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Updated: May 19, 2026
06:49
Visualization of Ambient Mass Spectrometry with the Use of Schlieren Photography
Published on: June 20, 2016
Direct multiangle solution for poorly stratified atmospheres
Vladimir Kovalev1, Cyle Wold, Alexander Petkov
1Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Fire Sciences Laboratory, 5775 Hwy 10 West, Missoula, Montana 59808, USA. vkovalev@fs.fed.us
Applied Optics
|September 5, 2012
Summary
This study enhances lidar data inversion accuracy for atmospheric aerosols, even in non-stratified conditions. Multiangle lidar signals improve vertical transmittance profile retrieval from zenith measurements.
Area of Science:
- Atmospheric optics
- Remote sensing
- Lidar technology
Background:
- Accurate atmospheric aerosol loading characterization is crucial for climate and air quality studies.
- Traditional lidar inversion methods often assume horizontally stratified atmospheres, limiting accuracy in heterogeneous conditions.
- Extracting vertical transmittance profiles is essential for atmospheric remote sensing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To improve the accuracy of scanning lidar data inversion, particularly when the horizontally stratified atmosphere assumption is not met.
- To develop a method for extracting vertical transmittance profiles using multiangle lidar signals.
- To address ambiguities in multiangle lidar measurements within horizontally heterogeneous atmospheres.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing a direct multiangle solution for lidar data inversion.
- Employing zenith or near-zenith lidar signals as the primary data source for optical characteristics.
- Using auxiliary multiangle lidar signals to refine vertical transmittance profile retrieval.
- Developing retrieval methodologies to mitigate ambiguities in heterogeneous atmospheric conditions.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated improved lidar data inversion accuracy in non-stratified atmospheric conditions.
- Successfully extracted vertical transmittance profiles by combining zenith and multiangle lidar data.
- Presented simulated and experimental elastic lidar data validating the data-processing technique.
- Addressed and softened specific ambiguities inherent in multiangle measurements.
Conclusions:
- The direct multiangle solution offers enhanced accuracy for lidar data inversion in challenging atmospheric conditions.
- Multiangle lidar measurements are valuable for improving vertical transmittance profile retrieval.
- The presented methodology effectively handles ambiguities in heterogeneous atmospheres.
- Future research should explore high-spectral-resolution lidar in multiangle mode for advanced atmospheric studies.
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