Remote detection of OH

This is a remote measurement technique utilizing a XeCl excimer laser tuned to the Q sub 21 1 rotational transition of the 0-0, A-X band at 307.847 nm. A wavemeter is under development to monitor, on a pulse-to-pulse basis, both the laser lineshape and absolute wavelength. Fluorescence is detected with a multiple Fabry-Perot type filter with a spectral resolution on the order of 0.001 nm. This is tuned to the overlapping Q sub 2 2, Q sub 12 2, Q sub 2 3, and Q sub 12 3 rotational transitions at 308.986 nm. The fringe pattern from this filter is imaged using a discrete, multi-anode detector which has a photon gain of 10 to the 8th power. This permits the simultaneous monitoring of OH fluorescence, N2 and/or O2 rotational Raman scattering and broadband background levels. The use of three etalons in series provides sufficient rejection, approx. greater than 10 to the 10th power, against the laser radiation only 1.2 nm away

NDSC and JPL stratospheric lidars

The Network for the Detection of Stratospheric Change is an international cooperation providing a set of high-quality, remote-sensing instruments at observing stations around the globe. A brief description of the NDSC and its goals is presented. Lidar has been selected as the NDSC instrument for measurements of stratospheric profiles of ozone, temperature, and aerosol. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory has developed and implemented two stratospheric lidar systems for NDSC. These are located at Table Mountain, California, and at Mauna Loa, Hawaii. These systems, which utilize differential absorption lidar, Rayleigh lidar, raman lidar, and backscatter lidar, to measure ozone, temperature, and aerosol profiles in the stratosphere are briefly described. Examples of results obtained for both long-term and individual profiles are presented

Surface ozone levels at Table Mountain during STOIC 1989

As a part of the routine operations of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory atmospheric measurements program at the Table Mountain Facility, the surface ozone concentration is continuously monitored using a Dasibi photometer. The influence of the Los Angeles basin to the southwest of the facility and the height of the inversion layer cause large fluctuations in the ozone concentration. Peaks as high as 200 parts per billion by volume (ppbv) were observed during the Stratospheric Ozone Intercomparison Campaign (STOIC) compared to a normal background level near 50 ppbv. These measurements, made during STOIC, were important in assessing the impact of the surface ozone concentration on the various instruments participating in the campaign

Lidar measurements of stratospheric ozone at Table Mountain, California, since 1988

Regular measurements of stratospheric ozone concentration profiles have been made at Table Mountain, California, since January 1988. During the period to December 1991, 435 independent profiles were measured by the differential absorption lidar technique. These long-term results, and an evaluation of their quality, is presented in this paper

A study of ozone variability and its connection with meridional transport in the northern Pacific lower stratosphere during summer 2002

International audienceA preliminary study of the impact of the north-central Pacific circulation in the subtropical stratosphere on ozone variability locally observed by lidar is presented. The results from the upper tropospheric and stratospheric ozone measurements of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory lidars located at Mauna Loa Observatory (MLO), Hawaii, and Table Mountain Facility (TMF), California, during summer 2002 were compared to isentropic potential vorticity (IPV) advected on 54 levels from 320 to 1500 K by the high-resolution model MIMOSA. The correlation between ozone measured by lidar, and the origin of the 10-day backward trajectories of the air parcels sampled, was also investigated. Near the tropopause, strong positive correlation between ozone mixing ratio and IPV was observed at both MLO and TMF lidar sites. The largest fluctuations were centered near 350 K and are associated with the meridional displacement of the tropopause by Rossby waves north or south of the observing sites. These large displacements were occasionally accompanied by Rossby wave breaking (RWB), as was identified several times during the summer in the vicinity of the Hawaiian Islands. Using IPV maps, a case study of the 13 July event is briefly presented. This event appears to be typical of breaking events previously investigated at midlatitudes, including the southward intrusion of high-PV air originating in the high-latitude lower stratosphere. This time the intrusion was observed to extend deep in the subtropics. Strong positive ozone anomalies were simultaneously measured by the MLO lidar. Positive correlation between ozone and the equivalent latitude averaged along the parcels' trajectories was seen up to 475 K in the stratosphere. At and above 750 K, negative correlation was calculated for both TMF and MLO. For TMF the altitude dependence of the correlation is similar to that already observed for summer and winter midlatitudes For MLO the observed negative correlation was found to be the result of opposite seasonal and interannual tendencies in ozone and equivalent latitude throughout the summer. All other correlations are associated with a higher intraseasonal variability of both ozone and the parcels' origin, as compared to their seasonal tendencies

