Abstract
By the end of 2017, the European Space Agency (ESA) will launch the Atmospheric laser Doppler instrument (ALADIN), a direct detection Doppler wind lidar operating at 355 nm. An important tool for the validation and optimization of ALADIN’s hardware and data processors for wind retrievals with real atmospheric signals is the ALADIN airborne demonstrator A2D. In order to be able to validate and test aerosol retrieval algorithms from ALADIN, an algorithm for the retrieval of atmospheric backscatter and extinction profiles from A2D is necessary. The A2D is utilizing a direct detection scheme by using a dual Fabry-Pérot interferometer to measure molecular Rayleigh signals and a Fizeau interferometer to measure aerosol Mie returns. Signals are captured by accumulation charge coupled devices (ACCD). These specifications make different steps in the signal preprocessing necessary. In this paper, the required steps to retrieve aerosol optical products, i. e. particle backscatter coefficient βp, particle extinction coefficient αp and lidar ratio Sp from A2D raw signals are described.
Highlights
The Atmospheric Dynamics Mission Aeolus (ADM-Aeolus) [1, 2] is European Space Agency (ESA)’s second Earth Explorer core mission, with a date of launch by the end of 2017
The direct detection Doppler wind lidar Atmospheric laser Doppler instrument (ALADIN) carried by ADM-Aeolus emits laser pulses at an ultraviolet wavelength of 355 nm
Valuable information about the instrument characteristic, calibration and data processing were gained with realistic atmospheric signals and provided important recommendations for ALADIN
Summary
The Atmospheric Dynamics Mission Aeolus (ADM-Aeolus) [1, 2] is ESA’s second Earth Explorer core mission, with a date of launch by the end of 2017. As being the first high spectral resolution lidar (HSRL) in space, ALADIN allows an accurate vertical profiling of aerosol and cloud optical properties on a global scale as a secondary product. An important tool for the development, testing, validation and optimization of the hardware and data processors of ALADIN, is the ALADIN airborne demonstrator A2D [4, 5]. With focusing on the retrieval of wind profiles, no aerosol optical properties were retrieved with atmospheric measurements. In order to validate and to optimize the aerosol retrieval for ALADIN [6] by using atmospheric measurements, a retrieval of particle backscatter and extinction profiles for A2D must be developed. Airborne or ground 20° Nd:YAG 354.89 nm 45 Mhz diode 50 Hz 25 ns 50–60 mJ 90 μrad for ±3σ 0.016 m 0.2 m Coaxial 100 μrad Fizeau Fabry-Pérots
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