Lidar Atmospheric Sensing Experiment Research Articles

LASE Measurements of Water Vapor, Aerosol, and Cloud Distributions in Saharan Air Layers and Tropical Disturbances

Abstract The Lidar Atmospheric Sensing Experiment (LASE) on board the NASA DC-8 measured high-resolution profiles of water vapor and aerosols, and cloud distributions in 14 flights over the eastern North Atlantic during the NASA African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analyses (NAMMA) field experiment. These measurements were used to study African easterly waves (AEWs), tropical cyclones (TCs), and the Saharan air layer (SAL). These LASE measurements represent the first simultaneous water vapor and aerosol lidar measurements to study the SAL and its interactions with AEWs and TCs. Three case studies were selected for detailed analysis: (i) a stratified SAL, with fine structure and layering (unlike a well-mixed SAL), (ii) a SAL with high relative humidity (RH), and (iii) an AEW surrounded by SAL dry air intrusions. Profile measurements of aerosol scattering ratios, aerosol extinction coefficients, aerosol optical thickness, water vapor mixing ratios, RH, and temperature are presented to illustrate their characteristics in the SAL, convection, and clear air regions. LASE extinction-to-backscatter ratios for the dust layers varied from 35 ± 5 to 45 ± 5 sr, well within the range of values determined by other lidar systems. LASE aerosol extinction and water vapor profiles are validated by comparison with onboard in situ aerosol measurements and GPS dropsonde water vapor soundings, respectively. An analysis of LASE data suggests that the SAL suppresses low-altitude convection. Midlevel convection associated with the AEW and transport are likely responsible for high water vapor content observed in the southern regions of the SAL on 20 August 2008. This interaction is responsible for the transfer of about 7 × 1015 J (or 8 × 103 J m−2) latent heat energy within a day to the SAL. Initial modeling studies that used LASE water vapor profiles show sensitivity to and improvements in model forecasts of an AEW.

Adaptive use of research aircraft data sets for hurricane forecasts

This study uses an adaptive observational strategy for hurricane forecasting. It shows the impacts of Lidar Atmospheric Sensing Experiment (LASE) and dropsonde data sets from Convection and Moisture Experiment (CAMEX) field campaigns on hurricane track and intensity forecasts. The following cases are used in this study: Bonnie, Danielle and Georges of 1998 and Erin, Gabrielle and Humberto of 2001. A single model run for each storm is carried out using the Florida State University Global Spectral Model (FSUGSM) with the European Center for Medium Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) analysis as initial conditions, in addition to 50 other model runs where the analysis is randomly perturbed for each storm. The centers of maximum variance of the DLM heights are located from the forecast error variance fields at the 84-hr forecast. Back correlations are then performed using the centers of these maximum variances and the fields at the 36-hr forecast. The regions having the highest correlations in the vicinity of the hurricanes are indicative of regions from where the error growth emanates and suggests the need for additional observations. Data sets are next assimilated in those areas that contain high correlations. Forecasts are computed using the new initial conditions for the storm cases, and track and intensity skills are then examined with respect to the control forecast. The adaptive strategy is capable of identifying sensitive areas where additional observations can help in reducing the hurricane track forecast errors. A reduction of position error by approximately 52% for day 3 of forecast (averaged over 7 storm cases) over the control runs is observed. The intensity forecast shows only a slight positive impact due to the model’s coarse resolution.

Intercomparison of Water Vapor Data Measured with Lidar during IHOP_2002. Part II: Airborne-to-Airborne Systems

