Innovative application of micro-pulse Lidar technology to boundary-layer Air Quality issues

大气中的气溶胶（有时被称为颗粒物质）来自许多自然来源，包括海浪、（海盐颗粒）、火山喷发、沙尘暴和森林火灾。来自工业的颗粒排放，包括发电、家庭供暖和运输部门的燃烧过程，也是重要的和不断增长的来源。描述气溶胶的分布和运输对于了解全球气候变化（颗粒对全球气候有直接（辐射）和间接（云微物理）影响）以及确定对空气质量、能见度、航空和人类健康在地方和区域尺度上的影响至关重要。本研究的重点是利用相对新颖的微型微脉冲激光雷达（MMPL）技术对环境中的颗粒物进行测量。这种遥感技术通常以向上指向模式用于在大尺度上和在低层大气10-12公里深处检查气溶胶的输送。在这里，重点是近地面（所谓的边界层）和小尺度(例如：城市、高速公路)，与制定保护加拿大环境和人类健康的良好空气质量管理战略直接相关。这项研究包括两条主线。首先，将开发适用于广泛边界层问题的激光雷达技术的部署（包括水平和移动模式）、应用和数据处理的新技术。其次，所提出的研究将展示，评估和应用这些新技术与几个重要的和知之甚少的环境现象和过程有关。例如，通过在水平指向模式下部署激光雷达仪器，研究煤炭列车在产生煤尘中的作用，以确定煤尘漂移和沉积的空间维度。总之，拟议的工作重点是新型激光雷达技术的发展及其在一系列紧迫环境问题上的应用。这些新方法的发展和示范将适用于其他地理环境，并将激光雷达的应用范围扩大到更广泛的问题（例如工业、运输和林业部门的羽流的影响）。此外，它将增强激光雷达在特定应用中的快速部署能力，包括灾害（例如森林火灾、工业和运输部门的意外释放和火灾）。最后，这项工作将为数值和统计模型的评价和完善提供重要的观测基础，并为政策制定提供良好的科学依据

Atmospheric aerosols (sometimes referred to as Particulate Matter) originate from numerous natural sources including sea spray, (sea salt particles), volcanic eruptions, dust storms, and forest fires. Emissions of particles from industry including power generation, domestic heating, and combustion processes in the transport sector are also important and growing sources. Describing the distribution and transport of aerosols is critically important to understanding Global Climate Change (particles have both direct (radiative), and indirect (cloud microphysics) impacts on Global climate) as well as identifying impacts on air quality, visibility, aviation, and human health at the local and regional scales. This proposed research focuses on the environmental measurement of particulate matter using the relatively novel technology of mini-micro-pulse LiDAR (MMPL). This remote sensing technology is typically used in upward pointing mode to examine transport of aerosols at large scales and through a depth of 10-12 km in the lower atmosphere. Here, the focus is on measurements near ground (the so-called boundary layer) and at small scales (eg. cities, highways) that are of direct relevance to the development of sound air quality management strategies that protect environmental and human health in Canada. The research includes two main threads. Firstly,  novel techniques will be developed for the deployment (including horizontal and mobile modes), application and data processing of LiDAR technology that is applicable to a wide range of boundary layer issues. Secondly, the research proposed will demonstrate, evaluate and apply these novel techniques in relation to several important and poorly understood environmental phenomena and processes. For example, by deploying the LiDAR instrument in horizontally pointing mode, the role of coal trains in generating coal dust will be investigated in order to define the spatial dimensions of coal dust drift and deposition. In summary, the proposed work is focused on the development of novel LiDAR techniques and their application to a suite of pressing environmental issues. The development and demonstration of these novel approaches will be applicable in other geographical contexts and broaden the application of LiDAR to a wider range of issues (e.g impacts of plumes from industrial, transport and forestry sectors). Furthermore, it will enhance the capability for rapid deployment of LiDAR for specific applications including disasters (e.g forest fire, accidental releases and fires in the industrial and transportation sectors). Finally, this work will form an important observational basis for the evaluation and refinement  of numerical and statistical models, and contribute to a sound scientific basis for policy development.**