mpl

The micropulse lidar (MPL) is a ground-based, optical, remote-sensing system designed primarily to determine the altitude of clouds; however, it is also used for detection of atmospheric aerosols. The physical principle is the same as for radar. Pulses of energy are transmitted into the atmosphere; the energy scattered back to the transceiver is collected and measured as a time-resolved signal, thereby detecting clouds and aerosols in real time.

From the time delay between each outgoing pulse and the backscattered signal, the distance to the scatterer is inferred. Post-processing of the lidar return characterizes the extent and properties of aerosols or other particles in a region.

Preliminary cloud base height
Backscatter, relative, at 523 nm

North Slope Alaska - Central Facility, Barrow AK

• Latitude: 38.956158
• Longitude: -106.987856
• Publication Date: 1998-05-21
• Start Date: 1998-05-21
• End Date: 2006-09-25
• Last Updated: 2006-11-16

https://www.arm.gov/connect-with-arm/organization/instrument-mentors/list#mpl

Paytsar Muradyan

Argonne National Laboratory

Connor Flynn

University of Oklahoma School of Meteorology

Brian Ermold

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

http://dx.doi.org/10.5439/1025243
Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) user facility. 1998. Micropulse Lidar (MPL). 1998-05-21 to 2006-09-25, North Slope Alaska (NSA) Central Facility, Barrow AK (C1). Compiled by R. Coulter, P. Muradyan, C. Flynn, T. Martin and B. Ermold. ARM Data Center. Data set accessed at http://dx.doi.org/10.5439/1025243.