Investigation of PBL schemes combining the WRF model simulations with scanning water vapor differential absorption lidar measurements

Abstract. Airborne differential absorption lidar (DIAL) offers a uniquely capable solution to the problem of measuring water vapor (WV) with high precision, accuracy, and resolution throughout the troposphere and lower stratosphere. The High Altitude Lidar Observatory (HALO) airborne WV DIAL was recently developed at NASA Langley Research Center and was first deployed in 2019. It uses four wavelengths at 935 nm to achieve sensitivity over a wide dynamic range, and simultaneously employs 1064 nm backscatter and 532 nm high spectral resolution lidar (HSRL) measurements for aerosol and cloud profiling. A key component of the WV retrieval framework is flexibly trading resolution for precision to achieve optimal data sets for scientific objectives across scales. A technique for retrieving WV in the lowest few hundred meters of the atmosphere using the strong surface return signal is also presented. The five maiden flights of the HALO WV DIAL spanned the tropics through midlatitudes with a wide range of atmospheric conditions, but opportunities for validation were sparse. Comparisons to dropsonde WV profiles were qualitatively in good agreement, though statistical analysis was impossible due to systematic error in the dropsonde measurements. Comparison of HALO to in situ WV measurements onboard the aircraft showed no substantial bias across three orders of magnitude, despite variance (R2 = 0.66) that may be largely attributed to spatiotemporal variability. Precipitable water vapor measurements from the spaceborne sounders AIRS and IASI compared very well to HALO with R2 > 0.96 over ocean and R2 = 0.86 over land.

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Development of a widely tunable amplified diode laser differential absorption lidar for profiling atmospheric water vapor

Journal of Applied Remote Sensing ◽

10.1117/1.3383156 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

pp. 043515 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Kevin S. Repasky

Keyword(s):

Water Vapor ◽

Diode Laser ◽

Atmospheric Water Vapor ◽

Differential Absorption ◽

Atmospheric Water ◽

Differential Absorption Lidar

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Comparison of active and passive water vapor remote sensing from space: An analysis based on the simulated performance of IASI and space borne differential absorption lidar

Remote Sensing of Environment ◽

10.1016/j.rse.2004.12.019 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 95 (2) ◽

pp. 211-230 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

V. Wulfmeyer ◽

Heinz Bauer ◽

Paolo Di Girolamo ◽

Carmine Serio

Keyword(s):

Remote Sensing ◽

Water Vapor ◽

Differential Absorption ◽

Differential Absorption Lidar ◽

Simulated Performance

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Validation of a Water Vapor Micropulse Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL)

Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology ◽

10.1175/jtech-d-16-0119.1 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 33 (11) ◽

pp. 2353-2372 ◽

Cited By ~ 38

Author(s):

Tammy M. Weckwerth ◽

Kristy J. Weber ◽

David D. Turner ◽

Scott M. Spuler

Keyword(s):

Water Vapor ◽

Correlation Coefficient ◽

Microwave Radiometer ◽

Temporal Trends ◽

Differential Absorption ◽

Differential Absorption Lidar ◽

Pearson’S Correlation ◽

Pearson’S Correlation Coefficient ◽

Pearson's Correlation ◽

Pearson's Correlation Coefficient

AbstractA water vapor micropulse differential absorption lidar (DIAL) instrument was developed collaboratively by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and Montana State University (MSU). This innovative, eye-safe, low-power, diode-laser-based system has demonstrated the ability to obtain unattended continuous observations in both day and night. Data comparisons with well-established water vapor observing systems, including radiosondes, Atmospheric Emitted Radiance Interferometers (AERIs), microwave radiometer profilers (MWRPs), and ground-based global positioning system (GPS) receivers, show excellent agreement. The Pearson’s correlation coefficient for the DIAL and radiosondes is consistently greater than 0.6 from 300 m up to 4.5 km AGL at night and up to 3.5 km AGL during the day. The Pearson’s correlation coefficient for the DIAL and AERI is greater than 0.6 from 300 m up to 2.25 km at night and from 300 m up to 2.0 km during the day. Further comparison with the continuously operating GPS instrumentation illustrates consistent temporal trends when integrating the DIAL measurements up to 6 km AGL.

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