The JPL 15-year lidar backscatter archive: A retrospective

Since its inception in 1984 the JPL coherent CO₂ lidar facility has acquired a 15-year time series of atmospheric backscatter profiles above the lidar site in Pasadena, California. This archive has provided a valuable tool for the long-term study of atmospheric aerosol backscatter and extinction in the 9-11 micron spectral region and has yielded considerable insight into historical trends, the impact of major volcanic eruptions on the atmospheric aerosol loading and the associated atmospheric transmittance, seasonal influences on the aerosol sources and sinks, convective coupling of boundary layer and free tropospheric aerosol populations, and the elucidation of backscatter statistical characteristics. It has also been used in the study of transient events, such as incursions of Asian-sourced dust.

This presentation will review results which have been obtained through analysis of the multiyear backscatter database and also describe selected case studies of particular significant phenomena which have occurred during the operational life of the lidar.