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Advances in Atmospheric Remote Sensing with Lidar

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A special issue of Remote Sensing (ISSN 2072-4292). This special issue belongs to the section "Atmospheric Remote Sensing".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2020) | Viewed by 25310

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Patrick Rairoux

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Guest Editor

Institute of Light and Matter (ILM), Physics Department Lyon, University of Lyon Claude Bernard Lyon, 69622 Villeurbanne, France
Interests: light interaction with the atmosphere; remote sensing; lidar

Dr. Alain Miffre

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Institute of Light and Matter, Université de Lyon, Université Lyon1 Claude Bernard, CNRS, 4 Rue Ada Byron, F-69622 Villeurbanne, France
Interests: lidar remote sensing; atmospheric aerosols; laboratory studies on light interaction with the atmosphere

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Air quality and climate issues are examples of major challenges for our society. While concrete actions are already available for politicians, a better understanding of the processes occurring in the atmosphere still remain a concern. In this context, it is currently recognized that lidar has become an essential instrument for probing the spatial and temporal distribution of atmospheric constituents under in situ conditions of temperature, pressure, wind, and relative humidity. Lidar instrumentation is now based on the progress made over the past 20 years, both technically (reliability of laser sources and optical components, detector sensitivity) and formally (theories of the interaction of laser light with atmospheric constituents, associated formalisms such as scattering matrix, spectral broadening, turbulence). Lidar instrumentation thus occupies a central place in our understanding of the atmosphere and is therefore integrated into all atmospheric observation platforms, both on the ground and onboard aircraft and satellites.

Given the advances made in the field over the past 20 years, and especially the huge amount of collected lidar data, it seems to me that our community must, even more so, focus its research on the sensitivity and precision and temporal reliability with which we measure the spatiotemporal evolution of the atmospheric parameters probed by means of laser–matter interaction. This questioning also involves looking at new possibilities for probing the atmosphere by exploiting the elastic, inelastic, and nonlinear interactions of laser light with the atmosphere, considering new laser light sources and detectors.

The objective of this Special Issue on "Advances in Atmospheric Remote Sensing with Lidar" is to report to the Remote Sensing community the current capacity of the lidar to observe the atmosphere and to present new perspectives that will be/are available to the community. Contributions may cover a wide spectrum of theoretical studies or lidar observations—both ground and airborne—ranging from the measurement of the concentration of atmospheric molecules to the molecular isotopic ratio, from aerosol content to its optical properties or dealing with the measurement of associated meteorological parameters (T, RH, Wind). Contributions relating to the observation of interactions at the atmosphere–ocean, land–cloud, interstellar atmosphere interfaces as well as the use of laser–atmosphere interaction to probe lightning, nucleation or pollution control are also welcome.

Prof. Patrick Rairoux
Dr. Alain Miffre
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Remote Sensing is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

Lidar
Atmosphere
Molecular trace
Meteorological parameter
Aerosols
Sensitivity
Reliability
Polarization
Elastic and inelastic scattering
Nonlinear optics

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 2654 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Towards DCS in the UV Spectral Range for Remote Sensing of Atmospheric Trace Gases

by Sandrine Galtier, Clément Pivard and Patrick Rairoux

Remote Sens. 2020, 12(20), 3444; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs12203444 - 20 Oct 2020

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 3099

Abstract

The development of increasingly sensitive and robust instruments and new methodologies are essential to improve our understanding of the Earth’s climate and air pollution. In this context, Dual-Comb spectroscopy (DCS) has been successfully demonstrated as a remote laser-based instrument to probe infrared absorbing species such as greenhouse gases. We present here a study of the sensitivity of Dual-Comb spectroscopy to remotely monitor atmospheric gases focusing on molecules that absorb in the ultraviolet domain, where the most reactive molecules of the atmosphere (OH, HONO, BrO...) have their highest absorption cross-sections. We assess the achievable signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and the corresponding minimum absorption sensitivity of DCS in the ultraviolet range. We propose a potential light source for remote sensing UV-DCS and discuss the degree of immunity of UV-DCS to atmospheric turbulences. We show that the characteristics of the currently available UV sources are compatible with the unambiguous identification of UV absorbing gases by UV-DCS. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Atmospheric Remote Sensing with Lidar)

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22 pages, 7751 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Airborne Validation Experiment of 1.57-μm Double-Pulse IPDA LIDAR for Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Measurement

by Yadan Zhu, Juxin Yang, Xiao Chen, Xiaopeng Zhu, Junxuan Zhang, Shiguang Li, Yanguang Sun, Xia Hou, Decang Bi, Lingbing Bu, Yang Zhang, Jiqiao Liu and Weibiao Chen