AbstractThe dataset of the International H2O Project (IHOP_2002) gives the first opportunity for direct intercomparisons of airborne water vapor lidar systems and allows very important conclusions to be drawn for future field campaigns. Three airborne differential absorption lidar (DIAL) systems were operated simultaneously during some IHOP_2002 missions: the DIAL of Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR), the Lidar Atmospheric Sensing Experiment (LASE) of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Langley Research Center, and the Lidar Embarque pour l’etude des Aerosols et des Nuages de l’interaction Dynamique Rayonnement et du cycle de l’Eau (LEANDRE II) of the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS). Data of one formation flight with DLR DIAL and LEANDRE II were investigated, which consists of 54 independent profiles of the two instruments measured with 10-s temporal average. For the height range of 1.14–1.64 km above sea level, a bias of (−0.41 ± 0.16) g kg−1 or −7.9% ± 3.1% was found for DLR DIAL compared to LEANDRE II (LEANDRE II drier) as well as root-mean-square (RMS) deviations of (0.87 ± 0.18) g kg−1 or 16.9% ± 3.5%. With these results, relative bias values of −9.3%, −1.5%, +2.7%, and +8.1% result for LEANDRE II, DLR DIAL, the scanning Raman lidar (SRL), and LASE, respectively, using the mutual bias values determined in Part I for the latter three sensors. From the three possible profile-to-profile intercomparisons between DLR DIAL and LASE, one case cannot provide information on the system performances due to very large inhomogeneity of the atmospheric water vapor field, while one of the two remaining two cases showed a difference of −4.6% in the height range of 1.4–3.0 km and the other of −25% in 1.3–3.8 km (in both cases DLR DIAL was drier than LASE). The airborne-to-airborne comparisons showed that if airborne water vapor lidars are to be validated down to an accuracy of better than 5% in the lower troposphere, the atmospheric variability of water vapor has to be taken into account down to scales of less than a kilometer unless a sufficiently large number of intercomparison cases is available to derive statistically solid biases and RMS deviations. In conclusion, the overall biases between the water vapor data of all three airborne lidar systems operated during IHOP_2002 are smaller than 10% in the present stage of data evaluation, which confirms the previous estimates of the instrumental accuracies for all the systems.

Intercomparison of Water Vapor Data Measured with Lidar during IHOP_2002. Part I: Airborne to Ground-Based Lidar Systems and Comparisons with Chilled-Mirror Hygrometer Radiosondes

AbstractThe water vapor data measured with airborne and ground-based lidar systems during the International H2O Project (IHOP_2002), which took place in the Southern Great Plains during 13 May–25 June 2002 were investigated. So far, the data collected during IHOP_2002 provide the largest set of state-of-the-art water vapor lidar data measured in a field campaign. In this first of two companion papers, intercomparisons between the scanning Raman lidar (SRL) of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) and two airborne systems are discussed. There are 9 intercomparisons possible between SRL and the differential absorption lidar (DIAL) of Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR), while there are 10 intercomparisons between SRL and the Lidar Atmospheric Sensing Experiment (LASE) of the NASA Langley Research Center. Mean biases of (−0.30 ± 0.25) g kg−1 or −4.3% ± 3.2% for SRL compared to DLR DIAL (DLR DIAL drier) and (0.16 ± 0.31) g kg−1 or 5.3% ± 5.1% for SRL compared to LASE (LASE wetter) in the height range of 1.3–3.8 km above sea level (450–2950 m above ground level at the SRL site) were found. Putting equal weight on the data reliability of the three instruments, these results yield relative bias values of −4.6%, −0.4%, and +5.0% for DLR DIAL, SRL, and LASE, respectively. Furthermore, measurements of the Snow White (SW) chilled-mirror hygrometer radiosonde were compared with lidar data. For the four comparisons possible between SW radiosondes and SRL, an overall bias of (−0.27 ± 0.30) g kg−1 or −3.2% ± 4.5% of SW compared to SRL (SW drier) again for 1.3–3.8 km above sea level was found. Because it is a challenging effort to reach an accuracy of humidity measurements down to the ∼5% level, the overall results are very satisfactory and confirm the high and stable performance of the instruments and the low noise errors of each profile.

Raman Lidar Measurements during the International H2O Project. Part II: Case Studies

Abstract The NASA GSFC Scanning Raman Lidar (SRL) participated in the International H2O Project (IHOP) that occurred in May and June 2002 in the midwestern part of the United States. The SRL system configuration and methods of data analysis were described in Part I of this paper. In this second part, comparisons of SRL water vapor measurements and those of Lidar Atmospheric Sensing Experiment (LASE) airborne water vapor lidar and chilled-mirror radiosonde are performed. Two case studies are then presented: one for daytime and one for nighttime. The daytime case study is of a convectively driven boundary layer event and is used to characterize the daytime SRL water vapor random error characteristics. The nighttime case study is of a thunderstorm-generated cirrus cloud case that is studied in its meteorological context. Upper-tropospheric humidification due to precipitation from the cirrus cloud is quantified as is the cirrus cloud optical depth, extinction-to-backscatter ratio, ice water content, cirrus particle size, and both particle and volume depolarization ratios. A stability and back-trajectory analysis is performed to study the origin of wave activity in one of the cloud layers. These unprecedented cirrus cloud measurements are being used in a cirrus cloud modeling study.

