbain).

Les lidars retrodiffusion aerosols nuages (LRAN) sont utilises au sein des reseaux de mesures sol pour les applications atmospheriques : pollution, meteorologie, climat. Dans cet article, les simulateurs de performance sont presentes en tant qu’outils pour la conception et la realisation des instruments. Ensuite, le milieu atmospherique et les methodes standard d’inversion du signal LRAN sont detailles en vue des applications.

International audience; The MEthane Remote sensing Lidar missioN (MERLIN) aims at demonstrating the spaceborne active measurement of atmospheric methane, a potent greenhouse gas, based on an Integrated Path Differential Absorption (IPDA) nadir-viewing LIght Detecting and Ranging (Lidar) instrument. MERLIN is a joint French and German space mission, with a launch currently scheduled for the timeframe 2021/22. The German Space Agency (DLR) is responsible for the payload, while the platform (MYRIADE Evolutions product line) is developed by the French Space Agency (CNES). The main scientific objective of MERLIN is the delivery of weighted atmospheric columns of methane dry-air mole fractions for all latitudes throughout the year with systematic errors small enough (

L’article presente le lidar dans ses differents aspects traitant de l’instrumentation, de la spectroscopie atmospherique et des signaux. Ceux-ci sont presentes sous une forme aisement utilisable par le lecteur pour cerner ses besoins et repondre a ses objectives. Tout en continuant une recherche innovante, a partir des annees 2000, la communaute lidar s’est investie dans les applications de service et les missions spatiales.

The European Space Agency (ESA) wind mission, Aeolus, hosts the first space-based Doppler Wind Lidar (DWL) world-wide. The primary mission objective is to demonstrate the DWL technique for measuring wind profiles from space, intended for assimilation in Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) models. The wind observations will also be used to advance atmospheric dynamics research and for evaluation of climate models. Mission spin-off products are profiles of cloud and aerosol optical properties. Aeolus was launched on 22 August 2018, and the Atmospheric LAser Doppler INstrument (Aladin) instrument switch-on was completed with first high energy output in wind mode on 4 September 2018 [1], [2]. The on-ground data processing facility worked excellent, allowing L2 product output in near-real-time from the start of the mission. First results from the wind profile product (L2B) assessment show that the winds are of very high quality, with random errors in the free Troposphere within (cloud/aerosol backscatter winds: 2.1 m/s) and larger (molecular backscatter winds: 4.3 m/s) than the requirements (2.5 m/s), but still allowing significant positive impact in first preliminary NWP impact experiments. The higher than expected random errors at the time of writing are amongst others due to a lower instrument out-and input photon budget than designed. The instrument calibration is working well, and some of the data processing steps are currently being refined to allow to fully correct instrument alignment related drifts and elevated detector dark currents causing biases in the first data product version. The optical properties spin-off product (L2A) is being compared e.g. to NWP model clouds, air quality model forecasts, and collocated ground-based observations. Features including optically thick and thin particle and hydrometeor layers are clearly identified and are being validated.

Generation of internal gravity waves in the boundary layer is investigated from observations. Simultaneous measurements from a 2 µm Doppler lidar and a 0.5 µm backscatter lidar are combined to analyse the occurrence, or not, of internal gravity waves in the residual layer during the morning transition on two days, 10 and 14 June 2005. Three cases are studied for illustrating three different flow configurations in the residual layer: no wave, evanescent wave and propagating wave. Comparison of the three cases suggests two necessary conditions for the generation of gravity waves: a stably stratified residual layer and a convective boundary layer with mechanical forcing frequencies less than the Brunt–Vaisala frequency. The horizontal wind shear probably plays a role in the dynamics of the waves, but, in the cases analysed, it is not sufficient alone to generate the observed waves through the obstacle effect. In the case of wave propagation, the waves tilt upstream and against the wind shear, with a typical horizontal wavelength and a line phase direction with respect to the vertical of 2.4 km and 32°, respectively. Unexpectedly, we found that measurements of the wave-associated vertical velocity and the displacement of tracers (0.5 µm depolarization ratio or 2 µm backcatter, both indicative of relative humidity fluctuations) are in phase. Possible explanations include: (i) aerosol particles are not passive with respect to temperature or water vapour fluctuations; or (ii) a nonlinear wave-turbulence interaction is at work and needs further investigation. Copyright © 2011 Royal Meteorological Society

The vertical profiling of CO2 turbulent fluxes in the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) is investigated using a coherent differential absorption lidar (CDIAL) operated nearby a tall tower in Wisconsin during June 2007. A CDIAL can perform simultaneous range-resolved CO2 DIAL and velocity measurements. The lidar eddy covariance technique is presented. The aims of the study are (i) an assessment of performance and current limitation of available CDIAL for CO2 turbulent fluxes and (ii) the derivation of instrument specifications to build a future CDIAL to perform accurate range-resolved CO2 fluxes. Experimental lidar CO2 mixing ratio and vertical velocity profiles are successfully compared with in situ sensors measurements. Time and space integral scales of turbulence in the ABL are addressed that result in limitation for time averaging and range accumulation. A first attempt to infer CO2 fluxes using an eddy covariance technique with currently available 2-μm CDIAL dataset is reported.

