Progress in the validation of dual-wavelength aerosol retrieval models via airborne high spectral resolution lidar data

Abstract

The Constrained Ratio Aerosol Model-fit (CRAM) technique is a method for making aerosol retrievals from dual-wavelength elastic scatter lidars which attempts to constrain the retrievals so as to be consistent with a number of aerosol models thought to characterize a variety of aerosol types observed around the world. The NASA Langley Research Center Airborne HSRL is an airborne high spectral resolution lidar capable of direct measurements of aerosol extinction and backscatter at 532 nm and having the capability for elastic backscatter measurements at 1064 nm. Aerosol measurements by HSRL during the TEXas Air Quality Survey/ Gulf of Mexico Atmospheric Composition and Climate Study (TEXAQS/GoMACCS) campaign are used to validate existing aerosol models critical to the application of CRAM, in particular to data from the Cloud-Aerosol LIdar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) lidar instrument on board the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO) satellite.