scholarly journals Looking through the haze: evaluating the CALIPSO level 2 aerosol optical depth using airborne high spectral resolution lidar data

2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (12) ◽  
pp. 4317-4340 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. R. Rogers ◽  
M. A. Vaughan ◽  
C. A. Hostetler ◽  
S. P. Burton ◽  
R. A. Ferrare ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Optical Depth ◽  
Spectral Resolution ◽  
Detection Threshold ◽  
High Spectral Resolution ◽  
Aerosol Layer ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Uncertainty Estimates ◽  
Lidar Ratio ◽  
High Spectral Resolution Lidar ◽  
Level 2

Abstract. The Cloud–Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) instrument onboard the Cloud–Aerosol Lidar and Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO) spacecraft has provided over 8 yr of nearly continuous vertical profiling of Earth's atmosphere. In this paper we investigate the V3.01 and V3.02 CALIOP 532 nm aerosol layer optical depth (AOD) product (i.e the AOD of individual layers) and the column AOD product (i.e., the sum AOD of the complete column) using an extensive database of coincident measurements. The CALIOP AOD measurements and AOD uncertainty estimates are compared with collocated AOD measurements collected with the NASA High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL) in the North American and Caribbean regions. In addition, the CALIOP aerosol lidar ratios are investigated using the HSRL measurements. In general, compared with the HSRL values, the CALIOP layer AOD are biased high by less than 50% for AOD < 0.3 with higher errors for higher AOD. Less than 60% of the HSRL AOD measurements are encompassed within the CALIOP layer 1 SD uncertainty range (around the CALIOP layer AOD), so an error estimate is created to encompass 68% of the HSRL data. Using this new metric, the CALIOP layer AOD error is estimated using the HSRL layer AOD as ±0.035 ± 0.05 · (HSRL layer AOD) at night and ±0.05 ± 0.05 · (HSRL layer AOD) during the daytime. Furthermore, the CALIOP layer AOD error is found to correlate with aerosol loading as well as aerosol subtype, with the AODs in marine and dust layers agreeing most closely with the HSRL values. The lidar ratios used by CALIOP for polluted dust, polluted continental, and biomass burning layers are larger than the values measured by the HSRL in the CALIOP layers, and therefore the AODs for these types retrieved by CALIOP were generally too large. We estimated the CALIOP column AOD error can be expressed as ±0.05 ± 0.07 · (HSRL column AOD) at night and ±0.08 ± 0.1 · (HSRL column AOD) during the daytime. Multiple sources of error contribute to both positive and negative errors in the CALIOP column AOD, including multiple layers in the column of different aerosol types, lidar ratio errors, cloud misclassification, and undetected aerosol layers. The undetected layers were further investigated and we found that the layer detection algorithm works well at night, although undetected aerosols in the free troposphere introduce a mean underestimate of 0.02 in the column AOD in the data set examined. The decreased signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) during the daytime led to poorer performance of the layer detection. This caused the daytime CALIOP column AOD to be less accurate than during the nighttime, because CALIOP frequently does not detect optically thin aerosol layers with AOD < 0.1. Given that the median vertical extent of aerosol detected within any column was 1.6 km during the nighttime and 1.5 km during the daytime, we can estimate the minimum extinction detection threshold to be 0.012 km−1 at night and 0.067 km−1 during the daytime in a layer median sense. This extensive validation of level 2 CALIOP AOD products extends previous validation studies to nighttime lighting conditions and provides independent measurements of the lidar ratio; thus, allowing the assessment of the effect on the CALIOP AOD of using inappropriate lidar ratio values in the extinction retrieval.

scholarly journals Looking through the haze: evaluating the CALIPSO level 2 aerosol optical depth using airborne high spectral resolution lidar data

2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
pp. 6141-6204 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. R. Rogers ◽  
M. A. Vaughan ◽  
C. A. Hostetler ◽  
S. P. Burton ◽  
R. A. Ferrare ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Optical Depth ◽  
Spectral Resolution ◽  
Detection Threshold ◽  
High Spectral Resolution ◽  
Orthogonal Polarization ◽  
Aerosol Layer ◽  
Uncertainty Estimates ◽  
Lidar Ratio ◽  
High Spectral Resolution Lidar ◽  
Level 2

