Scattering on excited atmospheric components as a cause of the increase of lidar signal in the upper and middle atmosphere

Abstract

The lidar data of the resonant scattering in the upper and middle Kamchatka atmosphere are analyzed. It is shown that the increase of the scattering signal at altitudes of 350-450 km at 561 nm may be due to the scattering of the maximum of layer F2 excited by precipitated electrons on ions. Large variations in the signal at these altitudes are caused by spatial plasma inhomogeneities in the ionosphere, as confirmed by the ionosonde data. The analysis of the interaction of a laser pulse with excited ions in the stratosphere is refined, and the effect of collisions on the lifetime is taken into account. It is shown that for the used lidar in the middle atmosphere for altitudes above 10 km, the conditions of guaranteed interaction with the radiation of each ion born in the strobe are satisfied.