MRI: Acquisition of a Portable Compact Doppler Wind and Aerosol Lidar for Research Enhancements in Boundary Layer Meteorology, Air Quality, and Cloud Physics

这项工作旨在获得一个紧凑的风和气溶胶激光雷达（CWAL），以加强在大气边界层（ABL）气象学，空气质量和云物理学的一般领域的研究活动。 我们将优化CWAL的使用，根据研究应用，将其安装在三个不同的平台上：（i）在阿拉巴马大学亨茨维尔分校（UAH）的Cramer Hall屋顶，毗邻现有的臭氧差分吸收激光雷达（DIAL），在那里它将有一个很好的视野，在所有方向的地平线;（ii）安装在流动综合剖面分析系统（MIPS）的新货车上，以补充和加强其他MIPS仪器的测量;以及（iii）安装在一辆较小的货车上，作为高度移动的和独立的CWAL激光雷达设施。CWAL将增强MIPS风廓线测量，在130米AGL以下的表层增加高分辨率风廓线测量能力，而现有的915兆赫多普勒风廓线仪没有对该区域进行采样。同样，CWAL将提供低层大气中共同记录的垂直速度和后向散射强度测量，这将有助于解释UAH臭氧DIAL的低层臭氧反演结果。除了提高MIPS和臭氧DIAL的测量能力外，利用这一设备的研究项目将提高对以下方面的认识：a）边界层过程，包括收敛边界区、重力波现象、对流启动和大气边界层过程对龙卷风形成的影响; B）与大气边界层和自由大气之间的臭氧和汞物质输送有关的边界层过程，以及对流层低层臭氧层的发展; c）大气边界层内气溶胶的变化及其对大气的影响，包括能见度的降低; d）与MCS、中纬度气旋和热带气旋有关的层状降水中的降水过程和雨滴大小分布。 该研究小组在维护、部署和分析各种项目的移动的剖面设备、雷达和激光雷达数据方面获得了相当丰富的经验（14-19年）。更广泛的影响：我们预计，UAH内外的众多大气科学家和学生将从CWAL以及MIPS和ozoneDIAL的增强能力中受益。 全面的测量（以及潜在的24/7能力）增加了偶然发现的可能性，这是推进科学的重要组成部分。 MIPS（或单独的CWAL）将作为先进的移动的大气剖面平台提供给大气科学界。 在UAH的轮廓和扫描遥感仪器用于研究生课程，为学生提供动手进行科学实验，涉及仪器操作，实验设计和数据分析的经验。 来自CWAL的科学研究将有助于改进对流模拟、强风暴、空气质量（包括臭氧）以及异质（对流和夜间）边界层中（潜在有毒物质）的传输和扩散特性的预报。

This work seeks to acquire a Compact Wind and Aerosol Lidar (CWAL) to enhance research activities in the general areas of atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) meteorology, air quality, and cloud physics. We will optimize the utilization of the CWAL by installing it on three different platforms, depending on the research application: (i) on the roof of University of Alabama-Huntsville (UAH)'s Cramer Hall, adjacent to an existing ozone differential absorption lidar (DIAL), where it will have an excellent view of the horizon in all directions; (ii) on top of a new van of the Mobile Integrated Profiling System (MIPS), where it will supplement and enhance measurements from other MIPS instruments; and (iii) on top of a smaller van, where it will serve as a highly mobile and independent CWAL lidar facility.Intellectual Merit: The CWAL will enhance MIPS wind profile measurements by adding a high-resolution wind profiling capability within the surface layer below 130 m AGL, which the existing 915 MHz Doppler wind profiler does not sample. Likewise, the CWAL will provide co-registered vertical velocity and backscatter intensity measurements within the lower atmosphere that will facilitate interpretation of low-level ozone retrievals from the UAH ozone DIAL.In addition to enhancing the measurement capabilities of the MIPS and ozone DIAL, research projects utilizing this equipment will improve understanding of: a) boundary layer processes, including convergent boundary zones, gravity wave phenomena, convective initiation and the impacts of ABL processes on tornadogenesis; b) boundary layer processes associated with the transport of ozone and mercury species between the ABL and free atmosphere, and the development of stratified ozone layers in the lower troposphere; c) variability of aerosols within the ABL and their impact on the atmosphere, including degradation of visibility; d) precipitation processes and drop size distributions within stratiform precipitation associated with MCS's, midlatitude cyclones, and tropical cyclones. The research group has acquired considerable experience (14-19 years) in maintaining, deploying and analyzing data from mobile profiling equipment, radars, and lidars for a wide variety of projects.Broader Impacts: We anticipate that numerous atmospheric scientists and students within and outside of UAH will benefit from the CWAL, and enhanced capabilities of the MIPS and ozoneDIAL. The comprehensive measurements (and the potential 24/7 capability) increase the probability of serendipitous discoveries, which is an important component in advancing science. The MIPS (or CWAL individually) will be available to the atmospheric science community as an advanced mobile atmospheric profiling platform. Profiling and scanning remote sensing instruments at UAH are used in graduate level courses to provide students with hands on experience in conducting scientific experiments involving instrument operation, experimental design, and analysis of data. Scientific research stemming from the CWAL will contribute to improvements in forecasting of convective imitation, severe storms, air quality (including ozone), and transport and dispersion characteristics (of potentially toxic materials) in heterogeneous (convective and nocturnal) boundary layers.