Impact of CAMEX-4 Datasets for Hurricane Forecasts Using a Global Model

Abstract This study explores the impact on hurricane data assimilation and forecasts from the use of dropsondes and remotely sensed moisture profiles from the airborne Lidar Atmospheric Sensing Experiment (LASE) system. It is shown here that the use of these additional datasets, more than those from the conventional world weather watch, has a positive impact on hurricane predictions. The forecast tracks and intensity from the experiments show a marked improvement compared to the control experiment in which such datasets were excluded. A study of the moisture budget in these hurricanes showed enhanced evaporation and precipitation over the storm area. This resulted in these datasets making a large impact on the estimate of mass convergence and moisture fluxes, which were much smaller in the control runs. Overall this study points to the importance of high vertical resolution humidity datasets for improved model results. It is noted that the forecast impact from the moisture-profiling datasets for some of the storms is even larger than the impact from the use of dropwindsonde-based winds.

Four-Dimensional Variational Assimilation of Water Vapor Differential Absorption Lidar Data: The First Case Study within IHOP_2002

AbstractFour-dimensional variational assimilation of water vapor differential absorption lidar (DIAL) data has been applied for investigating their impact on the initial water field for mesoscale weather forecasting. A case that was observed during the International H2O Project (IHOP_2002) has been selected. During 24 May 2002, data from the NASA Lidar Atmospheric Sensing Experiment were available upstream of a convective system that formed later along the dryline and a cold front. Tools were developed for routinely assimilating water vapor DIAL data into the fifth-generation Pennsylvania State University–NCAR Mesoscale Model (MM5). The results demonstrate a large impact on the initial water vapor field. This is due to the high resolution and accuracy of DIAL data making the observation of the high spatial variability of humidity in the region of the dryline and of the cold front possible. The water vapor field is mainly adjusted by a modification of the atmospheric wind field changing the moisture transport. A positive impact of the improved initial fields on the spatial/temporal prediction of convective initiation is visible. The results demonstrate the high value of accurate, vertically resolved mesoscale water vapor observations and advanced data assimilation systems for short-range weather forecasting.

Characterization of Upper-Troposphere Water Vapor Measurements during AFWEX Using LASE

AbstractWater vapor mass mixing ratio profiles from NASA's Lidar Atmospheric Sensing Experiment (LASE) system acquired during the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM)–First International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) Regional Experiment (FIRE) Water Vapor Experiment (AFWEX) are used as a reference to characterize upper-troposphere water vapor (UTWV) measured by ground-based Raman lidars, radiosondes, and in situ aircraft sensors over the Department of Energy (DOE) ARM Southern Great Plains (SGP) site in northern Oklahoma. LASE was deployed from the NASA DC-8 aircraft and measured water vapor over the ARM SGP Central Facility (CF) site during seven flights between 27 November and 10 December 2000. Initially, the DOE ARM SGP Cloud and Radiation Testbed (CART) Raman lidar (CARL) UTWV profiles were about 5%–7% wetter than LASE in the upper troposphere, and the Vaisala RS80-H radiosonde profiles were about 10% drier than LASE between 8 and 12 km. Scaling the Vaisala water vapor profiles to match the precipitable water vapor (PWV) measured by the ARM SGP microwave radiometer (MWR) did not change these results significantly. By accounting for an overlap correction of the CARL water vapor profiles and by employing schemes designed to correct the Vaisala RS80-H calibration method and account for the time response of the Vaisala RS80-H water vapor sensor, the average differences between the CARL and Vaisala radiosonde upper-troposphere water vapor profiles are reduced to about 5%, which is within the ARM goal of mean differences of less than 10%. The LASE and DC-8 in situ diode laser hygrometer (DLH) UTWV measurements generally agreed to within about 3%–4%. The DC-8 in situ frost point cryogenic hygrometer and Snow White chilled-mirror measurements were drier than the LASE, Raman lidars, and corrected Vaisala RS80H measurements by about 10%–25% and 10%–15%, respectively. Sippican (formerly VIZ Manufacturing) carbon hygristor radiosondes exhibited large variabilities and poor agreement with the other measurements. PWV derived from the LASE profiles agreed to within about 3% on average with PWV derived from the ARM SGP microwave radiometer. The agreement between the LASE and MWR PWV and the LASE and CARL UTWV measurements supports the hypotheses that MWR measurements of the 22-GHz water vapor line can accurately constrain the total water vapor amount and that the CART Raman lidar, when calibrated using the MWR PWV, can provide an accurate, stable reference for characterizing upper-troposphere water vapor.

