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Automatic Weather Station (AWS) LidarAn autonomous, low-power atmospheric lidar instrument is being developed at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. This compact, portable lidar will operate continuously in a temperature controlled enclosure, charge its own batteries through a combination of a small rugged wind generator and solar panels, and transmit its data from remote locations to ground stations via satellite. A network of these instruments will be established by co-locating them at remote Automatic Weather Station (AWS) sites in Antarctica under the auspices of the National Science Foundation (NSF). The NSF Office of Polar Programs provides support to place the weather stations in remote areas of Antarctica in support of meteorological research and operations. The AWS meteorological data will directly benefit the analysis of the lidar data while a network of ground based atmospheric lidar will provide knowledge regarding the temporal evolution and spatial extent of Type la polar stratospheric clouds (PSC). These clouds play a crucial role in the annual austral springtime destruction of stratospheric ozone over Antarctica, i.e. the ozone hole. In addition, the lidar will monitor and record the general atmospheric conditions (transmission and backscatter) of the overlying atmosphere which will benefit the Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS). Prototype lidar instruments have been deployed to the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station (1995-96, 2000) and to an Automated Geophysical Observatory site (AGO 1) in January 1999. We report on data acquired with these instruments, instrument performance, and anticipated performance of the AWS Lidar.
Document ID
20000109706
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Rall, Jonathan A.R.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD United States)
Abshire, James B.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD United States)
Spinhirne, James D.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD United States)
Smith, David E.
Date Acquired
August 19, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2000
Subject Category
Meteorology And Climatology
Meeting Information
Meeting: 20th International Laser Radar Conference
Location: Vichy
Country: France
Start Date: July 10, 2000
End Date: July 14, 2000
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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