The depolarization-backscatter lidar reported here is developed for application in the polar stratospheric and high- tropospheric studies. That includes the following operations: detection of the stratospheric background aerosol, detection of high-altitude cirrus clouds and polar stratospheric clouds (PSC), detection of Rayleigh backscatter signal for subsequent stratospheric temperature retrieval algorithm application. The lidar is stationed in Sodankyla, Finland (67N) and intended for a 2-year operation at that site. It operates with one Nd:YAG laser with second and third harmonics conversion. The detection of the backscatter atmospheric signal is performed at the fundamental, second and the third harmonics of the laser (1 micrometer, 532 nm and 355 nm), as well as the vibrational Raman backscatter from the nitrogen pumped by the third harmonic at 387 nm. The backscatter signal at 532 nm is detected separately in (p) and (s) polarization.

Date Published: 26 May 1997
PDF: 10 pages
Proc. SPIE 3104, Lidar Atmospheric Monitoring, (26 May 1997); doi: 10.1117/12.275126

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 3104:
Lidar Atmospheric Monitoring
Jean-Pierre Wolf, Editor(s)