Atmospheric Remote Sensing: Instruments

TEA CO2 Doppler Lidar

Decommissioned 2008

Research applications include:

  • Sea breeze
  • Chinook wind
  • Nocturnal drainage flow
  • Air pollution meteorology
  • Wind profiles
  • Puff dispersion
  • Turbulence in daytime PBL
  • Cloud geometry
  • Cloud microphysics
  • Stratospheric aerosol
  • Airborne measurements

Basic parameters measured:

  • Particle backscatter
  • Velocity (radial, i.e., along-beam)

Typical Specifications

Wavelength10.6 µm (fully eye-safe)
Pulse energy0.5 J (LP)0.1 J (SP)
Pulse rateup to 20 Hz
ScanUpper hemisphere to 3° below horizontal
Across-beam Resolution1 m
Along-beam Resolution300m (LP)75m (SP)
Minimum range1.5 km (LP)0.8 km (SP)
Maximum range (in boundary layer)15-30 km (LP)7-15 km (SP)
Accuracy3 dB or better
(Calibrated backscatter)
0.3 - 1 m/s
(Doppler radial velocity)

LP = Long Pulse, SP = Short Pulse

Field Projects

Project NameDateLocation
VTMXVertical Transport and Mixing Program200010October 2000Salt Lake City, Utah
TexAQSTexas Air Quality Study200008August-September 2000Houston, Texas
MAPMesoscale Alpine Programme199910October-November 1999Austrian Alps
CAMEXConvection and Moisture Experiment III199808August-September 1998Florida
MAHMountain Aviation Hazards199701January-March 1997Colorado Springs, Colorado
MACAWSMulticenter Airborne Coherent Atmospheric Wind Sensor19951995, 1996, 1998various
CARTCloud and Radiation Testbed - cloud IOP19941994Lamont, Oklahoma
Crystal Mist199407July 1994Nevada Test Site, Nevada
Crystal Mist199312December 1993White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico
STS56STS-56 landing19931993Kennedy Space Center, Florida
TMDBCETheater Missile Defense Bulk Chemical Experiment19931993Dugway Proving Ground, Utah
Vancouver Ozone Study199307July-August 1993Vancouver, British Colombia
SCOPESan Clemente Island Ocean Probing Experiment)19931993San Clemente Island, California
TMDBCETheater Missile Defense Bulk Chemical Experiment19921992White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico
Mt. PinatuboMt. Pinatubo - Stratospheric Aerosol19911991, 1992various
ASCOT199102February-March 1991Rocky Flats, south of Boulder, Colorado
STS37STS-37 launch19911991Kennedy Space Center, Florida
TMDBCETheater Missile Defense Bulk Chemical Experiment19911991Dugway Proving Ground, Utah
FIRE II19911991Coffeyville, Kansas
TMDBCETheater Missile Defense Bulk Chemical Experiment19911991White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico
Grand Canyon Haze Study199001January-March 1990Grand Canyon, Arizona
GLOBEGLOBE Intercomparison19891989, 1990Moffett Field, Mountain View, California
CLARET19891989Erie, Colorado
Battersby Prescribed Burn Study198807July-August 1988Battersby, Ontario, Canada
Mauna Loa19881988Mauna Loa, Hawaii
CHINOOK19871987Boulder, Colorado
FIFEFirst ISLSCP Field Experiment19871987Manhattan, Kansas
LASBEXLand-Sea Breeze Experiment198709September 1987Moss Landing, California
Denver Brown Cloud Study19871987Denver, Colorado
Mesogamma19861986Denver, Colorado
FIRE I19861986Oshkosh, Wisconsin
TEXEX19851985Midland, Texas
Brush Creek19841984Parachute, Colorado
El Chichon - Stratospheric Aerosol19831983various
JAWSJoint Aviation Warning Study19821982Denver, Colorado
STS3STS-3 landing19811981Edwards Air Force Base, California

References

Post, M.J., and R.E. Cupp, Optimizing a pulsed Doppler lidar, Applied Optics, 29, 4145-4158, 1990.

Zhao, Y., M.J. Post, and R.M. Hardesty, Receiving efficiency of monostatic pulsed coherent lidars. 2: Applications, Applied Optics, 29, 4120-4132, 1990.