Aerosols and clouds have important effects on Earth's climate through their effects on the radiation budget and the cycling of water between the atmosphere and Earth's surface. Limitations in our understanding of the global distribution and properties of aerosols and clouds are partly responsible for the current uncertainties in modeling the global climate system and predicting climate change. The CALIPSO satellite was developed as a joint project between NASA and the French space agency CNES to provide needed capabilities to observe aerosols and clouds from space. CALIPSO carries CALIOP, a two-wavelength, polarization-sensitive lidar, along with two passive sensors operating in the visible and thermal infrared spectral regions. CALIOP is the first lidar to provide long-term atmospheric measurements from Earth's orbit. Its profiling and polarization capabilities offer unique measurement capabilities. Launched together with the CloudSat satellite in April 2006 and now flying in formation with the A-train satellite constellation, CALIPSO is now providing information on the distribution and properties of aerosols and clouds, which is fundamental to advancing our understanding and prediction of climate. This paper provides an overview of the CALIPSO mission and instruments, the data produced, and early results.

Vertical mean CO2 mixing ratio measurements are reported in the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) and in the lower free troposphere (FT), using a 2-μm heterodyne differential absorption lidar (HDIAL). The mean CO2 mixing ratio in the ABL is determined using 1) aerosol backscatter signal and a mean derivative of the increasing optical depth as a function of altitude and 2) optical depth measurements from cloud target returns. For a 1-km vertical long path in the ABL, 2% measurement precision with a time resolution of 30 min is demonstrated for the retrieved mean CO2 absorption. Spectroscopic calculations are reported in details using new spectroscopic data in the 2-μm domain and the outputs of the fifth-generation Pennsylvania State University–National Center for Atmospheric Research Mesoscale Model (MM5). Then, using both aerosols in the ABL and midaltitude dense clouds in the free troposphere, preliminary HDIAL measurements of mean CO2 mixing ratio in the free troposphere are also presented. The 2-μm HDIAL vertical measurements are compared to ground-based and airborne in situ CO2 mixing ratio measurements and discussed with the atmospheric synoptic conditions.

Ready for launch by the end of 2016, the Doppler lidar mission AEOLUS from the European Space Agency (ESA) will be the first High-Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL) in space. Operating in the UV, it implements two detection channels for aerosol and molecular backscatter. The system is primarily designed for the measurement of winds, but the HSRL capability enables the measurement of the particulate backscatter and extinction coefficients without any a priori assumption on the aerosol type. The level-2A (L2A) processor has been developed for these measurements and tested with synthetic data. The results show good aerosol backscatter profiles can be retrieved. Extinction coefficients are reasonable but do not reach the quality of backscatter coefficients. A precise, full, radiometric calibration of the lidar is required. A major limitation of the system is a single polarization component of the light is detected leading to an underestimation of backscatter coefficients when the atmospheric particles are depolarizing. The vertical resolution goes from 250 meters in the lowest part of the atmosphere, to 2 km in the lower stratosphere. The maximum altitude can reach above 20km. The basic horizontal averaging is 90km. Averaging on shorter distances (down to a few km) are possible but require a sufficient signal to noise ratio.

International audience; We question the correlation between vertical velocity ( w) on the one hand and the occurrence of convective plumes in lidar reflectivity (i.e. range corrected backscatter signal Pz 2) and depolarization ratio (Δ) on the other hand in the convective boundary layer (CBL). Thermal vertical motion is directly investigated using vertical velocities measured by a ground-based Doppler lidar operating at 2 μm. This lidar provides also simultaneous measurements of lidar reflectivity. In addition, a second lidar 200 m away provides reflectivities at 0.53 and 1 μm and depolarization ratio at 0.53 μm. The time series from the two lidars are analyzed in terms of linear correlation coefficient ( ρ). The main result is that the plume-like structures provided by lidar reflectivity within the CBL as well as the CBL height are not a clear signature of updrafts. It is shown that the lidar reflectivity within the CBL is frequently anti-correlated ( ρ ( w, Pz 2 )) with the vertical velocity. On the contrary, the correlation coefficient between the depolarization ratio and the vertical velocity ρ ( w, Δ ) is always positive, showing that the depolarization ratio is a fair tracer of updrafts. The importance of relative humidity on the correlation coefficient is discussed.

