Meteorological lidar (from Light Detection and Ranging) is an active remote-sensing instrument that emits laser light pulses into the atmosphere and analyses the backscattered light to obtain high-resolution vertical profiles of aerosols, clouds, water vapour, temperature, and wind. It is the optical equivalent of weather radar, but with much higher spatial resolution.
Types and applications
- Elastic backscatter lidar: detects aerosols and cloud layers, measuring their altitude, thickness, and concentration.
- Raman lidar: measures water vapour and temperature profiles through inelastic scattering.
- Doppler lidar: measures wind speed at different altitudes, essential at airports for detecting turbulence and wind shear.
- Differential absorption lidar (DIAL): measures concentrations of specific gases (ozone, CO₂).
In operational meteorology, lidar is used to: monitor Saharan dust intrusions and haze, determine the height of the planetary boundary layer, detect volcanic ash (crucial for aviation), and calibrate satellite data. The EARLINET network in Europe coordinates dozens of lidar stations.
In Spain, AEMET and the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC) operate lidars for monitoring Saharan intrusions, a frequent issue on the Peninsula. See also: ceilometer, weather radar.