Ultraviolet high-spectral-resolution Rayleigh–Mie lidar with a dual-pass Fabry–Perot etalon for measuring atmospheric temperature profiles of the troposphere

Abstract

We report what is believed to be the first demonstration of measurement of tropospheric temperature profiles in daytime by use of a high-spectral-resolution Rayleigh-Mie lidar at an eye-safe wavelength of 355 nm. Atmospheric temperature is determined from the linewidth of the Rayleigh spectrum. Two Rayleigh signals are detected with Fabry-Perot etalon filters with a dual-pass optical layout. The Mie signal is detected with a third etalon filter for correcting the Mie component in the Rayleigh signals. The temperature statistical uncertainties are below 1 K up to a height of 3 km in nighttime and 2 km in daytime with a relatively compact system that uses laser energy of 180 mJ and a 25-cm telescope. Good agreement between lidar and radiosonde measurements is obtained.