Three cirrus cloud cases have been remotely sounded near Paris by a ground-based backscatter lidar and broadband radiometers. Some cirrus properties (optical depth, emissivity, height) are derived from these measurements and used to compare radiative transfer calculations to surface and METEOSAT observations of broadband irradiances. For a useful comparison, the three cirrus cases were selected to have different morphologies and optical properties: June 29, 1993—thin cirrus cloud (thickness 1.5 km, optical depth 0.22); September 6, 1993—thick cirrus cloud (thickness 5 km, optical depth 2.7); and November 16, 1993—inhomogeneous and geometrically thick cirrus cloud (thickness 3.5–6.5 km) but optically thin (optical depth 0.82). At surface, the differences between measurements and model range from 1.5 to 4 Wm −2 for longwave fluxes, and from 20 to 70 Wm −2 for shortwave fluxes. At the top of the atmosphere, the differences between METEOSAT measurements and model are in fair agreement for longwave fluxes (up to 50 Wm −2 ). However, unexpected high differences are found for shortwave fluxes (up to 144 Wm −2 ) due to cirrus clouds heterogeneities and uncertainties in their microphysical properties and especially the occurrence of high reflectivity due to horizontally oriented ice crystals at the cloud top, which are not taken into account by the Model presently.

The prime aim of the Atmospheric Dynamics Mission is to demonstrate measurements of vertical wind profiles from space. Extensive studies conducted by the European Space Agency over the past 15 years have culminated in the selection of a high-performance Doppler wind lidar based on direct-detection interferometric techniques. Such a system, with a pulsed laser operating at 355-nm wavelength, would utilize both Rayleigh scattering from molecules and Mie scattering from thin cloud and aerosol particles; measurement of the residual Doppler shift from successive levels in the atmosphere provides the vertical wind profiles. The lidar would be accommodated on a satellite flying in a sun-synchronous orbit, at an altitude of ~400 km, providing near-global coverage; target date for launch is in 2007. Processing of the backscatter signals will provide about 3000 globally distributed wind profiles per day, above thick clouds or down to the surface in clear air, at typically 200-km separation along the satellite track...

International audience; We present a simple method to retrieve aerosol optical properties from direct solar measurements obtained using sun-photometer measurements from AERONET (Aerosol Robotic Network). This monitoring program is a federation of ground-based remote sensing aerosol network conducted by NASA. The goal of this network is to assess the aerosol optical properties and to validate their retrievals with satellite information. Data from this collaboration provide globally distributed observations of spectral aerosol optical thickness, precipitation water, and aerosol volume size distribution (derived from the inversion products) in geographically diverse aerosol regimes. In this work, we present a simple method to deduce the aerosol microphysical properties in the sub-micrometer radius range, which were derived from the aerosol optical thickness measurements using Mie kernel functions with a proposed synthetic radius spectrum. Results and comparison of this inversion procedure with other standard inversion products are shown for Buenos Aires (CEILAP) and Córdoba (CETT) sites of AERONET network.

International audience; In the framework of the scientific cooperation between the CEILAP laboratory (Argentina) and IPSL Institut Pierre Simon Laplace (France), devoted to the development of LIDAR techniques for Atmospheric sciences, a new area of scientific research, involving LIDARs, is starting in Argentine space technology. This new research area is under consideration at CEILAP in a joint effort with CONAE, the Argentine space agency, responsible for the development of future space missions. The LIDAR technique is necessary to improve our knowledge of meteorological, dynamic, and radiative processes in the South American region, for the whole troposphere and the lower stratosphere. To study this future mission, a simple model for the prediction of backscatter LIDAR signal from a spacecraft platform has been used to determine dimensions and detection characteristics of the space borne LIDAR instrument. The backscatter signal was retrieved from a modeled atmosphere considering its molecular density profile and taking into account different aerosols and clouds conditions. Signal-to-noise consideration, within the interval of possible dimension of the instrument parameters, allows us to constrain the telescope receiving area and to derive maximum range achievable, integration time and the final spatial and temporal resolutions of backscatter profiles.

This paper deals with the spectral dependence and time variability of Angstrom wavelength exponent scaling law (α), which is the spectral varying slope of the logarithmic relationship between aerosol optical depths (τ) and the wavelength (λ). It is commonly used to retrieve intensive air masses optical properties such as aerosol size distribution from extensive quantities (τ) and Angstrom turbidity coefficient (β). This spectral variation of α is studied at different wavelengths from measurements taken by ground-based sun photometer covering from near-infrared to ultraviolet range. We analyze the spectral measurement of aerosols optical depths at eight specific selected wavelengths from 340 to 1020 nm using the sun photometer measurements from AErosol RObotic NETwork (AERONET) from NASA. Data from the entire year 2000 were used from instruments deployed at two different sites covering the regions of Argentina as northcentral at Cordoba CETT (31.5S, 64.4W) and “pampa humeda” at Buenos Aires CEILAP (34.5S, 58.5W). A new approach of Angstrom wavelength exponent spectral variation was developed to take into account with a more accurate precision the significant curvature appearing in the logarithmic relation between τ and λ. Using the direct spectral solar radiation set, time series of Angstrom coefficient of turbidity and wavelength scaling law was computed with a day to day data base clustering with uncertainty lower than 0.01 in the optical depth reconstruction over the bulk sun photometer measurements. Temporal series of constant and spectral dependence of wavelength exponent scaling law and turbidity coefficient was derived and shown to vary in space and time. Different meteorological forcing for both sites was evidenced using a regression coefficient analysis to well assess the spectral dependence of wavelength exponent coefficient due to the different cumulating mode of particles and air masses origin at different sites. This spectral decomposition is a key issue in aerosols analysis of steady state and regional scale intrusion episodes with strong connection to their potential contribution of pollution episodes in air-quality problems on urban environment.

