A HIGH SPECTRAL RESOLUTION LIDAR DESIGNED FOR LONG-TERM ARCTIC CLOUD AND HAZE OBSERVATIONS.

• Main Author: E. W. Eloranta
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: Arctic
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.554.8781; http://lidar.ssec.wisc.edu/papers/conferences/IAMAS_arctic_hsrl.pdf

Global climate models have shown a strong sensitivity to conditions in the arctic and they indicate that the arctic climate is particularly sensitive to perturbation. Only very limited arctic cloud climatologies are available. Quantitative information on the optical properties of arctic clouds and hazes is needed to verify radiation codes in climate models. In addition, accurate synoptic information on cloud altitudes and cloud phase are needed in verification of forecast models. The University of Wisconsin High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL) provides vertical profiles of optical depth, backscatter cross section, depolarization and backscatter phase function. All HSRL measurements are absolutely calibrated by reference to molecular scattering which is measured at each point in the lidar profile (Grund and Eloranta 1991, Pirronen and Eloranta 1994). This enables the HSRL to measure backscatter cross section and optical depth without a prior assump-tions about the scattering properties of the atmosphere. The depolarization observations allow robust discrimination between ice and water clouds. Rigorous error estimates can be computed for all measurements. This paper describes a new HSRL designed for long-term observations of arctic clouds and hazes. Unlike the current HSRL which is housed in a 46 ft semi-trailer and requires continuous attention