Cloud optical and physical properties derived from lidar measurements

Abstract

It is well acknowledged that the optical and physical properties of clouds to a large extent determine the amount of solar radiation that reaches the earth's surface. In particular, cloud base location and cloud optical depth are used as input parameters in climate modeling and radiative transfer calculations. For the first time in the Philippines, a Mie lidar system is being developed at the Ateneo de Manila University to assess air quality and for meteorological studies such as tropical clouds. With the basic system described in an earlier paper, cloud optical properties such as extinction coefficient and optical depth, and physical properties such as cloud base, peak and apparent top location can be determined. Recently, the system is modified to enable depolarization measurements giving additional information on the phase and type of cloud constituents. This paper presents the results obtained on clouds for ten months.