The flow structure at the intersection between the Rhine and the Seez valleys nearthe Swiss city of Bad Ragaz has been documented by means of wind and pressuremeasurements collected from 9 September to 10 November 1999 during the MesoscaleAlpine Programme (MAP) experiment. To understand better the dynamics of theageostrophic winds that develop in this part of the Rhine valley, some key questionsare answered in this paper including the following: (i) How does air blow at theintersection of the Rhine and Seez valleys? and (ii) what are the dynamical processes(mechanical or thermal) driving the flow circulations in the valleys?

This paper examines the three-dimensional structure and dynamics of a south fohn flow in the Rhine Valley during its entire life cycle from 29 October 1999 until 31 October 1999. The south fohn event was documented in the framework of the Mesoscale Alpine Programme (MAP). This study investigates the synoptic-scale forcing sources, the dynamical processes driving the circulation of the fohn flow in the complex network of tributaries of the Rhine Valley, and the degree of inhomogeneity on the scale of the FORM (‘FOehn in the Rhine Valley during the MAP’ programme) target area at the bifurcation between the Rhine and Seez Valleys. Several important data sources were used (ground-based Doppler lidar, scintillometers, constant-volume balloons, radiosoundings and surface stations) as well as non-hydrostatic mesoscale simulations. The fohn penetrating the FORM target area on 30 October 1999 is preceded by a nocturnal shallow fohn phase which does not penetrate down to the ground due to katabatic drainage flow from the main transverse (east–west oriented) tributaries in which fohn cannot penetrate. This paper shows the contribution of the main tributaries of the Rhine Valley in directing the fohn flow towards the FORM target area during (i) the shallow fohn phase where the westerly upper-level flow is deflected in the main longitudinal (i.e. north–south oriented) tributaries; (ii) the penetrating fohn phase, where the south/south-westerly upper-level flow is nearly aligned with the longitudinal tributaries. The channelling efficiency of the main longitudinal tributaries of the Rhine Valley (particularly the Domleschg) is higher during the fohn phase when the south-westerly upper-level flow, experiencing mountain-wave-induced downward motion, penetrates these tributaries, than during the shallow fohn. In the FORM target area, the structure of the fohn flow varies on a 1-kilometre horizontal length-scale and the time evolution of the respective location of the cold air pool and the warm fohn air is investigated in detail. Also, flow splitting between the Rhine and Seez Valleys occurs during the entire fohn life cycle, but its vertical extension is maximum during shallow fohn, when lower- and upper-level flows are fully decoupled. Copyright © 2003 Royal Meteorological Society.

Benefiting from close to ideal amplification properties (high gain, low dark current, and low excess noise factor), HgCdTe electron initiated avalanche photodiode (e-APD) technology exhibits state of the art sensitivity, thus being especially relevant for applications relying on low light level detection, such as LIDAR (Light Detection And Ranging). In addition, the tunable gap of the Hg1−xCdxTe alloy enables coverage of the short wavelength infrared (SWIR) and especially the 2 μm spectral range. For these two reasons, a HgCdTe e-APD based detector is a promising candidate for future differential absorption LIDAR missions targeting greenhouse gas absorption bands in SWIR. In this study, we report on the design and evaluation of such a HgCdTe e-APD based detector. The first part focuses on detector architecture and performance. Key figures of merit are: 2.8 μm cutoff wavelength, 200 μm diameter almost circular sensitive area, 185 K operating temperature (thermo-electric cooling), 22 APD gain (at 12 V reverse bias), 360 kΩ transimpedance gain, and 60 fWHz−0.5 noise equivalent power (at 12 V reverse bias). The second part presents an analysis of atmospheric LIDAR signals obtained by mounting the HgCdTe e-APD based detector on the 2 μm differential absorption LIDAR developed at the Laboratoire de Meteorologie Dynamique and dedicated to CO2 monitoring. Discussion emphasizes random and systematic errors in LIDAR measurements regarding breadboard detector characterization. In particular, we investigate the influence of parasitic tails in detector impulse response on short range DIAL measurements.

