Lidar Remote Sensing Techniques for the Upper Troposphere and the Middle Atmosphere

A special issue of Atmosphere (ISSN 2073-4433). This special issue belongs to the section "Atmospheric Techniques, Instruments, and Modeling".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2019) | Viewed by 17731

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Laboratoire atmosphères, milieux, observations spatiales, Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, 78280 Guyancourt, France
Interests: dynamics of the middle atmosphere; gravity waves; atmospheric Lidar sounding
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The upper troposphere and the middle atmosphere (stratosphere–mesosphere) are regions in which dynamic, radiative, and photochemical processes are closely coupled and where a high impact of global climate change is expected. Understanding the mechanisms involved requires observations that are resolved vertically and over time that passive spatial remote sensing does not provide. The lidar technique offers the possibility of obtaining such observations from ground stations or from space, whether for atmospheric composition (ozone, water vapor), aerosols, clouds, temperature, or wind. Ground-based lidar networks are valuable tools for climate studies and the validation of space instruments.

This Special Issue calls for contributions covering the themes listed below:

- Recent advances in lidar technologies allowing a better understanding of atmospheric processes;

- New scientific results obtained from lidar observations alone or in synergy with other types of observations.

Dr. Alain Hauchecorne
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • lidar
  • middle atmosphere
  • atmospheric dynamics
  • atmospheric composition

