Atmospheric Aerosol and Humidity Profiling Using an Airborne DIAL System in the Near IR

Differential absorption Lidar (DIAL) is a powerful technique for active remote sensing of a number of atmospheric parameters and trace gases. Particularly, DIAL-systems operating in the near IR are suitable instruments for humidity profiling in the Troposphere, either from a fixed station on ground (Cahen et al., 1982) or mounted in an aircraft (Browell et al., 1984). However, airborne DIAL'S offer the possibilities to determine vertical and horizontal distributions of aerosol and water vapor in different regions and to monitor the seasonal variability and concentration. Tropospheric water vapor plays a significant role in cloud physics and climate research. The meteorological data derived from airborne DIAL measurements in the lower troposphere can be used to study growing up and stratification of the PBL. In addition, the measurements provide the opportunity to investigate aerosol and humidity interaction or to study latent heat exchange between the PBL and the free troposphere.