The airborne Wind Infrared Doppler Lidar (WIND) has been developed through French–German cooperation. The system is based on a pulsed 10.6-μm laser transmitter, a heterodyne receiver, and a conical scanning device. To the authors' knowledge, it is the first airborne Doppler lidar for atmospheric research to retrieve the whole tropospheric wind profile between the ground and the flight level looking downward. The wind vector is measured with the velocity-azimuth display (VAD) technique with a vertical sampling of 250 m. The first flights on board the DLR Falcon 20 aircraft were performed in 1999. Results of a comparison among WIND, radiosondes, wind-profiler radar measurements, numerical models, and simulations are presented. It is shown that the correspondence of airborne WIND measurements with those of other instruments or models is better than 1.5 m s−1 and 5° for the horizontal wind vector. These results show the excellent capability of conical scanning Doppler lidars to provide unique insight...

International audience; The diurnal cycle of the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) hasbeen documented on 8 August 1998 in the framework of the Étude et Simulation de la QUalité de l'air en Ile-de-France (ESQUIF) experiment that took place in the Paris area. The ABL structure was documented by means of a ground-based lidar, surface meteorological stations and soundings. The interaction between the residual layer and the convective boundary layer is investigated using the collected data as well as mesoscale modelling. As opposed to the generally accepted concept, we find evidence of entrainment at the top ofthe residual layer. High temporal simulations of the 8 August 1998 casemade with the mesoscale atmospheric model Meso-NH also show evidenceof mixing at the top of the residual layer (RL). This mixing is believed to be related to the presence of convective (gravity) waves in the RL.

Flow splitting in the Rhine valley has been observed with a transportable wind lidar (TWL) during a shallow-foehn event in the framework of the Mesoscale Alpine Programme (MAP). The Doppler lidar recorded in detail flow splitting, foehn wind gusts, and flow reversal. Such structures have not previously been observed with comparable detail by conventional in-situinstruments. In addition to the TWL, boundary-layer processes have been documented by means of rawinsondes and surface stations. This paper presents an analysis of the processes giving birth to flow splitting between the Seez and Rhine valleys during Intensive Observation Period (IOP) 5 (1–3 October 1999) by combining the collected data with hydraulic theory. The study shows thatthe splitting of the channelled flow is associated with (1) the existence of a stagnation point at the intersection of the Seez and Rhine valleys, and (2) the deflection of the flow by the lateral sidewalls of the valleys.

Heterodyne Doppler lidars (HDLs) are used to monitor atmospheric wind field and wind turbulence at remote distance. This last application calls for the derivation of wind spectra, which can be characterized by the dissipation rate and the κ-spectral peak (or outer scale of turbulence). However, the HDL technique may suffer two problems. First, HDL measurements result in spatial averaging of the true wind velocity along the line of sight, because of the laser pulse duration and windowing effect on processed signals. Second, even at high signal-to-noise ratio, the retrieved turbulent velocity field may be contaminated by errors due to speckle fluctuations. It is shown that both spatial averaging and error contribution to the wind spectra can be modeled starting from the transmitted laser pulse characteristics and signal processing parameters, so that their effect can be predicted. The rms difference between the estimated and predicted turbulent spectra is minimized in order to infer the turbulence ...

Frequency estimates by heterodyne Doppler lidar (HDL) may result in velocity bias due to the atmospheric speckle effect and an asymmetrical power spectrum of the probing pulse, as discussed in a previous paper by Dabas et al. In this paper, it has been shown that the velocity bias can be accounted for and corrected on a single measurement basis for a mean frequency estimator (e.g., pulse pair). In the present paper, a new procedure is proposed and validated for adaptive filters (e.g., Levin, notch, etc.), which accounts for nonstationary conditions such as wind turbulence, wind shear, and backscattered power gradient. The present study is conducted using both numerical simulations and actual data taken by a 10-μm HDL.

International audience; Cloud parameters derived from measurements performed with the airborne backscatter lidar LEANDRE 1 during mission 206 of the EUCREX '94 campaign are reported. A new method has been developed to retrieve the extinction coefficient at the top of the dense stratocumulus deck under scrutiny during this mission. The largest extinction values are found to be related to the highest cloud top altitude revealing the small-scale structure of vertical motions within the stratocumulus field. Cloud optical depth (COD) is estimated from extinction retrievals, as well as cloud top and cloud base altitude using nadir and zenith lidar observations, respectively. Lidar-derived CODs are compared with CODs deduced from radiometric measurements made onboard the French research aircraft Avion de Recherche Atmosphérique et de Télédétection (ARAT/F27). A fair agreement is obtained (within 20%) for COD's larger than 10. Our results show the potential of lidar measurements to analyze cloud properties at optical depths larger than 5.

Forward scattering in cirrus clouds can significantly affect backscatter lidar signal. Its contribution can be estimated numerically knowing the size and shape of the crystals. Contemporary airborne and space-borne lidar measurements collected during the European Lidar In-space Technology Experiment (E-LITE) field campaign (in the framework of the NASA/LITE mission) are used to show that forward scattering reduces the optical depth derived from space-borne measurements by at least a factor of 2 with respect to the true value. This reduction factor is discussed in terms of crystal size and shape (i.e. forward scattering, and measurement configuration). It is shown that cirrus backscatter-to-extinction ratios derived from airborne and space-borne lidar measurements can be used to illustrate the sensitivity of multiple scattering effects the ice crystal size and shape.

