Dual-field-of-view Raman lidar measurements for the retrieval of cloud microphysical properties

Validation of the dual field-of-view polarization LIDAR technique for the retrieval of homogeneous water cloud microphysical properties: a study based on a polarimetric Monte Carlo simulation

This article highlights the validation of the dual fields-of-view (FOVs) polarization lidar technique for the retrieval of cloud droplet effective radius in conjunction with cloud extinction coefficient of homogeneous water cloud via simulation approach. The simulation is based on polarimetric Monte Carlo method incorporated with semianalytic features under multiple-scattering conditions. The simulation results show that the depolarization ratio measured at dual-FOVs is a function of the cloud droplet effective radius and cloud extinction coefficient. Using the method of standard deviation on extensive simulation results and then by applying the polynomial regression, two polynomial relationships are obtained expressing the retrieval of the cloud droplet effective radius and cloud extinction coefficient from the layer integrated depolarization ratio at low optical depths close to the cloud bottom. Eventually, the results those presented by Ref.[1] are validated. The water cloud microphysical properties, liquid water content and cloud droplet number concentration are the functions of these two parameters and thus can be found numerically.

Dual-field-of-view high-spectral-resolution lidar: Simultaneous profiling of aerosol and water cloud to study aerosol-cloud interaction

Aerosol–cloud interaction affects the cooling of Earth’s climate, mostly by activation of aerosols as cloud condensation nuclei that can increase the amount of sunlight reflected back to space. But the controlling physical processes remain uncertain in current climate models. We present a lidar-based technique as a unique remote-sensing tool without thermodynamic assumptions for simultaneously profiling diurnal aerosol and water cloud properties with high resolution. Direct lateral observations of cloud properties show that the vertical structure of low-level water clouds can be far from being perfectly adiabatic. Furthermore, our analysis reveals that, instead of an increase of liquid water path (LWP) as proposed by most general circulation models, elevated aerosol loading can cause a net decrease in LWP.

Aerosol–cloud interaction (ACI) is complex and difficult to be well represented in current climate models. Progress on understanding ACI processes, such as the influence of aerosols on water cloud droplet formation, is hampered by inadequate observational capability. Hitherto, high-resolution and simultaneous observations of diurnal aerosol loading and cloud microphysical properties are challenging for current remote-sensing techniques. To overcome this conundrum, we introduce the dual-field-of-view (FOV) high-spectral-resolution lidar (HSRL) for simultaneously profiling aerosol and water cloud properties, especially water cloud microphysical properties. Continuous observations of aerosols and clouds using this instrument, verified by the Monte Carlo simulation and coincident observations of other techniques, were conducted to investigate the interactions between aerosol loading and water cloud microphysical properties. A case study over Beijing highlights the scientific potential of dual-FOV HSRL to become a significant contributor to the ACI investigations. The observed water cloud profiles identify that due to air entrainment its vertical structure is not perfectly adiabatic, as assumed by many current retrieval methods. Our ACI analysis shows increased aerosol loading led to increased droplet number concentration and decreased droplet effective radius—consistent with expectations—but had no discernible increase on liquid water path. This finding supports the hypothesis that aerosol-induced cloud water increase caused by suppressed rain formation can be canceled out by enhanced evaporation. Thus, these observations obtained from the dual-FOV HSRL constitute substantial and significant additions to understanding ACI process. This technique is expected to represent a significant step forward in characterizing ACI.

The Determination of Aerosol Distribution by a No-Blind-Zone Scanning Lidar

A homemade portable no-blind zone laser detection and ranging (lidar) system was designed to map the three-dimensional (3D) distribution of aerosols based on a dual-field-of-view (FOV) receiver system. This innovative lidar prototype has a space resolution of 7.5 m and a time resolution of 30 s. A blind zone of zero meters, and a transition zone of approximately 60 m were realized with careful optical alignments, and were rather meaningful to the lower atmosphere observation. With a scanning platform, the lidar system was used to locate the industrial pollution sources at ground level. The primary parameters of the transmitter, receivers, and detectors are described in this paper. Acquiring a whole return signal of this lidar system represents the key step to the retrieval of aerosol distribution with applying a linear joining method to the two FOV signals. The vertical profiles of aerosols were retrieved by the traditional Fernald method and verified by real-time observations. To effectively and reliably retrieve the horizontal distributions of aerosols, a composition of the Fernald method and the slope method were applied. In this way, a priori assumptions of even atmospheric conditions and the already-known reference point in the lidar equation were avoided. No-blind-zone vertical in-situ observation of aerosol illustrated a detailed evolution from almost 0 m to higher altitudes. No-blind-zone detection provided tiny structures of pollution distribution in lower atmosphere, which is closely related to human health. Horizontal field scanning experiments were also conducted in the Shandong Province. The results showed a high accuracy of aerosol mass movement by this lidar system. An effective quantitative way to locate pollution sources distribution was paved with the portable lidar system after validation by the mass concentration of suspended particulate matter from a ground air quality station.

