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。基本的方法是激光向大气层发射光脉冲，背向散射光将被记录为时间的函数，或者相当于距离。激光后向散射的垂直剖面是按时间顺序记录的，这提供了漂移经过的尘埃和云层的连续图像。这种技术被称为激光雷达，用于光探测和测距。该研究计划由四个独立的项目组成。主要项目包括在即将登陆火星的宇宙飞船上安装激光雷达系统。这是将于2007年8月发射并于2008年5月着陆的凤凰号任务。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。其他项目包括在地球大气层中从飞机上进行测量，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海拔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，这种雷暴在加拿大北部的森林大火上方形成，将污染注入平流层。第四个项目的重点是安大略省南部的雷暴及其对当地空气质量和远程污染输送的影响。

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.