ATMOSPHERIC-TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENTS MADE BY ROTATIONAL RAMAN-SCATTERING

Citation
G. Vaughan et al., ATMOSPHERIC-TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENTS MADE BY ROTATIONAL RAMAN-SCATTERING, Applied optics, 32(15), 1993, pp. 2758-2764
Citations number
14
Categorie Soggetti
Optics
Journal title
ISSN journal
00036935
Volume
32
Issue
15
Year of publication
1993
Pages
2758 - 2764
Database
ISI
SICI code
0003-6935(1993)32:15<2758:AMMBRR>2.0.ZU;2-Z
Abstract
Rotational Raman scattering of light from the second harmonic of a Nd: YAG laser is used to measure atmospheric temperature at altitudes of 3 to 20 km. The method relies on taking the ratio of light passed by tw o filters that differ slightly in their passbands, and is therefore in sensitive to variations in atmospheric transmission. The calibration o f the experiment relies on only spectroscopic measurements and not on normalizing to nearby radiosondes, as has been the previous practice w ith this kind of experiment. Comparisons with radiosonde profiles show excellent agreement to within the precision of the measurements and t he variability of the atmosphere. The main application of the experime nt lies in its ability to measure a time series of temperature profile s with good height resolution throughout a night. Examples of such ser ies that show the passage of a tropopause fold above the lidar are pre sented.