Cross-validations of the Aeolus aerosol products and new developments with airborne high-spectral-resolution lidar measurements above the tropical Atlantic during JATAC

<p>The Joint Aeolus Tropical Atlantic Campaign (JATAC) conducted in 2022 in Cabo Verde has provided quantitative lidar measurements, particularly from the NASA Langley High-Altitude Lidar Observatory (HALO) on board DC-8 aircraft, for process-level understanding of tropical dynamics, as well a...

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Main Authors: D. Trapon, H. Baars, A. A. Floutsi, S. Bley, M. Haarig, A. Lacour, T. Flament, A. Dabas, A. R. Nehrir, F. Ehlers, D. Huber
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Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications 2025-08-01
Series:Atmospheric Measurement Techniques
Online Access:https://amt.copernicus.org/articles/18/3873/2025/amt-18-3873-2025.pdf
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author D. Trapon
H. Baars
A. A. Floutsi
S. Bley
M. Haarig
A. Lacour
A. Lacour
T. Flament
T. Flament
A. Dabas
A. R. Nehrir
F. Ehlers
F. Ehlers
D. Huber
author_facet D. Trapon
H. Baars
A. A. Floutsi
S. Bley
M. Haarig
A. Lacour
A. Lacour
T. Flament
T. Flament
A. Dabas
A. R. Nehrir
F. Ehlers
F. Ehlers
D. Huber
author_sort D. Trapon
collection DOAJ
description <p>The Joint Aeolus Tropical Atlantic Campaign (JATAC) conducted in 2022 in Cabo Verde has provided quantitative lidar measurements, particularly from the NASA Langley High-Altitude Lidar Observatory (HALO) on board DC-8 aircraft, for process-level understanding of tropical dynamics, as well as for satellite validation. For the first time, the optical properties of particles (i.e. backscatter, extinction, attenuated backscatter coefficients, and depolarization ratios) have been measured for extended tropospheric sections collocated with the Aeolus satellite overpasses with limited geolocation and time offsets. This has contributed to the evaluation of the Aeolus Level-2A (L2A) aerosol optical properties product. In addition, localized aerosol profiles were measured by the ground-based multiwavelength Raman polarization and water vapour lidar Polly<span class="inline-formula"><sup>XT</sup></span>.</p> <p>In this study, we assess the quality of the Aeolus L2A product retrieved with the standard correct algorithm (SCA) and the maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) as part of the September 2022 dataset reprocessed with the L2A processor, version 16. The focus is given to the 355 nm aerosol retrievals given at finer horizontal resolution, i.e. the so-called Aeolus measurement level at <span class="inline-formula">≈</span> 18 km. They are compared to the 532 nm HALO airborne profiles that are converted to 355 nm using the backscatter Ångström exponent. HALO and Polly<span class="inline-formula"><sup>XT</sup></span> polarization lidars also provide insights into the L2A algorithm's limitations when looking at non-spherical particles such as Saharan dust. Even though it has no cross-polarized component, the Aeolus measurements can be corrected using collocated observations with such instruments that include both co-polarized and cross-polarized components of the backscattered light. Moreover the cross-validation with independent lidar measurements enables estimation of the lower limits for Aeolus backscatter detection.</p>
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spelling doaj-art-b8dcf69a777e4816a029be8d4494bd5e2025-08-20T03:04:55ZengCopernicus PublicationsAtmospheric Measurement Techniques1867-13811867-85482025-08-01183873389610.5194/amt-18-3873-2025Cross-validations of the Aeolus aerosol products and new developments with airborne high-spectral-resolution lidar measurements above the tropical Atlantic during JATACD. Trapon0H. Baars1A. A. Floutsi2S. Bley3M. Haarig4A. Lacour5A. Lacour6T. Flament7T. Flament8A. Dabas9A. R. Nehrir10F. Ehlers11F. Ehlers12D. Huber13Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research (TROPOS), Leipzig, Germany​​​​​​​Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research (TROPOS), Leipzig, Germany​​​​​​​Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research (TROPOS), Leipzig, Germany​​​​​​​Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research (TROPOS), Leipzig, Germany​​​​​​​Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research (TROPOS), Leipzig, Germany​​​​​​​CNRM, Université de Toulouse, Météo-France, CNRS, Toulouse, FranceMagellium, Ramonville-Saint-Agne, Occitanie, FranceCNRM, Université de Toulouse, Météo-France, CNRS, Toulouse, FranceEUMETSAT, Darmstadt, GermanyCNRM, Université de Toulouse, Météo-France, CNRS, Toulouse, FranceNASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, USAGeoscience and Remote Sensing, Delft University of Technology, Delft, the NetherlandsCollecte Localisation Spatiale (CLS), Observations Spatiales, Ramonville-Saint-Agne, FranceDoRIT, Munich, Germany​​​​​​​<p>The Joint Aeolus Tropical Atlantic Campaign (JATAC) conducted in 2022 in Cabo Verde has provided quantitative lidar measurements, particularly from the NASA Langley High-Altitude Lidar Observatory (HALO) on board DC-8 aircraft, for process-level understanding of tropical dynamics, as well as for satellite validation. For the first time, the optical properties of particles (i.e. backscatter, extinction, attenuated backscatter coefficients, and depolarization ratios) have been measured for extended tropospheric sections collocated with the Aeolus satellite overpasses with limited geolocation and time offsets. This has contributed to the evaluation of the Aeolus Level-2A (L2A) aerosol optical properties product. In addition, localized aerosol profiles were measured by the ground-based multiwavelength Raman polarization and water vapour lidar Polly<span class="inline-formula"><sup>XT</sup></span>.</p> <p>In this study, we assess the quality of the Aeolus L2A product retrieved with the standard correct algorithm (SCA) and the maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) as part of the September 2022 dataset reprocessed with the L2A processor, version 16. The focus is given to the 355 nm aerosol retrievals given at finer horizontal resolution, i.e. the so-called Aeolus measurement level at <span class="inline-formula">≈</span> 18 km. They are compared to the 532 nm HALO airborne profiles that are converted to 355 nm using the backscatter Ångström exponent. HALO and Polly<span class="inline-formula"><sup>XT</sup></span> polarization lidars also provide insights into the L2A algorithm's limitations when looking at non-spherical particles such as Saharan dust. Even though it has no cross-polarized component, the Aeolus measurements can be corrected using collocated observations with such instruments that include both co-polarized and cross-polarized components of the backscattered light. Moreover the cross-validation with independent lidar measurements enables estimation of the lower limits for Aeolus backscatter detection.</p>https://amt.copernicus.org/articles/18/3873/2025/amt-18-3873-2025.pdf
spellingShingle D. Trapon
H. Baars
A. A. Floutsi
S. Bley
M. Haarig
A. Lacour
A. Lacour
T. Flament
T. Flament
A. Dabas
A. R. Nehrir
F. Ehlers
F. Ehlers
D. Huber
Cross-validations of the Aeolus aerosol products and new developments with airborne high-spectral-resolution lidar measurements above the tropical Atlantic during JATAC
Atmospheric Measurement Techniques
title Cross-validations of the Aeolus aerosol products and new developments with airborne high-spectral-resolution lidar measurements above the tropical Atlantic during JATAC
title_full Cross-validations of the Aeolus aerosol products and new developments with airborne high-spectral-resolution lidar measurements above the tropical Atlantic during JATAC
title_fullStr Cross-validations of the Aeolus aerosol products and new developments with airborne high-spectral-resolution lidar measurements above the tropical Atlantic during JATAC
title_full_unstemmed Cross-validations of the Aeolus aerosol products and new developments with airborne high-spectral-resolution lidar measurements above the tropical Atlantic during JATAC
title_short Cross-validations of the Aeolus aerosol products and new developments with airborne high-spectral-resolution lidar measurements above the tropical Atlantic during JATAC
title_sort cross validations of the aeolus aerosol products and new developments with airborne high spectral resolution lidar measurements above the tropical atlantic during jatac
url https://amt.copernicus.org/articles/18/3873/2025/amt-18-3873-2025.pdf
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