Calibration Methods for a Space Borne Backscatter Lidar

Abstract

Lidar returns from cloud decks and from the Earth’s surface are useful for calibrating single scatter lidar signals from space. To this end analytical methods (forward and backward) are presented for inverting lidar waveforms in terms of the path integrated lidar return and the transmission losses over that range interval, using an exponential relation between extinction and backscatter. The atmospheric backscatter coefficient has been expressed in the equivalent diffuse reflection coefficient of the surface. Also is shown that the path integrated lidar return from clouds can be used to verify the lidar calibration.