Abstract. The Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) instrument onboard the Cloud Aerosol Lidar and Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO) spacecraft has provided over 8 years of nearly continuous vertical profiling of Earth's atmosphere. In this paper we investigate the CALIOP 532 nm aerosol layer optical depth (AOD) product, the AOD of individual layers, and the column AOD product, the sum AOD of the complete column, using an extensive database of coincident measurements. The CALIOP AOD measurements and AOD uncertainty estimates are compared with collocated AOD measurements collected with the NASA High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL) in the North American and Caribbean regions. In addition, the CALIOP aerosol lidar ratios are investigated using the HSRL measurements. In general, compared with the HSRL values, the CALIOP layer AOD are biased high by less than 50% for AOD < 0.3 with higher errors for higher AOD. Less than 60% of the HSRL AOD measurements are encompassed within the CALIOP layer one-standard-deviation uncertainty range (around the CALIOP layer AOD), so an error estimate is created to encompass 68% of the HSRL data. Using this new metric, the CALIOP layer AOD error is estimated using the HSRL layer AOD as ± 0.035 ± 0.05 · (HSRL layer AOD) at night and ±0.05 ± 0.05 · (HSRL layer AOD) during the daytime. Furthermore, the CALIOP layer AOD error is found to correlate with aerosol loading as well as aerosol subtype, with the AODs in marine and dust layers agreeing most closely with the HSRL values. The lidar ratios used by CALIOP for polluted dust, polluted continental, and biomass burning layers are larger than the values measured by the HSRL in the CALIOP layers, and, therefore, the AODs for these types retrieved by CALIOP were generally too large. We estimated the CALIOP column AOD error can be expressed as ± 0.05 ± 0.07 · (HSRL column AOD) at night and ± 0.08 ± 0.1 · (HSRL column AOD) during the daytime. Multiple sources of error contribute to both positive and negative errors in the CALIOP column AOD, including multiple layers in the column of different aerosol types, lidar ratio errors, cloud misclassification, and undetected aerosol layers. The undetected layers were further investigated and we found that the layer detection algorithm works well at night, although undetected aerosols in the free troposphere introduce a mean underestimate of 0.02 in the column AOD in the dataset examined. The decreased SNR during the daytime led to poorer performance of the layer detection. This caused the daytime CALIOP column AOD to be less accurate than during the nighttime because CALIOP frequently does not detect optically thin aerosol layers with AOD < 0.1. Given that the median vertical extent of aerosol detected within any column was 1.6 km during the nighttime and 1.5 km during the daytime we can estimate the minimum extinction detection threshold to be 0.012 km−1 at night and 0.067 km−1 during the daytime in a layer median sense. This extensive validation of level 2 CALIOP aerosol layer optical depth products extends previous validation studies to nighttime lighting conditions and provides independent measurements of the lidar ratio, thus allowing the assessment of the effect on the CALIOP AOD of using inappropriate lidar ratio values in the extinction retrieval.

scholarly journals EarthCARE Aerosol and Cloud Layer and Column Products

2018 ◽  
Vol 176 ◽  
pp. 02007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ulla Wandinger ◽  
Anja Hünerbein ◽  
Stefan Horn ◽  
Florian Schneider ◽  
David Donovan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Optical Properties ◽  
Spectral Resolution ◽  
Cloud Layer ◽  
High Spectral Resolution ◽  
Aerosol Layer ◽  
Spectral Imager ◽  
Along Track ◽  
High Spectral Resolution Lidar ◽  
Level 2 ◽  
Aerosol Type

We introduce the development of EarthCARE Level 2 layer products derived from profile measurements of the high-spectral-resolution lidar ATLID and column products obtained from combined information of ATLID and the Multi-Spectral Imager (MSI). Layer products include cloud top height as well as aerosol layer boundaries and mean optical properties along the satellite nadir track. Synergistic column products comprise cloud top height, Ångström exponent, and aerosol type both along-track and across the MSI swath.

scholarly journals Development of ZJU High-Spectral-Resolution Lidar for Aerosol and Cloud: Extinction Retrieval

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (18) ◽  
pp. 3047
Author(s):  
Da Xiao ◽  
Nanchao Wang ◽  
Xue Shen ◽  
Eduardo Landulfo ◽  
Tianfen Zhong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Standard Method ◽  
Spectral Resolution ◽  
Extinction Coefficient ◽  
Signal To Noise Ratio ◽  
High Spectral Resolution ◽  
Aerosol Layer ◽  
Low Snr ◽  
Lidar Ratio ◽  
The Difference ◽  
High Spectral Resolution Lidar

