Airborne lidar measurements of El Chichon stratospheric aerosols, October 1982 to November 1982

Abstract

A coordinated flight mission to determine the spatial distribution and aerosol characteristics of the El Chichon produced stratospheric aerosol was flown in October to November 1982. The mission covered 46 deg N to 46 deg S and included rendezvous between balloon-, airplane-, and satellite-borne sensors. The lidar data from the flight mission are presented. Representative profiles of lidar backscatter ratio, plots of the integrated backscattering function versus latitude, and contours of backscatter mixing ratio versus altitude and latitude are given. In addition, tables containing numerical values of the backscatter ratio and backscattering functions versus altitude are supplied for each profile. The bulk of the material produced by the El Chichon eruptions of late March 10 to early April 1982 resided between latitudes from 5 to 7 deg S to 35 to 37 deg N and was concentrated above 21 km in a layer that peaked at 23 to 25 km. In this latitude region, peak scattering ratios at a wavelength of 0.6943 micron were approximately 24. The results of this mission are presented in a ready-to-use format for atmospheric and climatic studies