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MPL

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mpl: Micropulse Lidar

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.

Measurements

Aerosol backscattered radiation Cloud base height Lidar polarization
Aerosol extinction Cloud fraction Radar polarization
Aerosol optical depth Cloud top height Radar reflectivity
Backscattered radiation Hydrometeor phase

Locations

  • Fixed
  • AMF1
  • AMF2
  • AMF3

Related Publications

2018

PZ, M Alvarado, C Chiu, S DeSzoeke, C Fairall, G Feingold, A Freedman, S Ghan, J Haywood, P Kollias, E Lewis, G McFarquhar, A McComiskey, D Mechem, T Onasch, J Redemann, D Romps, D Turner, H Wang, R Wood, S Yuter, and P Zhu. 2018. Layered Atlantic Smoke Interactions with Clouds (LASIC) Field Campaign Report. Ed. by Robert Stafford, ARM Climate Research Facility. DOE/SC-ARM-18-018.

Silber I, J Verlinde, E Eloranta, C Flynn, and D Flynn. 2018. "Polar liquid cloud base detection algorithms for high spectral resolution or micropulse lidar data." Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, , 10.1029/2017JD027840. ONLINE.

Zhuang Y, R Fu, and H Wang. 2018. "How do environmental conditions influence vertical buoyancy structure and shallow-to-deep convection transition across different climate regimes?" Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences, , 10.1175/JAS-D-17-0284.1. ONLINE.

2017

Goss H. 2017. Cloud, Aerosol, and Complex Terrain Interactions (CACTI) Backgrounder. Ed. by Rolanda Jundt, ARM Climate Research Facility. DOE/SC-ARM-17-032.

Qiu Y, C Zhao, J Guo, and J Li. 2017. "8-Year ground-based observational analysis about the seasonal variation of the aerosol-cloud droplet effective radius relationship at SGP site." Atmospheric Environment, 164, 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2017.06.002.

Stachlewska I, M Costa-Surós, and D Althausen. 2017. "Raman lidar water vapor profiling over Warsaw, Poland." Atmospheric Research, 194, 10.1016/j.atmosres.2017.05.004.

Lubin D, DH Bromwich, AM Vogelmann, J Verlinde, and LM Russell. 2017. ARM West Antarctic Radiation Experiment (AWARE) Field Campaign Report. Ed. by Robert Stafford, ARM Research Facility. DOE/SC-ARM-17-028.

Cohen L, S Hudson, V Walden, R Graham, and M Granskog. 2017. "Meteorological conditions in a thinner Arctic sea ice regime from winter to summer during the Norwegian Young Sea Ice expedition (N-ICE2015)." Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 122(14), 10.1002/2016JD026034.

Nicolas J, A Vogelmann, R Scott, A Wilson, M Cadeddu, D Bromwich, J Verlinde, D Lubin, L Russell, C Jenkinson, H Powers, M Ryczek, G Stone, and J Wille. 2017. "January 2016 extensive summer melt in West Antarctica favoured by strong El Nino." Nature Communications, 8, 15799, doi:10.1038/ncomms15799.

Liu Y, M Shupe, Z Wang, and G Mace. 2017. "Cloud vertical distribution from combined surface and space radar–lidar observations at two Arctic atmospheric observatories." Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 17(9), 10.5194/acp-17-5973-2017.

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