Impact of high resolution water vapor cross‐sectional data on hurricane forecasting

This paper addresses the impact of moisture profile data sets derived from the Lidar Atmospheric Sensing Experiment (LASE) for the assimilation and forecasts of hurricanes. LASE is a vertical profiler for moisture measurements that was developed at NASA Langley Research Center. LASE was deployed on board the NASA DC‐8 research aircraft and provided vertical profiles of moisture in a hurricane environment during the Convection and Moisture Experiment‐4, which occurred in August and September 2001. In this preliminary study we show results from two types of experiments (with and without LASE data) that show improvements in track and intensity forecasts of hurricanes, Erin, Humberto and Gabrielle. When the LASE moisture profiles are assimilated, track errors are reduced by 100 km and intensity errors are reduced by 20–25% for 3 day forecasts.

Comparison between super low ionization ratio and reach through avalanche photodiode structures

Avalanche photodiodes (APD) are solid state quantum detectors suitable for low level light detection in the visible and near infrared regions. These devices are commercially available from many manufacturers and are fabricated using several different solid state structures. In this paper a comparison between the well developed reach through structure (RTS) aPd and the relatively newer super low ionization ratio, k, (SLIK) APD structure will be discussed. The comparison is based on the experimental characterization of two APDs with these structures. The characterization setup and experiments will be described which include the calibration of the APDs, temperature response, bias voltage response, and noise measurements including noise-equivalent-power and detectivity D*. For this comparison the selected RTS APD is the EG&G C30955E, currently used by the lidar atmospheric sensing experiment (LASE) instrument. The selected SLIK ApD is the EG&G C30649E, which is proposed for LASE development. The characterization experiments where done in order to develop an advanced atmospheric water vapor differential absorption lidar detection system.

Remote sensing of total precipitable water vapor in the near‐IR over ocean glint

A method for remote sensing of total precipitable water vapor using water vapor absorption band at 0.94 µm was previously developed for continental regions. Here we apply a similar technique for ocean areas over the glint region. The glint, or oceanic specular reflection, has a high value of surface reflectance and thus, can work as well as or better than applications over land regions. The method is applied for glint regions measured by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectro‐radiometer (MODIS) simulator, an imager flown on the NASA ER‐2 research aircraft and simulating the expected measurements from the MODIS instrument on board the Earth Observing System (EOS)‐Terra satellite. The measurements are made for the Atlantic coast of the United States during the Tropospheric Aerosol Radiative Forcing Observational Experiment (TARFOX). The remote sensing technique is compared with measurements of water vapor column by the Lidar Atmospheric Sensing Experiment (LASE) Differential Infrared Absorption Lidar (DIAL) lidar system also on board the ER‐2. Water vapor was derived with an error of ±5 mm PW (precipitable water vapor). Most of the errors are associated with the limitations of an experiment that was not originally designed for this purpose. Much better performance is expected from the actual MODIS instrument.

Comparisons of LASE, aircraft, and satellite measurements of aerosol optical properties and water vapor during TARFOX