During the intensive European Cloud and Radiation Experiment 1994 (EUCREX’94) conducted off the coast of Brittany (France) over the Atlantic Ocean during April 1994, natural cirrus have been analyzed from in situ and remote sensing measurements. The authors have particularly studied the case of 17 April 1994. For this day a cirrus bank is described by a complete dataset, that is, classic airborne thermodynamical measurements, microphysical (forward scattering spectrometer probe) and OAP-2D2-C (optical array probe-cloud) probes manufactured by Particle Measuring System, and radiative (Barnes Precision Radiation Thermometer, Eppley pyranometers, and upward- and downward-looking pyrgeometers) measurements above and below the cloud. More specific airborne instruments were used such as upward backscatter lidar with polarization capabilities (LEANDRE) on board the Avion de Recherches Atmospheriques et Teledetection and the Polarization and Directionality of the Earth’s Reflectances (POLDER) radiometer ...

In this paper, a quantitative analysis of in situ and radiative measurements concerning cirrus clouds is presented. These measurements were performed during the European Cloud and Radiative Experiment 1994 (EUCREX’94) as discussed in an earlier paper (Part I). The analyses are expressed in terms of cirrus microphysics structure. The complex microphysical structure of cirrus cloud is approximated by simple hexagonal monocrystalline particles (columns and plates) and by polycrystalline particles (randomized triadic Koch fractals of second generation) both arbitrarily oriented in space (3D). The authors have also considered hexagonal plates randomly oriented in horizontal planes with a tilted angle of 15° (2D). Radiative properties of cirrus cloud are analyzed, assuming that the cloud is composed of 3D ice crystals, by way of an adding–doubling code. For the hypothesis of 2D ice crystals, a modified successive order of scattering code has been used. The first order of scattering is calculated exactl...

Unreliable frequency estimates at low signal-to-noise ratios, provided by a heterodyne Doppler lidar (HDL), undermines any data analysis scheme requiring high-accuracy wind fields retrievals. To meet demanding specifications, that is, high accuracy associated with high reliability on radial velocity components, a quality control (QC) procedure has to be implemented at signal processing level. The authors propose use of a recursive implementation of an adaptive filter for frequency estimate coupled with a QC that combines a statistical test on the signal energy filtered out as proposed by Rye and Hardesty and a persistency criterion (PC). The PC leads to improved performance with respect to the percentage of data finally accepted and frequency accuracy. The performance is validated using simulated signals and HDL actual data.

In an experiment investigating the planetary boundary layer (PBL) wind and temperature fields, and PBL inversion height recorded by various instruments, the results reveal the presence of organized large eddies (OLE) or rolls. The measurements by lidars, anemometers, soundings and sodar gave an overview of the characteristics of the rolls and sources of energy production that maintain them. The experimental results obtained on two consecutive days are compared to model outputs. The agreement is excellent, showing that thermal stratification and wind shear are important factors in the structure and dynamics of OLE. A heterodyne Doppler lidar (HDL) is shown to be a useful tool in the study of OLE.

Radial wind velocity measurements by a pulsed CO2 Doppler lidar may be biased even in stationary atmospheric conditions. The authors show it is due to random speckle fluctuations of the backscattered signal and is related to the dissymmetry of the transmitted laser pulse periodogram. A procedure is proposed to correct for the bias on a shot-to-shot basis when a pulse-pair mean-frequency estimator is used for processing. The procedure is validated on simulated and actual lidar signals.

An airborne pulsed Doppler lidar implementing a downlooking conical scan rotating around the vertical axis is under development. The information contained in the measured radial velocities is studied to assess the capacity to retrieve the 3D wind field at mesoscale. First, in the frame of a variational analysis, it is shown that the observations cannot resolve horizontal scales shorter than approximately 5 km. Then, constraints of mass conservation and regularity as well as various boundary conditions are added to improve the resolution. The various constraints are tested on synthetic data. Further, a full analysis scheme is proposed that combines a preanalysis at low resolution followed by a finer resolution analysis. The achievable performances are discussed as well as the main limitations.

