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 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 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 Extinction and optical depth retrievals for CALIPSO's Version 4 data release

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 5701-5727 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stuart A. Young ◽  
Mark A. Vaughan ◽  
Anne Garnier ◽  
Jason L. Tackett ◽  
James D. Lambeth ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Optical Depth ◽  
Satellite Observations ◽  
Orthogonal Polarization ◽  
Ice Clouds ◽  
Extinction Coefficients ◽  
Retrieval Algorithms ◽  
Data Release ◽  
Data Products ◽  
Lidar Ratio ◽  
Level 2

Abstract. The Cloud–Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) on board the Cloud–Aerosol Lidar Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO) satellite has been making near-global height-resolved measurements of cloud and aerosol layers since mid-June 2006. Version 4.10 (V4) of the CALIOP data products, released in November 2016, introduces extensive upgrades to the algorithms used to retrieve the spatial and optical properties of these layers, and thus there are both obvious and subtle differences between V4 and previous data releases. This paper describes the improvements made to the extinction retrieval algorithms and illustrates the impacts of these changes on the extinction and optical depth estimates reported in the CALIPSO lidar level 2 data products. The lidar ratios for both aerosols and ice clouds are generally higher than in previous data releases, resulting in generally higher extinction coefficients and optical depths in V4. A newly implemented algorithm for retrieving extinction coefficients in opaque layers is described and its impact examined. Precise lidar ratio estimates are also retrieved in these opaque layers. For semi-transparent cirrus clouds, comparisons between CALIOP V4 optical depths and the optical depths reported by MODIS collection 6 show substantial improvements relative to earlier comparisons between CALIOP version 3 and MODIS collection 5.

scholarly journals Spaceborne observations of the lidar ratio of marine aerosols

2015 ◽  
Vol 15 (6) ◽  
pp. 3241-3255 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. W. Dawson ◽  
N. Meskhidze ◽  
D. Josset ◽  
S. Gassó
Keyword(s):  
Optical Depth ◽  
Surface Wind ◽  
Spatiotemporal Variability ◽  
Retrieval Algorithm ◽  
Orthogonal Polarization ◽  
Aerosol Layer ◽  
Marine Aerosol ◽  
Marine Aerosols ◽  
Lidar Ratio ◽  
The Mean

Abstract. Retrievals of aerosol optical depth (AOD) from the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) satellite sensor require the assumption of the extinction-to-backscatter ratio, also known as the lidar ratio. This paper evaluates a new method to calculate the lidar ratio of marine aerosols using two independent sources: the AOD from the Synergized Optical Depth of Aerosols (SODA) project and the integrated attenuated backscatter from CALIOP. With this method, the particulate lidar ratio can be derived for individual CALIOP retrievals in single aerosol layer, cloud-free columns over the ocean. Global analyses are carried out using CALIOP level 2, 5 km marine aerosol layer products and the collocated SODA nighttime data from December 2007 to November 2010. The global mean lidar ratio for marine aerosols was found to be 26 sr, roughly 30% higher than the current value prescribed by the CALIOP standard retrieval algorithm. Data analysis also showed considerable spatiotemporal variability in the calculated lidar ratio over the remote oceans. The calculated marine aerosol lidar ratio is found to vary with the mean ocean surface wind speed (U10). An increase in U10 reduces the mean lidar ratio for marine regions from 32 ± 17 sr (for 0 < U10 < 4 m s−1) to 22 ± 7 sr (for U10 > 15 m s−1). Such changes in the lidar ratio are expected to have a corresponding effect on the marine AOD from CALIOP. The outcomes of this study are relevant for future improvements of the SODA and CALIOP operational product and could lead to more accurate retrievals of marine AOD.

scholarly journals Assessment of the CALIPSO Lidar 532 nm attenuated backscatter calibration using the NASA LaRC airborne High Spectral Resolution Lidar

2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 1295-1311 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. R. Rogers ◽  
C. A. Hostetler ◽  
J. W. Hair ◽  
R. A. Ferrare ◽  
Z. Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spectral Resolution ◽  
Extensive Study ◽  
Airborne Lidar ◽  
High Spectral Resolution ◽  
Orthogonal Polarization ◽  
Calibration Scheme ◽  
Data Products ◽  
Langley Research Center ◽  
High Spectral Resolution Lidar ◽  
532 Nm

Abstract. The Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) instrument on the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO) spacecraft has provided global, high-resolution vertical profiles of aerosols and clouds since it became operational on 13 June 2006. On 14 June 2006, the NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL) was deployed aboard the NASA Langley B-200 aircraft for the first of a series of 86 underflights of the CALIPSO satellite to provide validation measurements for the CALIOP data products. To better assess the range of conditions under which CALIOP data products are produced, these validation flights were conducted under both daytime and nighttime lighting conditions, in multiple seasons, and over a large range of latitudes and aerosol and cloud conditions. This paper presents a quantitative assessment of the CALIOP 532 nm calibration (through the 532 nm total attenuated backscatter) using internally calibrated airborne HSRL underflight data and is the most extensive study of CALIOP 532 nm calibration. Results show that HSRL and CALIOP 532 nm total attenuated backscatter agree on average within 2.7% ± 2.1% (CALIOP lower) at night and within 2.9% ± 3.9% (CALIOP lower) during the day, demonstrating the accuracy of the CALIOP 532 nm calibration algorithms. Additionally, comparisons with HSRL show consistency of the CALIOP calibration before and after the laser switch in 2009 as well as improvements in the daytime version 3.01 calibration scheme compared with the version 2 calibration scheme. Potential biases and uncertainties in the methodology relevant to validating satellite lidar measurements with an airborne lidar system are discussed and found to be less than 4.5% ± 3.2% for this validation effort with HSRL. Results from this study are also compared with prior assessments of the CALIOP 532 nm attenuated backscatter calibration.