The retrieval of the extinction coefficients of aerosols and clouds without assumptions is the most important advantage of the high-spectral-resolution lidar (HSRL). The standard method to retrieve the extinction coefficient from HSRL signals depends heavily on the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). In this work, an iterative image reconstruction (IIR) method is proposed for the retrieval of the aerosol extinction coefficient based on HSRL data, this proposed method manages to minimize the difference between the reconstructed and raw signals based on reasonable estimates of the lidar ratio. To avoid the ill-posed solution, a regularization method is adopted to reconstruct the lidar signals in the IIR method. The results from Monte-Carlo (MC) simulations applying both standard and IIR methods are compared and these comparisons demonstrate that the extinction coefficient and the lidar ratio retrieved by the IIR method have smaller root mean square error (RMSE) and relative bias values than the standard method. A case study of measurements made by Zhejiang University (ZJU) HSRL is presented, and their results show that the IIR method not only obtains a finer structure of the aerosol layer under the condition of low SNR, but it is also able to retrieve more reasonable values of the lidar ratio.

scholarly journals Airborne high spectral resolution lidar observation of pollution aerosol during EUCAARI-LONGREX

2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 2435-2444 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Groß ◽  
M. Esselborn ◽  
F. Abicht ◽  
M. Wirth ◽  
A. Fix ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spectral Resolution ◽  
High Spectral Resolution ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Lidar Ratio ◽  
Linear Depolarization Ratio ◽  
High Spectral Resolution Lidar ◽  
Aerosol Types ◽  
Lidar Observations ◽  
Aerosol Type

Abstract. Airborne high spectral resolution lidar observations over Europe during the EUCAARI-LONGREX field experiment in May 2008 are analysed with respect to the optical properties of continental pollution aerosol. Continental pollution aerosol is characterized by its depolarisation and lidar ratio. Over all, the measurements of the lidar ratio and the particle linear depolarization ratio of pollution aerosols provide a narrow range of values. Therefore, this data set allows for a distinct characterization of the aerosol type "pollution aerosol" and thus is valuable both to distinguish continental pollution aerosol from other aerosol types and to determine mixtures with other types of aerosols.

scholarly journals Ocean Backscatter Profiling Using High-Spectral-Resolution Lidar and a Perturbation Retrieval

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Churnside ◽  
Johnathan Hair ◽  
Chris Hostetler ◽  
Amy Scarino
Keyword(s):  
Attenuation Coefficient ◽  
Spectral Resolution ◽  
Calibration Procedure ◽  
High Spectral Resolution ◽  
Scattering Parameters ◽  
Scattering Parameter ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Coefficient Of Variability ◽  
High Spectral Resolution Lidar

Ocean lidar attenuation and scattering parameters were derived from a high-spectral-resolution lidar (HSRL) using two different retrieval techniques. The first used the standard HSRL retrieval, and the second used only the total backscatter channel and a perturbation retrieval (PR). The motivation is to evaluate differences between the two techniques that would affect the decision of whether to use a simple backscatter lidar or a more complex HSRL in future applications. For the data set investigated, the attenuation coefficient from the PR was an average of 11% lower than that from the HSRL. The PR estimate of the scattering parameter decreased with depth relative to the HSRL estimate, although the overall bias was zero as a result of the calibration procedure. Near the surface, the coefficient of variability in both estimates of attenuation and in HSRL estimates of scattering were around 5%, but that in the PR estimate of scattering was over 10%. At greater depths, the variability increases for all of the profile parameters. The correlation between the two estimates of attenuation coefficient was 0.7. The correlation between scattering parameters was > 0.8 near the surface, but decreased to 0.4 at a depth of around 20 m. Overall, the PR performed better relative to the HSRL in offshore waters than in nearshore waters.

scholarly journals Aerosol classification by airborne high spectral resolution lidar observations

2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 2487-2505 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Groß ◽  
M. Esselborn ◽  
B. Weinzierl ◽  
M. Wirth ◽  
A. Fix ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biomass Burning ◽  
Spectral Resolution ◽  
Classification Scheme ◽  
In Situ Measurements ◽  
High Spectral Resolution ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Aerosol Classification ◽  
High Spectral Resolution Lidar ◽  
Aerosol Types

