The impact of aerosol fluorescence on long-term water vapor monitoring by Raman lidar and evaluation of a potential correction method

• DOI: 10.5194/amt-15-4241-2022
• Publication Date: 2022-07-22T09:33:26Z
• Authors: Fernando Chouza; Thierry Leblanc; Mark Brewer; Patrick Wang; Giovanni Martucci; Alexander Haefele; Hélène Vérèmes; Valentin Duflot; Guillaume Payen; Philippe Keckhut
• Keywords: [PHYS.PHYS.PHYS-AO-PH]Physics [physics]/Physics [physics]/Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics [physics.ao-ph]; 550; Earthwork. Foundations; 13. Climate action; TA715-787; Environmental engineering; TA170-171; 01 natural sciences; 7. Clean energy; [PHYS.PHYS.PHYS-AO-PH] Physics [physics]/Physics [physics]/Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics [physics.ao-ph]; 0105 earth and related environmental sciences

Abstract. The impact of aerosol fluorescence on the measurement water vapor by UV (355 nm emission) Raman lidar in upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (UTLS) is investigated using long-term records three high-performance lidars contributing to Network for Detection Atmospheric Composition Change (NDACC). Comparisons with co-located radiosondes backscatter profiles indicate that laser-induced smoke layers injected into pyrocumulus events can introduce very large chronic wet biases above 15 km, thus impacting ability these systems accurately estimate trends UTLS. In order mitigate contamination, a correction method based addition an channel was developed tested TMWAL located at JPL Table Mountain Facility California. results this experiment, conducted between 27 August 4 November 2021 involving 22 radiosonde profiles, suggest proposed able effectively reduce fluorescence-induced bias. After correction, average difference measurements reduced 5 %, consistent observed during periods negligible interference. present provide confidence after applied, be reasonably well estimated troposphere, but they also call further refinements or use alternate approaches (e.g., 308 532 confidently detect stratosphere. These findings may have important implications NDACC's strategy years come.