The influrence of an optical receiving system on statistical characteristics of a lidar signal

The effects connected with correlation of direct and backward waves propagating through the same randomly inhomogeneous media can be observed along the path with refection in a turbulent atmosphere. In particular, the mean intensity of the reflected wave can increase in comparison with the wave propagating in the forward direction at a doubled distance; the intensity fluctuations can become stronger. These effects depend on the strength of optical turbulence, as well as on the diffraction sizes of the exit apertures of the source and the reflector. However, the focusing of radiation reflected with a receiving telescope leads, in some cases, to the fact that the dependence of amplification effects on the parameters becomes essentially different. This should be taken into account when alayzing the lidar signals. The effect of backscattering amplification and amplification of the intensity fluctuations is discussed

A combined Raman lidar for low tropospheric studies

One of the main goals of laser sensing of the atmosphere was the development of techniques and facilities for remote determination of atmospheric meteorological and optical parameters. Of lidar techniques known at present the Raman-lidar technique occupies a specific place. On the one hand Raman lidar returns due to scattering on different molecular species are very simple for interpretation and for extracting the information on the atmospheric parameters sought, but, on the other hand, the performance of these techniques in a lidar facility is overburdened with some serious technical difficulties due to extremely low cross sections of Raman effect. Some results of investigations into this problem is presented which enables the construction of a combined Raman lidar capable of acquiring simultaneously the profiles of atmospheric temperature, humidity, and some optical characteristics in the ground atmospheric layer up to 1 km height. The operation of this system is briefly discussed

Methods for estimating the optical constants of atmospheric hazes based on complex optical measurements

The methods of multifrequency laser sounding (MLS) are the most effective remote methods for investigating the atmospheric aerosols, since it is possible to obtain complete information on aerosol microstructure and the effective methods for estimating the aerosol optical constants can be developed. The MLS data interpretation consists in the solution of the set of equations containing those of laser sounding and equations for polydispersed optical characteristics. As a rule, the laser sounding equation is written in the approximation of single scattering and the equations for optical characteristics are written assuming that the atmospheric aerosol is formed by spherical and homogeneous particles. To remove the indeterminacy of equations, the method of optical sounding of atmospheric aerosol, consisting in a joint use of a mutifrequency lidar and a spectral photometer in common geometrical scheme of the optical experiment was suggested. The method is used for investigating aerosols in the cases when absorption by particles is small and indicates the minimum necessary for interpretation of a series of measurements

The influence of scattering particles morphology on the characteristics of lidar signals

The characteristics of light scattering by a separate spherical particle are used as a priori information when interpreting the data on laser sounding of atmospheric aerosols. Analogously, it is necessary to have a priori information on the characteristics of light scattering by a single crystals in order to restitute the microstructure of crystal formation in the atmosphere. In contrast to the aerosol particles the crystals are of different shapes. On the one hand, this complicates the solution of electrodynamic problems on light scattering by such crystals. On the other hand, if obtaining such a solution is possible, one can determine the morphology of scattering particles accoring to the sounding data and this enables additonal information to be obtained on such meteorological parameters as temperature, pressure, and humidity. Using the geometric-wave approach the problem of scattering of plane electromagnetic wave on convex polyhedrons of arbitrary form was solved. As a result, the expressions were obtained for electric field components of perpendicular and parallel polarizations scattered in any given direction

