Calibration of the Purple Crow Lidar vibrational Raman water-vapour mixing ratio and temperature measurements

Abstract

Purple Crow Lidar (PCL) measurements of the vibrational Raman-shifted backscatter from water vapour and nitrogen molecules allows height profiles of the water-vapour mixing ratio to be measured from 500 m up into the lower stratosphere. In addition, the Raman nitrogen measurements allow the determination of temperature profiles from about 10 to 40 km altitude. However, external calibration of these measurements is necessary to compensate for instrumental effects, uncertainties in our knowledge of the relevant molecular cross sections, and atmospheric transmission. A comparison of the PCL-derived water-vapour concentration and temperature profiles with routine radiosonde measurements from Detroit and Buffalo on 37 and 141 nights, respectively, was undertaken to provide this calibration. The calibration is then applied to the measurements and monthly mean-temperature and water-vapour profiles are determined.PACS Nos.: 42.68.Wt, 42.79.Qx