Research of Cloud Temperature and Optical Depth Using Rotational-Vibrational Raman Lidar

Abstract:

The study of clouds plays a key role in the understanding of climate change. Reliable measurements of cloud temperature and optical depth are important for improving our understanding of cloud physics, cloud dynamics, and for validating cloud-resolving models. Raman Lidars have been proven to be a very useful remote sensing tool to measure cloud properties. In the paper, cloud temperature and optical depth are respectively obtained using rotational Raman technique and vibrational Raman technique. Results of cloud temperature and optical depth observed by the Hampton University (HU) Rotational-Vibrational Raman Lidar are presented. The paper emphatically discusses the influence of cloud optical depth on temperature of cloud base and top. From these measurements, the relation of low-altitude cloud optical depth and temperature is summarized. These analyses are unique in that they combine simultaneous measurements of these quantities that can lead to an improvement in the understanding of cloud radiation transfer and prediction of local weather.