Remote Sens. 2020, 12(12), 1999; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs12121999 - 22 Jun 2020

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 3419

Abstract

The demand for greenhouse gas measurement has increased dramatically due to global warming. A 1.57-μm airborne double-pulse integrated-path differential absorption (IPDA) light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system for CO₂ concentration measurement was developed. The airborne field experiments of this IPDA LIDAR system were conducted at a flight altitude of approximately 7 km, and the weak echo signal of the ocean area was successfully received. The matched filter algorithm was applied to the retrieval of the weak signals, and the pulse integration method was used to improve the signal-to-noise ratio. The inversion results of the CO₂ column-averaged dry-air mixing ratio (XCO₂) by the scheme of averaging after log (AVD) and the scheme of averaging signals before log were compared. The AVD method was found more effective for the experiment. The long-term correlation between the changing trends of XCO₂ retrieved by the IPDA LIDAR system and CO₂ dry-air volume mixing ratio measured by the in-situ instrument reached 92%. In the steady stage of the open area (30 km away from the coast), which is almost unaffected by the residential areas, the mean value of XCO₂ retrieved by the IPDA LIDAR system was 414.69 ppm, with the standard deviation being 1.02 ppm. Compared with the CO₂ concentration measured by the in-situ instrument in the same period, bias was 1.30 ppm. The flight path passed across the ocean, residential, and mountainous areas, with the mean value of XCO₂ of the three areas being 419.35, 429.29, and 422.52 ppm, respectively. The gradient of the residential and ocean areas was 9.94 ppm, with that of the residential and mountainous areas being 6.77 ppm. Obvious gradients were found in different regions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Atmospheric Remote Sensing with Lidar)

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18 pages, 6241 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Experimental Calibration of the Overlap Factor for the Pulsed Atmospheric Lidar by Employing a Collocated Scheimpflug Lidar

by Liang Mei, Teng Ma, Zhen Zhang, Ruonan Fei, Kun Liu, Zhenfeng Gong and Hui Li

Remote Sens. 2020, 12(7), 1227; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs12071227 - 10 Apr 2020

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3228

Abstract

Lidar techniques have been widely employed for atmospheric remote sensing during past decades. However, an important drawback of the traditional atmospheric pulsed lidar technique is the large blind range, typically hundreds of meters, due to incomplete overlap between the transmitter and the receiver, etc. The large blind range prevents the successful retrieval of the near-ground aerosol profile, which is of great significance for both meteorological studies and environmental monitoring. In this work, we have demonstrated a new experimental approach to calibrate the overlap factor of the Mie-scattering pulsed lidar system by employing a collocated Scheimpflug lidar (SLidar) system. A calibration method of the overlap factor has been proposed and evaluated with lidar data measured in different ranges. The overlap factor, experimentally determined by the collocated SLidar system, has also been validated through horizontal comparison measurements. It has been found out that the median overlap factor evaluated by the proposed method agreed very well with the overlap factor obtained by the linear fitting approach with the assumption of homogeneous atmospheric conditions, and the discrepancy was generally less than 10%. Meanwhile, simultaneous measurements employing the SLidar system and the pulsed lidar system have been carried out to extend the measurement range of lidar techniques by gluing the lidar curves measured by the two systems. The profile of the aerosol extinction coefficient from the near surface at around 90 m up to 28 km can be well resolved in a slant measurement geometry during nighttime. This work has demonstrated a great potential of employing the SLidar technique for the calibration of the overlap factor and the extension of the measurement range for pulsed lidar techniques. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Atmospheric Remote Sensing with Lidar)

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29 pages, 8314 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Taking the Motion out of Floating Lidar: Turbulence Intensity Estimates with a Continuous-Wave Wind Lidar

by Felix Kelberlau, Vegar Neshaug, Lasse Lønseth, Tania Bracchi and Jakob Mann

Remote Sens. 2020, 12(5), 898; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs12050898 - 10 Mar 2020

Cited by 28 | Viewed by 8338

Abstract

Due to their motion, floating wind lidars overestimate turbulence intensity (

T I

) compared to fixed lidars. We show how the motion of a floating continuous-wave velocity–azimuth display (VAD) scanning lidar in all six degrees of freedom influences the

T I

estimates, [...] Read more.