Lidar measurements of stratospheric ozone and intercomparisons and validation

International audienceA ground-based, high power differential absorption lidar (DIAL) system has been implemented to make long term, precise measurements or stratospheric ozone concentration profiles from about 20- to 50-km altitude. This lidar is located at an elevation of 2300 m in the San Gabriel Mountains, Southern California, and has been in operation since January 1988. Evaluation of the results obtained from this system has been provided through an intercomparison campaign, carried out during October/November 1988, and through long term comparison with SAGE II satellite measurements. This paper describes the implementation of the system and its operation, including the procedures for data analysis. Examples of ozone profiles measured, and intercomparisons with measurements made by other instruments, are presented; they show that the lidar is capable of producing high quality ozone measurements up to at least 45-km altitude

Ground-based laser DIAL system for long-term measurements of stratospheric ozone

International audienceA ground-based differential absorption lidar system has been implemented to make long-term, precise measurements of stratospheric ozone concentration profiles from ~20 to 50 km altitude. This lidar is located at an elevation of 2300 m in the San Gabriel Mountains, Southern California, and has been in operation since Jan. 1988. A high power (100-W) excimer laser system and a 90-cm diam telescope are used to achieve the desired performance levels. This paper describes the implementation of the system and its operation including the procedures for data analysis. Examples of ozone profiles measured, and intercomparisons with measurements made by other instruments, are presented which show that the lidar, in its present configuration, is capable of producing high quality ozone measurements from 20 km up to at least 45 km

Results from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory stratospheric ozone lidar during STOIC 1989

International audienceStratospheric ozone concentration profiles measured by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory differential absorption lidar system during the Stratospheric Ozone Intercomparison Campaign in July/August 1989 are presented. These profiles are compared with the mean profiles based on all of the measurements made by the different participating instruments. The results from the blind intercomparison showed that the lidar results agreed with the overall Stratospheric Ozone Intercomparison Campaign average profile to better than 5% between 21 and 45 km altitude. At 20 km the difference was ∼10%, as it was also in the region from 47 to 50 km altitude. Some systematic features were observed in the comparison of the blind results and these were subsequently investigated. The results of this investigation allowed the analysis algorithm to be refined and improved. The changes made are discussed and the comparison of the refined results showed agreement with the STOIC average to better than 4% from 18 to 48 km altitude. For both cases the results above 45 km altitude are subject to the greatest uncertainty and error and are of questionable value even though they agree within 10% with the STOIC average. Examples of comparisons of individual lidar profiles with each of the other instruments are also presented

Comparison of stratospheric ozone profiles and their seasonal variations as measured by lidar and Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment during 1988

International audienceA ground-based, high power, laser remote sensing system for measurements of stratospheric ozone concentration profiles has been in operation at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory Table Mountain Facility located in southern California, +34.4°N, -117.7°W, since January 1988. The seasonal variations observed in the ozone profiles, during 1988 and as a function of altitude, are described here. These profiles are compared with those from the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE II) satellite instrument made within a radius of 1000 km from the lidar and also with the zonal mean measurements made in the band 34.4°±5°. Comparison with the proposed new CIRA ozone reference model has also been carried out. The seasonal variations, between 25 km and 50 km, observed by the two instruments and indicated by the reference model are in good agreement

Sodium Lidar-observed Strong Inertia-gravity Wave Activities in the Mesopause Region over Fort Collins, Colorado (41 deg N, 105 deg W)

In December 2004, the Colorado State University sodium lidar system at Fort Collins, Colorado (41 deg N, 105 deg W), conducted an approximately 80-hour continuous campaign for the simultaneous observations of mesopause region sodium density, temperature, and zonal and meridional winds. This data set reveals the significant inertia-gravity wave activities with a period of approximately 18 hours, which are strong in both wind components since UT day 338 (second day of the campaign), and weak in temperature and sodium density. The considerable variability of wave activities was observed with both wind amplitudes growing up to approximately 40 m/s at 95-100 km in day 339 and then decreasing dramatically in day 340. We also found that the sodium density wave perturbation is correlated in phase with temperature perturbation below 90 km, and approximately 180 deg out of phase above. Applying the linear wave theory, we estimated the wave horizontal propagation direction, horizontal wavelength, and apparent horizontal phase speed to be approximately 25 deg south of west, approximately 1800 +/- 150 km, and approximately 28 +/- 2 m/s, respectively of wave intrinsic period, intrinsic phase speed, and vertical wavelength were also estimated. While the onset of enhanced inertia-gravity wave amplitude in the night of 338 was observed to be in coincidence with short-period gravity wave breaking via convective instability, the decrease of inertia-gravity wave amplitude after noon of day 339 was also observed to coincide with the development of atmospheric dynamical instability layers with downward phase progression clearly correlated with the 18-hour inertia-gravity wave, suggesting likely breaking of this inertia-gravity wave via dynamical (shear) instability