HR: 0800h
AN: A11A-0046    [Abstracts]
TI: New Aerosol and Cloud Products from the NASA Micro Pulse Lidar Network (MPLNET)
AU: * Welton, E J
EM: Ellsworth.J.Welton@nasa.gov
AF: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA GSFC Code 613.1, Greenbelt, MD 20771, United States
AU: Campbell, J R
EM: campbell@gi.alaska.edu
AF: University of Alaska Fairbanks, Geophysical Institute P.O. BOX 757320, Fairbanks, AK 99775, United States
AU: Belcher, L
EM: belcher@umbc.edu
AF: University of Maryland Baltimore County, GEST Center 5523 Research Park Drive, Suite 320, Baltimore, MD 21228, United States
AU: Berkoff, T A
EM: Timothy.A.Berkoff@nasa.gov
AF: University of Maryland Baltimore County, GEST Center 5523 Research Park Drive, Suite 320, Baltimore, MD 21228, United States
AU: Stewart, S A
EM: stewart@agnes.gsfc.nasa.gov
AF: Science Systems and Applications, Inc., GSFC Code 613.1, Greenbelt, MD 20771, United States
AU: Chiu, J C
EM: cchiu@climate.gsfc.nasa.gov
AF: University of Maryland Baltimore County, GEST Center 5523 Research Park Drive, Suite 320, Baltimore, MD 21228, United States
AU: Marshak, A
EM: Alexander.Marshak@nasa.gov
AF: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA GSFC Code 613.2, Greenbelt, MD 20771, United States
AU: Sawyer, V
EM: vrf2@unh.edu
AF: University of New Hampshire, Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space 39 College Rd, Durham, NH 03824, United States
AB: The NASA Micro Pulse Lidar Network (MPLNET) is a federated network of Micro Pulse Lidar (MPL) systems designed to measure aerosol and cloud vertical structure continuously, day and night, over long time periods required to contribute to climate change studies and provide ground validation for models and satellite sensors in the NASA Earth Observing System (EOS). At present, there are thirteen permanent sites worldwide, and five more to be completed soon. Numerous temporary sites have been deployed in support of various field campaigns since the start of MPLNET in 2000. Most MPLNET sites are co-located with sites in the NASA Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) to provide both column and vertically resolved aerosol and cloud data. Here we present a collection of new MPLNET aerosol and cloud products that are available. Scene classification is now provided continuously, including identification of multiple cloud layer heights (base and top), planetary boundary layer height, and the height of the highest aerosol layer. Our existing aerosol products have been enhanced to include continuous aerosol extinction profiles throughout the day (previously only available at AERONET observation times). PBL heights are generated using a wavelet technique. Cloud layer heights and subsequent optical depths are now provided to the limit of detection capability. New thick cloud optical depths in excess of 10 are also provided using a novel technique based on the lidar background signal. We will present an overview of the new products and methodology as well as data examples from several diverse sites in our network.
UR: http://mplnet.gsfc.nasa.gov
DE: 0300 ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE
DE: 0305 Aerosols and particles (0345, 4801, 4906)
DE: 0319 Cloud optics
DE: 0394 Instruments and techniques
DE: 3311 Clouds and aerosols
SC: Atmospheric Sciences [A]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting