Lidar observations of the vertical aerosol flux in the planetary boundary layer

Abstract

The vertical aerosol transport in the planetary boundary layer (PBL) is investigated with lidars. Profiles of the vertical wind velocity are measured with a 2-mu m Doppler wind lidar. Aerosol parameters are derived from observations with an aerosol Raman lidar. Both instruments were operated next to each other at the Institute for Tropospheric Research (IfT) in Leipzig, Germany. The eddy correlation technique is applied to calculate turbulent particle mass fluxes on the basis of aerosol backscatter and vertical wind data obtained with a resolution of 75 m and 5 s throughout the PBL. A conversion of particle backscatter to particle mass is performed by applying the IfT inversion scheme to three-wavelength Raman lidar observations. The method, so far, is restricted to stationary and dry atmospheric conditions under which hygroscopic particle growth can be neglected. In a case study, particle mass fluxes of 0.5-2.5 mu g m(-2) s(-1) were found in the upper part of a convective PBL on 12 September 2006.