Due to their motion, floating wind lidars overestimate turbulence intensity (

T I

) compared to fixed lidars. We show how the motion of a floating continuous-wave velocity–azimuth display (VAD) scanning lidar in all six degrees of freedom influences the

T I

estimates, and present a method to compensate for it. The approach presented here uses line-of-sight measurements of the lidar and high-frequency motion data. The compensation algorithm takes into account the changing radial velocity, scanning geometry, and measurement height of the lidar beam as the lidar moves and rotates. It also incorporates a strategy to synchronize lidar and motion data. We test this method with measurement data from a ZX300 mounted on a Fugro SEAWATCH Wind LiDAR Buoy deployed offshore and compare its

T I

estimates with and without motion compensation to measurements taken by a fixed land-based reference wind lidar of the same type located nearby. Results show that the

T I

values of the floating lidar without motion compensation are around

50 %

higher than the reference values. The motion compensation algorithm detects the amount of motion-induced

T I

and removes it from the measurement data successfully. Motion compensation leads to good agreement between the

T I

estimates of floating and fixed lidar under all investigated wind conditions and sea states. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Atmospheric Remote Sensing with Lidar)

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20 pages, 5547 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Multi-Year Evaluation of Doppler Lidar Wind-Profile Observations in the Arctic

by Zen Mariani, Robert Crawford, Barbara Casati and François Lemay

Remote Sens. 2020, 12(2), 323; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs12020323 - 18 Jan 2020

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3674

Abstract

Doppler light detection and ranging (lidar) wind profilers have proven their capability to measure vertical wind profiles with an accuracy comparable to anemometers and radiosondes. However, most of these comparisons were performed over short time periods or at mid-latitudes. This study presents a multi-year assessment of the accuracy of Doppler lidar wind-profile measurements in the Arctic by comparing them with coincident radiosonde observations, and excellent agreement was observed. The suitability of the Doppler lidar for verification case studies of operational numerical weather prediction (NWP) models during the World Meteorological Organization’s Year of Polar Prediction is also demonstrated, by using Environment and Climate Change Canada’s (ECCC) global environmental multiscale model (GEM-2.5 km and GEM-10 km). Since 2016, identical scanning Doppler lidars were deployed at two supersites commissioned by ECCC as part of the Canadian Arctic Weather Science project. The supersites are located in Iqaluit (64°N, 69°W) and Whitehorse (61°N, 135°W) with a third Halo Doppler lidar located in Squamish (50°N, 123°W). Two lidar wind-profile measurement methodologies were investigated; the velocity-azimuth display method exhibited a smaller average bias (−0.27 ± 0.02 m/s) than the Doppler beam-swinging method (–0.46 ± 0.02 m/s) compared to the sonde. Comparisons to ECCC’s NWP models indicate good agreement, more so during the summer months, with an average bias < 0.71 m/s for the higher-resolution (GEM-2.5 km) ECCC models at Iqaluit. Larger biases were found in the mountainous terrain of Whitehorse and Squamish, likely due to difficulties in the model’s ability to resolve the topography. This provides evidence in favor of using high temporal resolution lidar wind-profile measurements to complement radiosonde observations and for NWP model verification and process studies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Atmospheric Remote Sensing with Lidar)

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12 pages, 2926 KiB

Open AccessLetter

Toronto Water Vapor Lidar Inter-Comparison Campaign

by Zen Mariani, Noah Stanton, James Whiteway and Raisa Lehtinen

Remote Sens. 2020, 12(19), 3165; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs12193165 - 27 Sep 2020

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2786

Abstract

This study presents comparisons between vertical water vapor profile measurements from a Raman lidar and a new pre-production broadband differential absorption lidar (DIAL). Vaisala’s novel DIAL system operates autonomously outdoors and measures the vertical profile of water vapor within the boundary layer 24 h a day during all weather conditions. Eight nights of measurements in June and July 2018 were used for the Toronto water vapor lidar inter-comparison field campaign. Both lidars provided reliable atmospheric backscatter and water vapor profile measurements. Comparisons were performed during night-time observations only, when the York Raman lidar could measure the water vapor profile. The purpose was to validate the water vapor profile measurements retrieved by the new DIAL system. The results indicate good agreement between the two lidars, with a mean difference (DIAL–Raman) of 0.17 ± 0.14 g/kg. There were two main causes for differences in their measurements: horizontal displacement between the two lidar sites (3.2 km) and vertical gradients in the water vapor profile. A case study analyzed during the campaign demonstrates the ability for both lidars to measure sudden changes and large gradients in the water vapor’s vertical structure due to a passing frontal system. These results provide an initial validation of the DIAL’s measurements and its ability to be implemented as part of an operational program. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Atmospheric Remote Sensing with Lidar)

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