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LASE measurements of aerosols and water vapor during TARFOXThe TARFOX (Tropospheric Aerosol Radiative Forcing Observational Experiment) intensive field campaign was designed to reduce uncertainties in estimates of the effects of anthropogenic aerosols on climate by measuring direct radiative effects and the optical, physical, and chemical properties of aerosols [1]. TARFOX was conducted off the East Coast of the United States between July 10-31, 1996. Ground, aircraft, and satellite-based sensors measured the sensitivity of radiative fields at various atmospheric levels to aerosol optical properties (i.e., optical thickness, phase function, single-scattering albedo) and to the vertical profile of aerosols. The LASE (Lidar Atmospheric Sensing Experiment) instrument, which was flown on the NASA ER-2 aircraft, measured vertical profiles of total scattering ratio and water vapor during a series of 9 flights. These profiles were used in real-time to help direct the other aircraft to the appropriate altitudes for intensive sampling of aerosol layers. We have subsequently used the LASE aerosol data to derive aerosol backscattering and extinction profiles. Using these aerosol extinction profiles, we derived estimates of aerosol optical thickness (AOT) and compared these with measurements of AOT from both ground and airborne sun photometers and derived from the ATSR-2 (Along Track and Scanning Radiometer 2) sensor on ERS-2 (European Remote Sensing Satellite-2). We also used the water vapor mixing ratio profiles measured simultaneously by LASE to derive precipitable water vapor and compare these to ground based measurements.
Document ID
19980227570
Acquisition Source
Langley Research Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Ferrare, Richard A.
(NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA United States)
Ismail, Syed
(NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA United States)
Browell, Edward V.
(NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA United States)
Brackett, Vincent G.
(Science Applications International Corp. Hampton, VA United States)
Kooi, Susan A.
(Science Applications International Corp. Hampton, VA United States)
Clayton, Marian B.
(Science Applications International Corp. Hampton, VA United States)
Melfi, Harvey
(Maryland Univ. Baltimore County Catonsville, MD United States)
Whiteman, David N.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD United States)
Schwenner, Geary
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD United States)
Evans, Keith D.
(Maryland Univ. Baltimore County Catonsville, MD United States)
Hobbs, Peter V.
(Washington Univ. Seattle, WA United States)
Veefkind, J. Pepijn
(Physics and Electronics Lab. TNO The Hague, Netherlands)
Russell, Philip B.
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA United States)
Livingston, John M.
(SRI International Corp. Menlo Park, CA United States)
Hignett, Philip
(Meteorological Office Farnborough, United Kingdom)
Holben, Brent N.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD United States)
Remer, Lorraine A.
(Science Systems and Applications, Inc. Greenbelt, MD United States)
Date Acquired
August 18, 2013
Publication Date
July 1, 1998
Publication Information
Publication: Nineteenth International Laser Radar Conference
Subject Category
Geophysics
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
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