Dg. Steyn et al., The detection of mixed layer depth and entrainment zone thickness from lidar backscatter profiles, J ATMOSP OC, 16(7), 1999, pp. 953-959
A new method is presented for the extraction of mixed layer depth and entra
inment zone thickness from Lidar, backscatter ratio profiles. The method is
based on fitting a four parameter, idealized profile to observed profiles.
Optimization of the fit yields values for mixed layer depth and entrainmen
t zone thickness. Since the fitting procedure is based on the entire measur
ed profile, it has a robustness not found in methods based on critical back
scatter or backscatter gradient. The method is tested by application to fou
r measured profiles and three synthetic profiles. The sets of profiles incl
ude some that are very demanding because of small mixed layer to upper laye
r backscatter ratio contrasts, or have plumes of high backscatter imbedded
in mixed and upper layers. It is shown that the method is robust and simple
to implement, even for a sequence of independent profiles.