A mobile universal Doppler-lidar for collocated, high-resolution measurements of winds and temperatures in the middle atmosphere

Precise knowledge of winds and temperatures in the middle atmosphere is critical for the localization and characterization of infrasound sources. We present the concept, design, and measurement capabilities of a compact, mobile Doppler lidar system developed at the Leibniz Institute of Atmospheric Physics (IAP). This system, is designed for Doppler-Mie, -Rayleigh, and -resonance measurements in the middle atmosphere.

The daylight-capable instrument features a compact volume of about 1 m³ and is engineered for easy deployment as part of an array of lidar units. We highlight recent results, emphasizing collocated, high-resolution measurements of wind and temperature. By employing three to five individual fields of view, the system can measure both horizontal and vertical wind components. Between altitudes of 3 and 25 km, the instrument utilizes the narrowband properties of Mie backscatter, relying solely on aerosol backscatter to achieve precise three-dimensional wind measurements. In this altitude range, a novel method enables the measurement of vertical winds with an accuracy better than 0.5 m/s and a time resolution of just 60 seconds.

Above 25 km, winds will be measured using Doppler-Rayleigh and -resonance techniques. Concurrent Rayleigh temperature measurements utilize advanced aerosol correction methods, taking advantage of the instrument's high sensitivity to aerosols.

The feasibility of integrating this lidar system into a European lidar array is being investigated within the EULIAA (European Lidar Array for Atmospheric Climate Monitoring) project. The transfer of this technology to industry is currently being developed through the LidarCUBE project.