Micropulse Lidar (MPL) polarized, fast switching: cloud base and top heights (mplpolfs)

Browse Data

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.

Location

North Slope Alaska - Central Facility, Barrow AK
  • Latitude: 71.323
  • Longitude: -156.615
  • Publication Date: 2010-10-07
  • Start Date: 2010-10-07
  • End Date: 2024-04-28
  • Last Updated: 2024-04-30

Instrument Mentor

DOI / Citation

https://doi.org/10.5439/1320657
Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) user facility. 2010. Micropulse Lidar (MPLPOLFS). 2010-10-07 to 2024-04-28, North Slope Alaska (NSA) Central Facility, Barrow AK (C1). Compiled by P. Muradyan, E. Cromwell, A. Koontz, R. Coulter, C. Flynn, B. Ermold and J. OBrien. ARM Data Center. Data set accessed at http://dx.doi.org/10.5439/1320657.