Lidar remote sensing of the mixed layer height over a tropical urban Indian station

Abstract

Mixed layer is an important parameter which controls meteorological conditions in the lower atmosphere. Transport and diffusion of pollutants in the lower atmosphere is highly dependant on the structure of the planetary boundary layer, one important feature of which is the height of the well-mixed layer. In the present study, continuous wave, bistatic argon ion lidar-derived scattered signal strength from different heights in the lower troposphere over Pune (18˚ 32′ N, 73˚ 51′ E, 559 m above mean sea level), India during the period April 2007–January 2008 has been recorded remotely and by employing simple statistical tools, the mixed layer height (MLH) and transition layer thickness (TLT) have been estimated. The results show that sufficient mixing of atmospheric constituents such as aerosols exists in the boundary layer in the post-sunset hours during the summer season, enabling estimation of MLH and TLT. On the other hand, during winter months as mixing ceases/weakens by late evening hours, the mixed layer depth is either low or not easily discernible. In view of the importance of mixed layer depth information for various atmospheric applications, the remote sensing tool used and the simple methodology followed here seem promising.