Variability in cirrus cloud properties using a PollyXT Raman lidar over high and tropical latitudes

• Main Authors: Voudouri, K.A., Giannakaki, E., Komppula, M., Balis, D.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2020
• Subjects: Subarctic
• Online Access: https://pergamos.lib.uoa.gr/uoa/dl/object/uoadl:3068749

Measurements of geometrical and optical properties of cirrus clouds, performed with a multi-wavelength PollyXT Raman lidar during the period 2008 to 2016, are analysed. The measurements were performed with the same instrument, during sequential periods, in three places at different latitudes, Gwal Pahari (28.43-N, 77.15-E; 243ma.s.l.) in India, Elandsfontein (26.25-S, 29.43-E; 1745ma.s.l.) in South Africa and Kuopio (62.74-N, 27.54-E; 190ma.s.l.) in Finland. The lidar dataset was processed by an automatic cirrus cloud masking algorithm, developed in the frame of this work. In the following, we present a statistical analysis of the lidar-retrieved geometrical characteristics (cloud boundaries, geometrical thickness) and optical properties of cirrus clouds (cloud optical depth, lidar ratio, ice crystal depolarisation ratio) measured over the three areas that correspond to subtropical and subarctic regions as well as their seasonal variability. The effect of multiple scattering from ice particles to the derived optical products is also considered and corrected in this study. Our results show that cirrus layers, which have a noticeable monthly variability, were observed between 6.5 and 13 km, with temperatures ranging from ° 72 to ° 27-C. The observed differences on cirrus clouds geometrical and optical properties over the three regions are discussed in terms of latitudinal and temperature dependence. The latitudinal dependence of the geometrical properties is consistent with satellite observations, following the pattern observed with CloudSat, with decreasing values towards the poles. The geometrical boundaries have their highest values in the subtropical regions, and overall, our results seem to demonstrate that subarctic cirrus clouds are colder, lower and optically thinner than subtropical cirrus clouds. The dependence of cirrus cloud geometrical thickness and optical properties on mid-cirrus temperatures shows a quite similar tendency for the three sites but less variability for the subarctic dataset. Cirrus ...