Capabilities > Instruments

MPL

Handbook Cite Data Browse Data
 

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

2019

McFarquhar G, R Marchand, C Bretherton, S Alexander, A Protat, S Siems, R Wood, and P DeMott. 2019. Measurements of Aerosols, Radiation, and Clouds over the Southern Ocean (MARCUS) Field Campaign Report. Ed. by Robert Stafford, ARM user facility. DOE/SC-ARM-19-008.

Liu C and T Lavigne. 2019. One-Year Electric Field Study at the North Slope of Alaska Field Campaign Report. Ed. by Robert Stafford, ARM user facility. DOE/SC-ARM-19-016.

Jensen M, E Bruning, D Collins, A Fridlind, P Kollias, C Kuang, D Rosenfeld, A Ryzhkov, and A Varble. 2019. Tracking Aerosol Convective Interactions Experiment (TRACER) Science Plan. Ed. by Robert Stafford, DOE/SC-ARM-19-017.

Maahn M, F Hoffmann, M Shupe, G de Boer, S Matrosov, and E Luke. 2019. "Can liquid cloud microphysical processes be used for vertically pointing cloud radar calibration?" Atmospheric Measurement Techniques, 12(6), doi:10.5194/amt-12-3151-2019.
Research Highlight

Mlawer E, D Turner, S Paine, L Palchetti, G Bianchini, V Payne, K Cady‐Pereira, R Pernak, M Alvarado, D Gombos, J Delamere, M Mlynczak, and J Mast. 2019. "Analysis of water vapor absorption in the far‐infrared and submillimeter regions using surface radiometric measurements from extremely dry locations." Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, , 10.1029/2018JD029508.

Bretherton C, I Mccoy, J Mohrmann, R Wood, V Ghate, A Gettelman, C Bardeen, B Albrecht, and P Zuidema. 2019. "Cloud, Aerosol and Boundary Layer Structure across the Northeast Pacific Stratocumulus-Cumulus Transition as observed during CSET." Monthly Weather Review, 147(6), 10.1175/MWR-D-18-0281.1.

Lamraoui F, J Booth, C Naud, M Jensen, and K Johnson. 2019. "The interaction between boundary layer and convection schemes in a WRF simulation of post‐cold‐frontal clouds over the ARM East North Atlantic site." Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 124(8), doi:10.1029/2018JD029370.
Research Highlight

Scott R, J Nicolas, D Bromwich, J Norris, and D Lubin. 2019. "Meteorological Drivers and Large-Scale Climate Forcing of West Antarctic Surface Melt." Journal of Climate, 32(3), 10.1175/JCLI-D-18-0233.1.

Terai C, Y Zhang, S Klein, M Zelinka, J Chiu, and Q Min. 2019. "Mechanisms behind the extratropical stratiform low‐cloud optical depth response to temperature in ARM site observations." Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 124(4), doi:10.1029/2018JD029359.
Research Highlight

Silber I, J Verlinde, M Cadeddu, C Flynn, A Vogelmann, and E Eloranta. 2019. "Antarctic Cloud Macrophysical, Thermodynamic Phase, and Atmospheric Inversion Coupling Properties at McMurdo Station—Part II: Radiative Impact During Different Synoptic Regimes." Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 124(3), doi:10.1029/2018JD029471.

View All Related Publications

Contact

View Instrument Mentors