Wavelength-dependent detectability of Saharan dust layers by elastic LIDAR through clear and hazy atmospheres

Abstract

The laser radiation wavelength influences the lidar return signal and is supposed to have an optimum value ensuring a maximum lidar return power and thus a highest detectability and imaging contrast of different atmospheric aerosol or other type objects of interest. For a more detailed analysis of this question, we began recently to develop a modeling approach to the determination of the optimum wavelength for different objects, detected under different atmospheric turbidity conditions. Тhe present work is aimed at estimating by numerical modeling the detectability of the lidar return from Saharan dust layers, depending on the laser radiation wavelengths, through clear (23 km visibility) and hazy (5 km visibility) atmospheres. The results obtained show that, in general, a higher sensing efficiency is achievable by longer-wavelength laser radiation, within the NIR range.