We examine aerosol extinction and optical thickness from the Lidar Atmospheric Sensing Experiment (LASE), the in situ nephelometer and absorption photometer on the University of Washington C‐131A aircraft, and the NASA Ames Airborne Tracking Sun Photometer (AATS‐6) on the C‐131 A measured during the Tropospheric Aerosol Radiative Forcing Observational Experiment (TARFOX) over the east coast of the United States in July 1996. On July 17 and 24 the LASE profiles of aerosol extinction and aerosol optical thickness (AOT) had a bias difference of 0.0055 km−1 (10%) and a root‐mean‐square difference of 0.026 km−1 (42%) when compared to corresponding profiles derived from the airborne in situ data when the nephelometer measurements are adjusted to ambient relative humidities. Larger differences for two other days were associated with much smaller aerosol optical thicknesses (July 20) and differences in the locations sampled by the two aircraft (July 26). LASE profiles of AOT are about 10% higher than those derived from the airborne Sun photometer, which in turn are about 10–15% higher than those derived from the airborne in situ measurements. These differences are generally within the error estimates of the various measurements. The LASE measurements of AOT generally agree with AOT derived from both the Along‐Track and Scanning Radiometer 2 (ATSR 2) sensor flown on the European Remote Sensing Satellite 2 (ERS‐2) and from the Moderate‐Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) airborne simulator (MAS) which flew with LASE on the NASA ER‐2 aircraft. Effective particle sizes derived from the MAS data indicate that the LASE retrievals of AOT are valid for effective particle radii less than 0.4 μm. Variations in the relative humidity derived from the LASE water vapor measurements on July 26 are found to be highly correlated with variations in the effective particle size derived from the MAS.

LASE measurements of aerosol and water vapor profiles during TARFOX

The Lidar Atmospheric Sensing Experiment (LASE) was operated autonomously from the NASA high‐altitude ER‐2 aircraft on nine flights during July 10–26, 1996, as part of the Tropospheric Aerosol Radiative Forcing Observational Experiment (TARFOX). LASE measured high‐resolution profiles of water vapor and aerosols in regions of urban haze plumes over the U.S. eastern seaboard. Real‐time LASE aerosol measurements were used to guide the in situ aircraft to sample haze layers. In this paper the vertical and horizontal distributions of aerosol backscatter measured by LASE are presented along with the temporal evolution of the haze layers. The aerosol backscatter data also identify the presence of gradients in the aerosol plumes, the presence of low‐altitude clouds, and optically thin cirrus. This information is useful for many of the radiometeric observations made during TARFOX and can help explain observational differences among ground, airborne, and satellite observations. An iterative procedure is discussed which was used to invert lidar data to retrieve aerosol scattering ratios, extinction, and total optical depths from the LASE measurements. The sensitivity of these retrievals to assumed parameters is discussed and the results of retrievals are also compared to the well‐known Bernoulli method. LASE water vapor measurements were made across the entire troposphere using a three “line pair” method to cover the range of water vapor mixing ratio from < 0.01 g/kg near the tropopause to ∼ 20 g/kg near the surface in a single aircraft pass over the experiment region. These measurements also show two‐dimensional distributions of large spatial gradients in water vapor in the lower and upper troposphere. These observations are useful in the calculation of IR radiation fields and relative humidity fields, since relative humidity has a strong influence on the growth of aerosols and their scattering properties. Water vapor profiles, aerosol scattering ratios, aerosol extinction coefficients and aerosol optical depths were derived using the methodology presented in this paper from LASE measurements during TARFOX. These measurements are compared with other in situ and remote measurements during TARFOX in the companion papers [Ferrare et al., this issue (a, b)]

Comparison of aerosol optical properties and water vapor among ground and airborne lidars and Sun photometers during TARFOX

We compare aerosol optical thickness (AOT) and precipitable water vapor (PWV) measurements derived from ground and airborne lidars and Sun photometers during the Tropospheric Aerosol Radiative Forcing Observational Experiment. Such comparisons are important to verify the consistency between various remote sensing measurements before employing them in any assessment of the impact of aerosols on the global radiation balance. Total scattering ratio and extinction profiles measured by the ground‐based NASA Goddard Space Flight Center scanning Raman lidar system, which operated from Wallops Island, Virginia (37.86°N, 75.51°W), are compared with those measured by the Lidar Atmospheric Sensing Experiment (LASE) airborne lidar system aboard the NASA ER‐2 aircraft. Bias and root‐mean‐square differences indicate that these measurements generally agreed within about 10%. Aerosol extinction profiles and estimates of AOT are derived from both lidar measurements using a value for the aerosol extinction/backscattering ratio Sa = 60 sr for the aerosol extinction/backscattering ratio, which was determined from the Raman lidar measurements. The lidar measurements of AOT are found to be generally within 25% of the AOT measured by the NASA Ames Airborne Tracking Sun Photometer (AATS‐6). However, during certain periods the lidar and Sun photometer measurements of AOT differed significantly, possibly because of variations in the aerosol physical characteristics (e.g., size, composition) which affect Sa. Estimates of PWV, derived from water vapor mixing ratio profiles measured by LASE, are within 5–10% of PWV derived from the airborne Sun photometer. Aerosol extinction profiles measured by both lidars show that aerosols were generally concentrated in the lowest 2–3 km.