On the Shapes and Sizes of Cirrus Particles Causing Specular Reflections in Lidar Signals

A new method to determine the projection-area- equivalent radius of cirrus particles is presented. Together with direct lidar measurements of ice water content and a simple particle model, the technique facilitates the retrieval of ice particle shape and size. As a first application, cirrus clouds are studied that feature layers with lidar and depolarization ratios highly depressed by mirror reflections from horizontally aligned particles. It is found that in most cases not thin hexagonal plates dominate the ensemble of scatterers but rather compact particles.

Continuos Monitoring of Liquid Water Clouds and Aerosols with Dual-FOV Lidar Polarization Technique

In this work we evaluate the possibilities to assess aerosol-cloud interactions in short time scales (2 min.) on an observational base. Retrievals of the cloud effective radius and number concentration in a liquid-water cloud by using the multiple scattering technique Dual-FOV Polarization lidar, together with the aerosol extinction coefficient in the boundary layer has shown a correspondence between the aerosol and cloud properties in the 6 hours case presented, obtaining a value of ACIN = 0.76 ± 0.29, which corroborates the potential of lidar observations to study the relation between aerosols and clouds on small scales.

Validation of the Analytical Model of Oceanic Lidar Returns: Comparisons with Monte Carlo Simulations and Experimental Results

The analytical model based on the quasi-single small-angle scattering approximation can efficiently simulate oceanic lidar signals with multiple scattering; thus, its accuracy is of particular interest to scientists. In this paper, the model is modified to include refraction at oblique incidence and is then compared with Monte Carlo (MC) simulations and experimental results. Under different conditions, the results calculated by the analytical model demonstrate good agreement with the MC simulation and experimental data. The coefficient of determination R2 considering the logarithm of signals and the root mean square of the relative difference δ are R2 = 0.998 and δ = 10% in comparison with the semi-analytic MC simulation and R2 = 0.952 and δ = 46% for the lidar experiment. Thus, the results demonstrate the validity of the analytical model in the simulation of oceanic lidar signals.

Remote Sensing of Droplet Number Concentration in Warm Clouds: A Review of the Current State of Knowledge and Perspectives

The cloud droplet number concentration (N d) is of central interest to improve the understanding of cloud physics and for quantifying the effective radiative forcing by aerosol-cloud interactions. Current standard satellite retrievals do not operationally provide N d, but it can be inferred from retrievals of cloud optical depth (τ c) cloud droplet effective radius (r e) and cloud top temperature. This review summarizes issues with this approach and quantifies uncertainties. A total relative uncertainty of 78% is inferred for pixel-level retrievals for relatively homogeneous, optically thick and unobscured stratiform clouds with favorable viewing geometry. The uncertainty is even greater if these conditions are not met. For averages over 1° ×1° regions the uncertainty is reduced to 54% assuming random errors for instrument uncertainties. In contrast, the few evaluation studies against reference in situ observations suggest much better accuracy with little variability in the bias. More such studies are required for a better error characterization. N d uncertainty is dominated by errors in r e, and therefore, improvements in r e retrievals would greatly improve the quality of the N d retrievals. Recommendations are made for how this might be achieved. Some existing N d data sets are compared and discussed, and best practices for the use of N d data from current passive instruments (e.g., filtering criteria) are recommended. Emerging alternative N d estimates are also considered. First, new ideas to use additional information from existing and upcoming spaceborne instruments are discussed, and second, approaches using high-quality ground-based observations are examined.

Comparison between two lidar methods to retrieve microphysical properties of liquid-water clouds

Since 2010, the Raman dual-FOV lidar system permits the retrieval of microphysical properties of liquid-water clouds during nighttime. A new robust lidar depolarization approach was recently introduced, which permits the retrieval of these properties as well, with high temporal resolution and during daytime. To implement this approach, the lidar system was upgraded, by adding a three channel depolarization receiver. The first preliminary retrieval results and a comparison between both methods is presented.