Abstract. During four aircraft field experiments with the DLR research aircraft Falcon in 1998 (LACE), 2006 (SAMUM-1) and 2008 (SAMUM-2 and EUCAARI), airborne High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL) and in situ measurements of aerosol microphysical and optical properties were performed. Altogether, the properties of six different aerosol types and aerosol mixtures – Saharan mineral dust, Saharan dust mixtures, Canadian biomass burning aerosol, African biomass burning mixture, anthropogenic pollution aerosol, and marine aerosol have been studied. On the basis of this extensive HSRL data set, we present an aerosol classification scheme which is also capable to identify mixtures of different aerosol types. We calculated mixing lines that allowed us to determine the contributing aerosol types. The aerosol classification scheme was supported by backward trajectory analysis and validated with in-situ measurements. Our results demonstrate that the developed aerosol mask is capable to identify complex stratifications with different aerosol types throughout the atmosphere.

scholarly journals Comparison of mixed layer heights from airborne high spectral resolution lidar, ground-based measurements, and the WRF-Chem model during CalNex and CARES

2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 13721-13772 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. J. Scarino ◽  
M. D. Obland ◽  
J. D. Fast ◽  
S. P. Burton ◽  
R. A. Ferrare ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Los Angeles ◽  
Mixed Layer ◽  
Spectral Resolution ◽  
Temporal Distribution ◽  
Carbonaceous Aerosol ◽  
High Spectral Resolution ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Field Campaigns ◽  
Langley Research Center ◽  
High Spectral Resolution Lidar

Abstract. The California Research at the Nexus of Air Quality and Climate Change (CalNex) and Carbonaceous Aerosol and Radiative Effects Study (CARES) field campaigns during May and June 2010 provided a data set appropriate for studying characteristics of the planetary boundary layer (PBL). The NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) airborne High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL) was deployed to California onboard the NASA LaRC B-200 aircraft to aid in characterizing aerosol properties during these two field campaigns. Measurements of aerosol extinction (532 nm), backscatter (532 and 1064 nm), and depolarization (532 and 1064 nm) profiles during 31 flights, many in coordination with other research aircraft and ground sites, constitute a diverse data set for use in characterizing the spatial and temporal distribution of aerosols, as well as the depth and variability of the daytime mixed layer (ML), which is a subset within the PBL. This work illustrates the temporal and spatial variability of the ML in the vicinity of Los Angeles and Sacramento, CA. ML heights derived from HSRL measurements are compared to PBL heights derived from radiosonde profiles, ML heights measured from ceilometers, and simulated PBL heights from the Weather Research and Forecasting Chemistry (WRF-Chem) community model. Comparisons between the HSRL ML heights and the radiosonde profiles in Sacramento result in a correlation coefficient value (R) of 0.93 (root-mean-square (RMS) difference of 157 m and bias difference (HSRL – radiosonde) of 57 m). HSRL ML heights compare well with those from the ceilometer in the LA Basin with an R of 0.89 (RMS difference of 108 m and bias difference (HSRL – Ceilometer) of −9.7 m) for distances of up to 30 km between the B-200 flight track and the ceilometer site. Simulated PBL heights from WRF-Chem were compared with those obtained from all flights for each campaign, producing an R of 0.58 (RMS difference of 604 m and a bias difference (WRF-Chem – HSRL) of −157 m) for CalNex and 0.59 (RMS difference of 689 m and a bias difference (WRF-Chem – HSRL) of 220 m) for CARES. Aerosol backscatter simulations are also available from WRF-Chem and are compared to those from HSRL to examine differences among the methods used to derive ML heights.

scholarly journals Airborne high spectral resolution lidar observation of pollution aerosol during EUCAARI-LONGREX

2012 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 26843-26869
Author(s):  
S. Groß ◽  
M. Esselborn ◽  
F. Abicht ◽  
M. Wirth ◽  
A. Fix ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Distribution ◽  
Spectral Resolution ◽  
High Spectral Resolution ◽  
Mean Values ◽  
Lidar Observation ◽  
Depolarisation Ratio ◽  
Lidar Ratio ◽  
High Spectral Resolution Lidar ◽  
Lidar Observations ◽  
532 Nm

Abstract. Airborne high spectral resolution lidar observations over Europe during the EUCAARI field experiment in May 2008 are analysed with respect to spatial distribution and optical properties of continental pollution aerosol. Continental aerosol is characterized by its depolarisation and lidar ratio. Mean values of 6%±1% for the particle linear depolarisation ratio, and 56 sr±6 sr for the lidar ratio were found for pollution aerosol. Both, lidar ratio and depolarisation ratio at 532 nm show virtually no variations for all analysed days during the measurement campaign.

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