Retrieving the vertical structure of the effective aerosol complex index of refraction from a combination of aerosol in situ and remote sensing measurements during TARFOX

The largest uncertainty in estimates of the effects of atmospheric aerosols on climate stems from uncertainties in the determination of their microphysical properties, including the aerosol complex index of refraction, which in turn determines their optical properties. A novel technique is used to estimate the aerosol complex index of refraction in distinct vertical layers from a combination of aerosol in situ size distribution and remote sensing measurements during the Tropospheric Aerosol Radiative Forcing Observational Experiment (TARFOX). In particular, aerosol backscatter measurements using the NASA Langley LASE (Lidar Atmospheric Sensing Experiment) instrument and in situ aerosol size distribution data are utilized to derive vertical profiles of the “effective” aerosol complex index of refraction at 815 nm (i.e., the refractive index that would provide the same backscatter signal in a forward calculation on the basis of the measured in situ particle size distributions for homogeneous, spherical aerosols). A sensitivity study shows that this method yields small errors in the retrieved aerosol refractive indices, provided the errors in the lidar‐derived aerosol backscatter are less than 30% and random in nature. Absolute errors in the estimated aerosol refractive indices are generally less than 0.04 for the real part and can be as much as 0.042 for the imaginary part in the case of a 30% error in the lidar‐derived aerosol backscatter. The measurements of aerosol optical depth from the NASA Ames Airborne Tracking Sunphotometer (AATS‐6) are successfully incorporated into the new technique and help constrain the retrieved aerosol refractive indices. An application of the technique to two TARFOX case studies yields the occurrence of vertical layers of distinct aerosol refractive indices. Values of the estimated complex aerosol refractive index range from 1.33 to 1.45 for the real part and 0.001 to 0.008 for the imaginary part. The methodology devised in this study provides, for the first time, a complete set of vertically resolved aerosol size distribution and refractive index data, yielding the vertical distribution of aerosol optical properties required for the determination of aerosol‐induced radiative flux changes.

SYSTEMS ENGINEERING APPLIED TO STRATEGIC PLANNING: THE LASE FOLLOW‐ON STUDY

AbstractThe NASA Langley Research Center, Systems Engineering Office, has established a structured process for the application of systems engineering to in‐house projects. Concurrent with this process development, several pilot studies have been conducted to refine the application steps and better tailor them to existing Langley policies and procedures. One such study is the subject of this paper, the LIDAR Atmospheric Sensing Experiment (LASE) Follow‐On Study. The study was commissioned to utilize the LaRC systems engineering process for strategic planning, towards the overall goal of determining the best use of LASE hardware upon satisfaction of existing scientific objectives. This paper describes the process used, techniques employed, results obtained and lessons learned during application of the LaRC systems engineering process to the strategic resolution of the LASE experiment disposition.

Airborne and spaceborne lidar measurements of water vapor profiles: a sensitivity analysis

This paper presents an evaluation of the random and systematic error sources associated with differential absorption lidar (DIAL) measurements of tropospheric water vapor (H(2)O) profiles from airborne and spaceborne platforms. The results of this analysis are used in the development and performance evaluation of the Lidar Atmospheric Sensing Experiment (LASE) H(2)O DIAL system presently under development at the NASA Langley Research Center for operation on a high altitude ER-2 (advanced U-2) aircraft. The analysis shows that a <10% H(2)O profile measurement accuracy is possible for the LASE system with a vertical and horizontal resolution of 200 m and 10 km, respectively, at night and 300 m and 20 km during the day. Global measurements of H(2)O profiles from spaceborne DIAL systems can be made to a similar accuracy with a vertical resolution of 500 m and a horizontal resolution of 100 km.