language: en

Laser Remote Sensing Techniques for Vertical Profiling of Cloud and Aerosol Extinction and Back-scatter in the Lower Atmosphere. A Brief Review

$flfl Papayannis*, E. Fokitis
National Technical University of Athens, Physics Department
Zografou Campus, 15780 Zografou, GREECE
Email: apdlidar@central.ntua.gr

Abstract In this brief contribution we present the three principal laser remote sensing ( lidar) techniques developed to retrieve the vertical profiling of clouds and of the suspended aerosols (extinction and backscatter) in the lower atmosphere, namely in the 0-7 km altitude region. The three lidar techniques include the elastic ( Klett inversion, Doppler broadening) and the nonelastic backscattering techniques ( Raman scattering). We report on the potential of these techniques, as well as on the typical accuracies of these techniques in the retrieval of the cloud and aerosol extinction and backscatter vertical profiles in the troposphere (0-7 km ASL).

flfl Introduction