Experiments in the atmospheres of Earth and Mars

这项研究涉及使用激光来研究地球和火星的大气层。基本的方法是激光器将光脉冲发射到大气中，并且后向散射光将被记录为时间或等效距离的函数。激光后向散射的垂直廓线按时间顺序记录，这提供了漂移过去的尘埃和云层的连续视图。这种技术被称为激光雷达，用于光探测和测距。该研究计划包括四个独立的项目。主要项目涉及将降落在火星上的航天器上的激光雷达系统。这是凤凰号使命，将于2007年8月发射，2008年5月着陆。激光雷达将用于研究大气过程，这些过程决定了火星大气中的气候和水的运动。其他项目包括从地球大气层中的飞机上进行测量，以观察雷暴的影响。其中一个项目涉及研究热带雷暴在将水输送到非常高的高度和影响气候方面所起的作用。另一个项目将调查一种不同类型的雷暴，这种雷暴形成于加拿大北部的森林大火之上，并将污染物注入平流层。第四个项目的重点是安大略南部的雷暴及其对当地空气质量和远距离污染传输的影响。

This research involves using lasers to study the atmospheres of Earth and Mars. The basic method is that the laser will emit pulses of light into the atmosphere and the backscattered light will be recorded as a function of time, or equivalently distance. Vertical profiles of laser backscatter are recorded sequentially in time and this provides a continuous view of the dust and cloud layers that drift past. This technique is called lidar, for light detection and ranging. The research program consists of four separate projects. The main project involves a lidar system on a spacecraft that will land on Mars. This is the Phoenix mission that will be launched in August 2007 and land in May 2008. The lidar will be used to investigate the atmospheric processes that determine the climate and movement of water within the Martian atmosphere. The other projects involve measurements from airplanes in the atmosphere of the Earth to observe the effects of thunderstorms. One of these projects concerns studying the role that tropical thunderstorms play in transporting water to very high altitudes and influencing the climate. Another project will investigate a different type of thunderstorm that forms above forest fires in the north of Canada and injects pollution into the stratosphere. The forth project is focused on thunderstorms in southern Ontario and the effect on local air quality and long range pollution transport.