Lidar observations of high-altitude aerosol layers (cirrus clouds)

Atanaska D. Deleva; Ivan V. Grigorov

doi:10.1117/12.2014466

15 March 2013 Lidar observations of high-altitude aerosol layers (cirrus clouds)

Atanaska D. Deleva, Ivan V. Grigorov

Proceedings Volume 8770, 17th International School on Quantum Electronics: Laser Physics and Applications; 877011 (2013) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2014466
Event: Seventeenth International School on Quantum Electronics: Laser Physics and Applications, 2012, Nessebar, Bulgaria

Abstract

Aerosols, clouds and aerosol-cloud interactions are recognized as the key factors influencing the climate. Clouds are the primary modulators of the Earth’s radiative budget. This paper focuses on the detection of high-altitude aerosol layers in the troposphere over mid-latitude lidar station in Sofia, Bulgaria. They are situated in the height-region 6 km÷16 km, with thickness in the range 0.2 km÷5 km and have varying optical characteristics. On the basis of the general utilized classification of the Cirrus clouds, high values of the calculated atmospheric backscatter coefficient and Angströmexponent estimation results we conclude that the registered strongly scattered aerosol layers are Cirrus clouds. Lidar measurements are performed with an aerosol lidar, equipped with Nd:YAG laser at wavelengths 532 nm and 1064 nm. Mainly, lidar data are presented in terms of vertical atmospheric backscatter coefficient profiles. We also include 2Dcolormap in height-time coordinates build on the basis of so called range corrected signals. It shows in general changes of the aerosol stratification over the lidar station during the measurement period. We employed HYSPLIT backward trajectories and DREAM forecasts to analyze the lidar profile outlines and characterize the events during which Cirrus cloud samples were observed. So was remarked that most of the results were obtained during Saharan dust long-way transport over the city of Sofia. Reported experimental examples are extracted from regular lidar investigations of the atmosphere within the frame of European project EARLINET.

Citation Download Citation

Atanaska D. Deleva and Ivan V. Grigorov "Lidar observations of high-altitude aerosol layers (cirrus clouds)", Proc. SPIE 8770, 17th International School on Quantum Electronics: Laser Physics and Applications, 877011 (15 March 2013); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2014466

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KEYWORDS

Clouds

LIDAR

Aerosols

Atmospheric particles

Backscatter

Atmospheric modeling

Troposphere

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