The university of wisconsin space science and engineering (UW‐ssec) high spectral resolution lidar (hsrl) systems provide outstanding data quality unmatched by conventional lidars. The hsrl technique,…

The University of Wisconsin System, through its University of Wisconsin - Madison division operating as Research and Sponsored Programs, was awarded a $90,012 grant contract by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to deploy the University's High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL) system aboard the research vessel Thomas G. Thompson to support the CALIPSO and CAMP2EX field missions. The HSRL system is capable of directly measuring atmospheric properties such as backscatter cross-section, extinction cross-section, color ratio, depolarization, and lidar ratio, providing unique and well-calibrated data on aerosols and clouds. This two-month deployment in the South China Sea is intended to collect continuous, high-resolution lidar observations to complement the suite of instruments being used in the field missions. The contract does not have a set-aside designation.

The university of wisconsin space science and engineering (UW‐ssec) high spectral resolution lidar (hsrl) systems provide outstanding data quality unmatched by conventional lidars. The hsrl technique, pioneered by DR. Edward eloranta at the university of wisconsin, is capable of directly measuring atmospheric backscatter cross‐section, extinction cross‐section, color ratio, depolarization, and lidar ratio based on fundamental physical calibrations providing a unique instrument capability. Robust calibration provides unambiguous information on aerosol and cloud vertical distribution. For this reason, we propose to deploy the UW‐ssec hsrl on board the thomas g thompson in support of calipso and CAMP2EX field mission. We expect the inclusion of the hsrl to greatly compliment the field mission s suite of instruments. IT will provide continuous day/night measurements of the vertical profile of cloud and aerosol extinction and backscatter coefficient and particulate depolarization ratio at 532 NM and attenuated backscatter coefficient at 1064 NM and an hsrl L2 cloud and aerosol product. The deployment will be for two months with the thompson located off of the philippines in the south china sea. This a unique opportunity to collect continuous high resolution and well calibrated lidar observations including calibrated extinction and lidar ratios for both aerosols and clouds for the first time in this region. The UW‐ssec hsrl system is designed to run continuously from remote locations, but for this field mission a staff member is planned to be onboard the thompson to ensure instrument operations. The hsrl has proven to be a valuable asset during previous NASA field campaigns with NASA funded deployments in both singapore and huntsville, AL for the SEAC4RS mission as well as the korus‐AQ mission in south korea. The instrument proposed for deployment for this mission is our second version of the current hsrl design and has scanning capability (in one dimension) that is currently being tested. This will provide a new capability to observe the marine boundary layer and low‐level aerosols properties and will be tested during the deployment.