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 4154 KiB  
Article
The Comprehensive Study of Low Thermospheric Sodium Layers during the 24th Solar Cycle
by Yuchang Xun, Guotao Yang, Jihong Wang, Lifang Du, Zelong Wang, Jing Jiao, Xuewu Cheng, Faquan Li and Xu Zou
Atmosphere 2020, 11(3), 284; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos11030284 - 14 Mar 2020
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3002
Abstract
The low thermospheric sodium layer (LTSL) is the separate sodium atom layer above 105 km. Based on 11,607 h of lidar observations from Yanqing (40.5° N, 116.0° E) from 2010 to 2016, we found 38 LTSLs wherein the peak densities were more than [...] Read more.
The low thermospheric sodium layer (LTSL) is the separate sodium atom layer above 105 km. Based on 11,607 h of lidar observations from Yanqing (40.5° N, 116.0° E) from 2010 to 2016, we found 38 LTSLs wherein the peak densities were more than five percent above those of the main sodium layers. This work presents the peak altitudes, peak local times and peak densities of the LTSLs as well as the long-term characteristics of the seasonal and inter-annual variations of LTSLs. We analyzed the correlation between the LTSL and sporadic E layer (Es). The seasonal variation trends of the occurrences of LTSL and Es are similar, and the results showed that 95% of the LTSLs were accompanied by Es. We also found that 69% of the LTSL cases exhibited apparent downward phase progressions, while the descending rates of the LTSLs are consistent with the phase speeds of the tide. Full article
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31 pages, 4906 KiB  
Article
Australian Lidar Measurements of Aerosol Layers Associated with the 2015 Calbuco Eruption
by Andrew R. Klekociuk, David J. Ottaway, Andrew D. MacKinnon, Iain M. Reid, Liam V. Twigger and Simon P. Alexander
Atmosphere 2020, 11(2), 124; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos11020124 - 21 Jan 2020
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2999
Abstract
The Calbuco volcano in southern Chile (41.3° S, 72.6° W) underwent three separate eruptions on 22–23 April 2015. Following the eruptions, distinct layers of enhanced lidar backscatter at 532 nm were observed in the lower stratosphere above Buckland Park, South Australia (34.6° S, [...] Read more.
The Calbuco volcano in southern Chile (41.3° S, 72.6° W) underwent three separate eruptions on 22–23 April 2015. Following the eruptions, distinct layers of enhanced lidar backscatter at 532 nm were observed in the lower stratosphere above Buckland Park, South Australia (34.6° S, 138.5° E), and Kingston, Tasmania (43.0° S, 147.3° E), during a small set of observations in April–May 2015. Using atmospheric trajectory modelling and measurements from the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) space-borne lidar and the Ozone Mapping Profiler Suite (OMPS) instrument on the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (NPP) satellite, we show that these layers were associated with the Calbuco eruptions. Buckland Park measurements on 30 April and 3 May detected discrete aerosol layers at and slightly above the tropopause, where the relative humidity was well below saturation. Stratospheric aerosol layers likely associated with the eruptions were observed at Kingston on 17 and 22 May in narrow discrete layers accompanied by weaker and more vertically extended backscatter. The measurements on 22 May provided a mean value of the particle linear depolarisation ratio within the main observed volcanic aerosol layer of 18.0 ± 3.0%, which was consistent with contemporaneous CALIOP measurements. The depolarisation measurements indicated that this layer consisted of a filament dominated by ash backscatter residing above a main region having likely more sulfate backscatter. Layer-average optical depths were estimated from the measurements. The mean lidar ratio for the volcanic aerosols on 22 May of 86 ± 37 sr is consistent with but generally higher than the mean for ground-based measurements for other volcanic events. The inferred optical depth for the main volcanic layer on 17 May was consistent with a value obtained from OMPS measurements, but a large difference on 22 May likely reflected the spatial inhomogeneity of the volcanic plume. Short-lived enhancements of backscatter near the tropopause of 17 May likely represented the formation cirrus that was aided by the presence of associated volcanic aerosols. We also provide evidence that gravity waves potentially influenced the layers, particularly in regard to the vertical motion observed in the strong layer on 22 May. Overall, these observations provide additional information on the dispersal and characteristics of the Calbuco aerosol plumes at higher southern latitudes than previously reported for ground-based lidar measurements. Full article
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14 pages, 1984 KiB  
Article
Continuous Detection of Diurnal Sodium Fluorescent Lidar over Beijing in China
by Lifang Du, Jihong Wang, Yong Yang, Yuchang Xun, Faquan Li, Fuju Wu, Shunsheng Gong, Haoran Zheng, Xuewu Cheng, Guotao Yang and Zhenghua Lu
Atmosphere 2020, 11(1), 118; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos11010118 - 20 Jan 2020
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3130
Abstract
Based on application of the atomic filter technology in a signal detection system of lidar, the diurnal observation of sodium lidar were obtained using the system at the National Space Science Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences at Beijing Yanqing station (40.5° [...] Read more.
Based on application of the atomic filter technology in a signal detection system of lidar, the diurnal observation of sodium lidar were obtained using the system at the National Space Science Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences at Beijing Yanqing station (40.5° N, 116° E) in April 2014. During the lidar observation period, among the 103 cases of continuous daytime observations, the longest time was 181 h. In the case of a continuous observation period of 5 days (13–18 October 2014), the signal-to-noise ratio reached to 19:1 at 12:00–13:00 Local Time of the daytime, when the spatial and time resolutions were respectively set to 96 m of 167 s. The improvements resulted in the highest detection level of any existing diurnal lidars in China. Some interesting phenomena such as the sporadic sodium layer have also been observed during the daytime. The daytime capability extended the observing time range of the earlier systems that were limited to only nighttime observations. This innovation provides a useful method for the studies of diurnal tides, photochemistry, gravity waves, and correlative modeling studies. Full article
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15 pages, 5204 KiB  
Article
Atmospheric Density and Temperature Vertical Profile Retrieval for Flight-Tests with a Rayleigh Lidar On-Board the French Advanced Test Range Ship Monge
by Robin Wing, Milena Martic, Alain Hauchecorne, Jacques Porteneuve, Philippe Keckhut, Yann Courcoux, Laurent Yung, Patrick Retailleau and Dorothee Cocuron
Atmosphere 2020, 11(1), 75; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos11010075 - 8 Jan 2020
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4386
Abstract
The Advanced Test Range Ship Monge (ATRSM) is dedicated to in-flight measurements during the re-entry phase of ballistic missiles test flights. Atmospheric density measurements from 15 to 110 km are provided using one of the world’s largest Rayleigh lidars. This lidar is the [...] Read more.
The Advanced Test Range Ship Monge (ATRSM) is dedicated to in-flight measurements during the re-entry phase of ballistic missiles test flights. Atmospheric density measurements from 15 to 110 km are provided using one of the world’s largest Rayleigh lidars. This lidar is the culmination of three decades of French research experience in lidar technologies, developed within the framework of the global Network for Detection of Atmospheric and Climate Changes (NDACC), and opens opportunities for high resolution Rayleigh lidar studies above 90 km. The military objective of the ATRSM project is to provide near real time estimates of the atmospheric relative density profile, with an error budget of less than 10% at 90 km altitude, given a temporal integration of 15 min and a vertical resolution of 500 m. To achieve this aim we have developed a unique lidar system which exploits six laser transmitters and a constellation of eight receiving telescopes which maximises the lidar power-aperture product. This system includes a mix of standard commercially available optical components and electronics as well as some innovative technical solutions. We have provided a detailed assessment of some of the more unique aspects of the ATRSM lidar. Full article
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21 pages, 612 KiB  
Article
Validation of the Water Vapor Profiles of the Raman Lidar at the Maïdo Observatory (Reunion Island) Calibrated with Global Navigation Satellite System Integrated Water Vapor
by Hélène Vérèmes, Guillaume Payen, Philippe Keckhut, Valentin Duflot, Jean-Luc Baray, Jean-Pierre Cammas, Stéphanie Evan, Françoise Posny, Susanne Körner and Pierre Bosser
Atmosphere 2019, 10(11), 713; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos10110713 - 15 Nov 2019
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3549
Abstract
The Maïdo high-altitude observatory located in Reunion Island (21° S, 55.5° E) is equipped with the Lidar1200, an innovative Raman lidar designed to measure the water vapor mixing ratio in the troposphere and the lower stratosphere, to perform long-term survey and processes studies [...] Read more.
The Maïdo high-altitude observatory located in Reunion Island (21° S, 55.5° E) is equipped with the Lidar1200, an innovative Raman lidar designed to measure the water vapor mixing ratio in the troposphere and the lower stratosphere, to perform long-term survey and processes studies in the vicinity of the tropopause. The calibration methodology is based on a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) IWV (Integrated Water Vapor) dataset. The lidar water vapor measurements from November 2013 to October 2015 have been calibrated according to this methodology and used to evaluate the performance of the lidar. The 2-year operation shows that the calibration uncertainty using the GNSS technique is in good agreement with the calibration derived using radiosondes. During the MORGANE (Maïdo ObservatoRy Gaz and Aerosols NDACC Experiment) campaign (Reunion Island, May 2015), CFH (Cryogenic Frost point Hygrometer) radiosonde and Raman lidar profiles are compared and show good agreement up to 22 km asl; no significant biases are detected and mean differences are smaller than 9% up to 22 km asl. Full article
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