scholarly journals Assessment of the CALIPSO Lidar 532 nm attenuated backscatter calibration using the NASA LaRC Airborne High Spectral Resolution Lidar

2010 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 28355-28398 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. R. Rogers ◽  
C. A. Hostetler ◽  
J. W. Hair ◽  
R. A. Ferrare ◽  
Z. Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spectral Resolution ◽  
Extensive Study ◽  
Airborne Lidar ◽  
High Spectral Resolution ◽  
Orthogonal Polarization ◽  
Calibration Scheme ◽  
Data Products ◽  
Langley Research Center ◽  
High Spectral Resolution Lidar ◽  
532 Nm

Abstract. The Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) instrument on the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO) spacecraft has provided global, high-resolution vertical profiles of aerosols and clouds since it became operational on 13 June 2006. On 14 June 2006, the NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL) was deployed aboard the NASA Langley B-200 aircraft for the first of a series of 86 underflights of the CALIPSO satellite to provide validation measurements for the CALIOP data products. To better assess the range of conditions under which CALIOP data products are produced, these validation flights were conducted under both daytime and nighttime lighting conditions, in multiple seasons, and over a large range of latitudes and aerosol and cloud conditions. This paper presents a quantitative assessment of the CALIOP 532 nm calibration (through the 532 nm total attenuated backscatter) using an internally calibrated airborne HSRL underflight data and is the most extensive study of CALIOP 532 nm calibration. Results show that average HSRL and CALIOP 532 nm total attenuated backscatter agree on average within 2.7±2.1% (CALIOP lower) at night and within 2.9±3.9% (CALIOP lower) during the day, demonstrating the accuracy of the CALIOP 532 nm calibration algorithms. Additionally, comparisons with HSRL show consistency of the CALIOP calibration before and after the laser switch in 2009 as well as improvements in the daytime version 3.01 calibration scheme compared with the version 2 calibration scheme. Potential systematic uncertainties in the methodology relevant to validating satellite lidar measurements with an airborne lidar system are discussed and found to be less than 3.7% for this validation effort with HSRL. Results from this study are also compared to prior assessments of the CALIOP 532 nm attenuated backscatter calibration.

scholarly journals An accuracy assessment of the CALIOP/CALIPSO version 2/version 3 daytime aerosol extinction product based on a detailed multi-sensor, multi-platform case study

2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 3981-4000 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Kacenelenbogen ◽  
M. A. Vaughan ◽  
J. Redemann ◽  
R. M. Hoff ◽  
R. R. Rogers ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Accuracy Assessment ◽  
High Spectral Resolution ◽  
Calibration Coefficient ◽  
Orthogonal Polarization ◽  
Aerosol Layer ◽  
Aerosol Extinction ◽  
Backscatter Coefficient ◽  
Aerosol Backscatter ◽  
Level 2

Abstract. The Cloud Aerosol LIdar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP), on board the CALIPSO platform, has measured profiles of total attenuated backscatter coefficient (level 1 products) since June 2006. CALIOP's level 2 products, such as the aerosol backscatter and extinction coefficient profiles, are retrieved using a complex succession of automated algorithms. The goal of this study is to help identify potential shortcomings in the CALIOP version 2 level 2 aerosol extinction product and to illustrate some of the motivation for the changes that have been introduced in the next version of CALIOP data (version 3, released in June 2010). To help illustrate the potential factors contributing to the uncertainty of the CALIOP aerosol extinction retrieval, we focus on a one-day, multi-instrument, multiplatform comparison study during the CALIPSO and Twilight Zone (CATZ) validation campaign on 4 August 2007. On that day, we observe a consistency in the Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) values recorded by four different instruments (i.e. space-borne MODerate Imaging Spectroradiometer, MODIS: 0.67 and POLarization and Directionality of Earth's Reflectances, POLDER: 0.58, airborne High Spectral Resolution Lidar, HSRL: 0.52 and ground-based AErosol RObotic NETwork, AERONET: 0.48 to 0.73) while CALIOP AOD is a factor of two lower (0.32 at 532 nm). This case study illustrates the following potential sources of uncertainty in the CALIOP AOD: (i) CALIOP's low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) leading to the misclassification and/or lack of aerosol layer identification, especially close to the Earth's surface; (ii) the cloud contamination of CALIOP version 2 aerosol backscatter and extinction profiles; (iii) potentially erroneous assumptions of the aerosol extinction-to-backscatter ratio (Sa) used in CALIOP's extinction retrievals; and (iv) calibration coefficient biases in the CALIOP daytime attenuated backscatter coefficient profiles. The use of version 3 CALIOP extinction retrieval for our case study seems to partially fix factor (i) although the aerosol retrieved by CALIOP is still somewhat lower than the profile measured by HSRL; the cloud contamination (ii) appears to be corrected; no particular change is apparent in the observation-based CALIOP Sa value (iii). Our case study also showed very little difference in version 2 and version 3 CALIOP attenuated backscatter coefficient profiles, illustrating a minor change in the calibration scheme (iv).

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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