MPL

mpl > Micropulse LidarInstrument Type(s) > Baseline • Evaluation • External • Guest

The micropulse lidar (MPL) is a ground-based, optical, remote-sensing system designed primarily to determine the altitude of clouds; however, it is also used for detection of atmospheric aerosols. The physical principle is the same as for radar. Pulses of energy are transmitted into the atmosphere; the energy scattered back to the transceiver is collected and measured as a time-resolved signal, thereby detecting clouds and aerosols in real time.

From the time delay between each outgoing pulse and the backscattered signal, the distance to the scatterer is inferred. Post-processing of the lidar return characterizes the extent and properties of aerosols or other particles in a region.

Primary Derived Measurements

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Locations

Fixed
AMF1
AMF2
AMF3

Active Locations

Facility Name	Start Date
Houston, TX; AMF1 (main site for TRACER)	2021-04-14
Central Facility, Lamont, OK	1996-03-12
Central Facility, Barrow AK	1998-05-21
Gunnison, CO; AMF2 (main site for SAIL)	2021-07-09
Graciosa Island, Azores, Portugal	2013-10-02

Related Publications

2021

Jensen M, V Ghate, D Wang, D Apoznanski, M Bartholomew, S Giangrande, K Johnson, and M Thieman. 2021. "Contrasting characteristics of open- and closed-cellular stratocumulus cloud in the eastern North Atlantic." Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 21(19), 10.5194/acp-21-14557-2021.
Research Highlight

Riihimaki L, X Li, Z Hou, and L Berg. 2021. "Improving prediction of surface solar irradiance variability by integrating observed cloud characteristics and machine learning." Solar Energy, 225, 10.1016/j.solener.2021.07.047.

Flynn D, E Cromwell, and D Zhang. 2021. Micropulse Lidar Cloud Mask Machine-Learning Value-Added Product Report. Ed. by Robert Stafford, ARM user facility. DOE/SC-ARM-TR-274.

HENKES A, G Fisch, L Machado, and J Chaboureau. 2021. "Morning boundary layer conditions for shallow to deep convective cloud evolution during the dry season in the central Amazon." Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 21(17), 10.5194/acp-21-13207-2021.

Helbig M, T Gerken, E Beamesderfer, D Baldocchi, T Banerjee, S Biraud, W Brown, N Brunsell, E Burakowski, S Burns, B Butterworth, W Chan, K Davis, A Desai, J Fuentes, D Hollinger, N Kljun, M Mauder, K Novick, J Perkins, D Rahn, C Rey-Sanchez, J Santanello, R Scott, B Seyednasrollah, P Stoy, R Sullivan, J de Arellano, S Wharton, C Yi, and A Richardson. 2021. "Integrating continuous atmospheric boundary layer and tower-based flux measurements to advance understanding of land-atmosphere interactions." Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 307, 108509, 10.1016/j.agrformet.2021.108509.

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