Instrument : Raman Lidar (RL)
Beneficiary of Recovery Act funding.
Instrument Categories
Aerosols, Atmospheric Profiling
General Overview
The Raman Lidar (RL) is an active, ground-based laser remote sensing instrument that measures vertical profiles of water-vapor mixing ratio and several cloud- and aerosol-related quantities. Lidar (light detection and ranging) is the optical analog of radar, using pulses of laser radiation to probe the atmosphere. This system is fully computer automated, and will run unattended for many days following a brief (~5-minute) startup period. The self-contained system (requiring only external electrical power) is housed in a climate-controlled 8'x8'x20' standard shipping container.
Output Datastreams
- rl : Raman lidar (RL): raw backscattered profiles at 355, 387, and 408 nm
Primary Measurements
The following measurements are those considered scientifically relevant.
- Aerosol scattering
- Atmospheric moisture
- Backscatter depolarization ratio
- Backscattered radiation
- Cloud base height
- Nitrogen
Locations
- Southern Great Plains (SGP)
- Central Facility, Lamont, OK (C1)
- Tropical Western Pacific (TWP)
- Central Facility, Darwin, Australia (C3)
Contact(s)
Rob Newsom
(509) 372-6020
rob.newsom@pnnl.gov
John Goldsmith
engineering
(925) 2942432
jgold@sandia.gov