The thickness of the entrainment zone at the top of the marine atmosphericboundary layer (MABL) has been documented by an airborne lidar on twoconsecutive days during a cold-air outbreak episode over the Mediterranean.In addition to the lidar observations, in situ turbulent flux measurementsat three levels in the MABL were made by a second aircraft. The flights' tracksare broken down in segments 25–30 km long and the data are filtered for theparametrization of turbulent entrainment in the MABL at scales smaller thana few kilometres. The structural parameters of the entrainment zone aredetermined by lidar from the distributions of the instantaneous MABL topheight. The average values Ph0 and Ph2 of the cumulativeprobability distributions are used to define the bottom and top heights of the entrainment zone h0 and h2, respectively. The parameters h0 andh2 are calculated by reference to a linear vertical buoyancy flux profilein the framework of a first-order jump model. The model is constrained by bothlidar and in situ data to determine Ph0 and Ph2 and so h0and h2. In unstable conditions theaverage fraction Ph0 is estimated to be 6.0 ± 1%. It is shown to beslightly sensitive to the presence of cloud at small cloud fractions.The mean value of the ratio of the inversion level buoyancy flux to the surfacebuoyancy flux ARv is found to range from 0.15 to 0.30 depending on the shearin the MABL. The average value is 0.22 ± 0.05. Our resultsare in good agreement with previous analysis at comparable spatial scales.In purely convective conditions, the value of ARv given by theparametrizations fitted to our results is about 0.10–0.12, a value smallerthan the commonly accepted value of 0.2. When compared to previousparametrization results, our proportionality constant for the mechanicalproduction of turbulent kinetic energy is also found to be scaled down, ingood agreement with large-eddy simulation results. It is suggestedthat mesoscale organized motions in the MABL is the source of thisdifference.

The best performance of a CMT photo-voltaic detector in the heterodyne mode relies on an optimal local oscillator power. A theoretical analysis and experiments are conducted to determine the optimal power in connection with the diode parameters to operate at maximum quantum yield.

The atmospheric wind field information is a key issue to numerical weather prediction (NWP) and climate studies. The Atmospheric Dynamic Mission-Aeolus is currently developed by the European Space Agency (ESA) to launch a wind sensing Doppler lidar in mid-2015. The high spectral resolution lidar concept is using backscattered laser signals from molecules and particles to provide accurate horizontal wind velocity measurements in the depth of atmosphere. The Aeolus lidar, so-called ALADIN, will operate in UV at 0.355 μm. The combination of air molecules and UV laser light is intended to provide wind data evenly distributed everywhere in the lower atmosphere (below 30 km altitude). The goal of the ESA's Aeolus mission is to enhance the present meteorological observations system over sparse wind data regions, and more importantly to provide direct wind information in the tropics where no geostrophic wind can be derived from mass fields obtained from passive radiometer satellite. The 0.355 μm lidar concept was under testing during a field campaign conducted at the Haute-Provence Observatory, France, in 1999. Several active remote sensors were deployed on the site, and it was the opportunity to address the self-consistency of wind measurements made by different lidars, a 72 MHz radar, and conventional balloon radio soundings. The paper presents the comparison of different remote sensors using two criteria: Pearson cross-correlation coefficient and root mean square error. The methodology discussed here may be useful in future ESA Aeolus validation campaigns involving different kinds of instruments.

While basically RADARs and LIDARs share the same principles of measurements, because of their different wavelengths, RADARs and LIDARs are sensitive to different characteristics of the atmosphere. LIDARs are used primarily for clear air sensing of molecular and particulate species (including ice clouds). RADAR measurements are most widely used for cloud and rain sensing. However, there are overlaps in the capabilities and new applications take advantage of recently developed installations of RADAR and LIDAR on the same aircraft. Several books exist which detail LIDAR or RADAR techniques and applications. It is not the objective of this chapter to fully describe such techniques or to delve into details about electromagnetic interaction processes. Rather, the objectives of this chapter are to (i)present, in parallel, optical and microwave measurement principles focusing on similarities and differences; (ii) highlight recent advances in observations, including synergetic ones; and (iii) to present state-of-the-art results related to the characterization of the atmospheric parameters and composition from airborne LIDAR and RADAR observations. Surface and subsurface characterization are not part of this review.

Dynamical processes leading to dust emission over Syria and Iraq, in response to a strong winter Shamal event as well as the subsequent transport of dust over Iraq and northwest Iran, are analyzed on the basis of a case study (22-23 February 2010) using a suite of ground-based and spaceborne remote sensing platforms together with modeling tools. Surface measurements on 22 February show a sharp reduction in horizontal visibility over Iraq occurring shortly after the passage of a cold front (behind which the northwesterly Shamal winds were blowing) and that visibilities could be as low as 1 km on average for 1-2 days in the wake of the front. The impact of the southwesterly Kaus winds blowing ahead (east) of the Shamal winds on dust emission over Iraq is also highlighted. Unlike what is observed over Iraq, low near-surface horizontal visibilities (

A nearest Gaussian approximation (NGA) is proposed to approximate any shape for a single mode laser beam by a Gaussian shape. The application considered is a determination of the system efficiency in heterodyne coherent laser radar (HCLR). For an actual beam its NGA is defined by three parameters: the waist spot size and location, and an amplitude coefficient. These parameters are computed by a maximization of the norm of the scalar product written for the actual and Gaussian beams. In the case of the truncated Gaussian beam, particularly relevant to HCLR, the waist location can be analytically calculated, and only two parameters remain unknown: the waist spot size and amplitude coefficient. Using numerical applications, it is shown the NGA is in good agreement with Fresnel integral solution. The NGA combines a good accuracy and capability of analytical solutions. It can treat a variation in system efficiency owing to a misalignment angle between the transmitter and local oscillator.