Arctic polar vortex dynamics during winters 2014/2015 and 2020/2021

The dynamic barrier of the polar vortex contributes to lowering the temperature inside the vortex in the lower stratosphere and prevents the penetration of air masses into the vortex. The presence of a dynamic barrier during winter is one of the criteria determining the possibility of ozone depletion from late winter to spring. We considered the dynamics of the Arctic polar vortex in the winters of 2014/2015 and 2020/2021 at the 50, 30 and 10 hPa levels by the vortex delineation method using the geopotential. In early January 2015 and 2021, sudden stratospheric warmings were recorded as a result of the splitting (4 January 2015) and the significant displacement (5 January 2021) of the polar vortex. In both cases, the weakening of the dynamic barrier of the polar vortex was observed. The polar vortex is characterized by the presence of a dynamic barrier, when the wind speed along the entire edge of the vortex is more than 20, 24 and 30 m/s at the 50, 30 and 10 hPa levels, respectively. A decrease in the average wind speed along the vortex edge below 30, 36 and 45 m/s, at the 50, 30 and 10 hPa levels, respectively, usually indicates a local decrease in the wind speed below 20, 24 and 30 m/s at these levels, i.e., indirectly indicates a weakening of the dynamic barrier.The dynamic barrier of the polar vortex contributes to lowering the temperature inside the vortex in the lower stratosphere and prevents the penetration of air masses into the vortex. The presence of a dynamic barrier during winter is one of the criteria determining the possibility of ozone depletion from late winter to spring. We considered the dynamics of the Arctic polar vortex in the winters of 2014/2015 and 2020/2021 at the 50, 30 and 10 hPa levels by the vortex delineation method using the geopotential. In early January 2015 and 2021, sudden stratospheric warmings were recorded as a result of the splitting (4 January 2015) and the significant displacement (5 January 2021) of the polar vortex. In both cases, the weakening of the dynamic barrier of the polar vortex was observed. The polar vortex is characterized by the presence of a dynamic barrier, when the wind speed along the entire edge of the vortex is more than 20, 24 and 30 m/s at the 50, 30 and 10 hPa levels, respectively. A decrease in the average wind speed along the vortex edge below 30, 36 and 45 m/s, at the 50, 30 and 10 hPa levels, respectively, usually indicates a local decrease in the wind speed below 20, 24 and 30 m/s at these levels, i.e., indirectly indicates a weakening of the dynamic barrier

Optical models of the molecular atmosphere

The use of optical and laser methods for performing atmospheric investigations has stimulated the development of the optical models of the atmosphere. The principles of constructing the optical models of molecular atmosphere for radiation with different spectral composition (wideband, narrowband, and monochromatic) are considered in the case of linear and nonlinear absorptions. The example of the development of a system which provides for the modeling of the processes of optical-wave energy transfer in the atmosphere is presented. Its physical foundations, structure, programming software, and functioning were considered

Interaction of Scots Pine Defensin with Model Membrane by Coarse-Grained Molecular Dynamics

© 2017, Springer Science+Business Media New York.Plant defensins are a part of the innate immune system of plants that acts against a broad range of pathogens. Many plant defensins, including pine defensins, show strong antifungal activity that is associated with their ability to penetrate into the fungal cell membrane. However, the exact molecular mechanism of their action remains poorly defined. To obtain insight into the mechanism of protein–membrane interaction, we applied a coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulation to study the interaction of pine defensin with two model membranes: the first consisted of zwitterion-neutral POPC molecules and the second was composed of combined anionic POPG and POPC. The simulations show that defensin does not form stable complexes with the neutral membrane but does interact with the combined POPG/POPC membrane. In the latter case, defensin attaches to the membrane surface by interacting with lipid polar heads without deep penetration into the hydrophobic tail zone. Electrostatic interactions are a driving force of the complex formation, which determines the orientation of the protein relative to the bilayer surface. Two favorable orientations of defensin are detected where the defensin molecule orients either perpendicular or parallel to the membrane plane. Being positively charged, pine defensin induces changes in the lipid distribution along the membrane, resulting in the formation of zones with different electrostatic potentials that can cause deformation or distortion of the membrane. Pine defensin is a representative of plant defensins, and hence the results of this study can be applied to other members of the family

Coherent lidars based on intracavity heterodyning of echo signals

The development and technical realization of the method of laser sounding of the atmosphere based on the effects of mixing of reference and external fields of scattering inside a laser cavity are presented. An approximate theory of the method was developed on the basis of the investigations using the model of a three-mirror laser. The nonlinear effect of a wideband laser on frequency-dependent external influences of the atmosphere was investigated. The field measurements of gaseous composition of the atmosphere were performed on the basis of a given method of coherent reception using a tunable CO2 laser