The Experimental Cloud Lidar Pilot Study (ECLIPS) was initiated to obtain statistics on cloud-base height, extinction, optical depth, cloud brokenness, and surface fluxes. Two observational phases have taken place, in October-December 1989 and April-July 1991, with intensive 30-day periods being selected within the two time intervals. Data are being archived at NASA Langley Research Center and, once there, are readily available to the international scientific community. This article describes the scale of the study in terms of its international involvement and in the range of data being recorded. Lidar observations of cloud height and backscatter coefficient have been taken from a number of ground-based stations spread around the globe. Solar shortwave and infrared longwave fluxes and infrared beam radiance have been measured at the surface wherever possible. The observations have been tailored to occur around the overpass times of the NOAA weather satellites. This article describes in some detail the various retrieval methods used to obtain results on cloud-base height, extinction coefficient, and infrared emittance, paying particular attention to the uncertainties involved.

The use of an airborne CO2 lidar to obtain cloud backscatter and extinction data at a thermal infrared wavelength is described. The extinction in this spectral region is proportional to the cloud liquid water content. The use of coherent detection results in high sensitivity and narrow field of view, the latter property greatly reducing multiple-scattering effects. Backscatter measurements in absolute units are obtained through a hard target calibration methodology. For clouds of low to moderate optical thickness at the lidar wavelength, both geometric thickness and optical thickness can be measured. The sea surface reflectance signal is used to obtain estimates of the cloud optical thickness. The utility of this technique results from studies that indicate that the spatial scale of variability of the sea surface reflectance is generally large compared with that of cloud optical thickness. Selected results are presented from data taken during flights over the Pacific Ocean.

International audience; Atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) is one of the main contributors to the greenhouse effect. A global monitoring of CO2 from space is foreseen as a key issue to quantify its sources and sinks at a regional scale and to better predict future levels of CO2 and their effect on climate change. Differential Absorption Lidar (DiAL) is a promising and novel spectroscopic technique for remote sensing CO2 spatial and temporal concentration distribution with a high level of accuracy. However, a precise knowledge of spectroscopic parameters of CO2 molecular transitions and their dependence with temperature and pressure is required for reducing the uncertainty on DiAl measurements. Hence, to support remote sensing of carbon dioxide in the troposphere, we report on the accurate determination of air pressure-induced shift coefficients for eight absorption lines belonging to the R branch of (2001)III(0000)I band of CO2 at 2.05?m. Purposely, a high-resolution tunable diode laser absorption spectrometer (TDLAS) coupled to a cryogenically cooled optical cell was implemented. From these measurements, we have further determined the temperature-dependencies of the air pressure-induced shift coefficients. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd.

International audience; Dynamical processes leading to dust emission over Iran and surrounding countries in the summer as well as the subsequent transport of dust toward northwest Iran are analyzed on the basis of two case studies using a suite of ground-based and spaceborne remote sensing platforms together with modeling tools. Ground-based lidar measurements acquired in Zanjan provide new insight into the vertical distribution of dust linked to transport over northwest Iran and highlight the importance of low-level transport of dust from both Iraq and Iran for air quality issues in Tehran. During the 3-5 August 2007 case, dust emission regions are located in Syria/Iraq and close to Qom, Iran, in a large intermittent salt lake in the western part of the Dasht-e Kavir desert. The visibility in Tehran associated with this event decreases significantly (reaching 7 km) on 5 August 2007 only. During the 11-13 September 2008 case, the dust transported to northwest Iran originates from Syria/Iraq only. The visibility in Tehran during this case is low throughout the period, sometimes less than 5 km due to the transport of dust at low levels. In both cases, emissions in Syria and Iraq occur in response to strong Shamal winds. However, transport of dust toward Iran takes place at different levels: above 700 hPa in August and below 700 hPa in September. This is found to be related to the presence of strong northeasterly winds over the Zagros Mountains as well as in its lee (south of the range) in the August case only. In August also, dust emissions in the Qom region results from strong winds blowing over the Dasht-e Kavir desert.

A feuillete model for assessment of the performance of heterodyne coherent laser radar 1HCLR2 under nonstationary atmospheric conditions such as wind shear and a fine layering of scattering properties is proposed. The model is an end-to-end signal simulation in the time domain at intermediate frequency from beam propagations to signal processing. The model takes into account the full transverse dimension of the problem of laser–atmosphere interaction. The scatterers are grouped into slices, then an integration is performed over the slices that contribute to the HCLR signal. Two applications are presented: wind-shear detection for 10-μm HCLR and wind-vortex detection for 2-μm HCLR.