Vertikal aufgelöste Charakterisierung von Sahara-Staub (mineralischem Aerosol) mit Hilfe von Lidar

• Applicant: Dr. Matthias Wiegner
• Subject Area: Atmospheric Science
• Term: from 2004 to 2009
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 5470891

The Saharan dust layer as one of the most important atmospheric aerosol layers will be investigated with high vertical resolution in terms of climate-relevant optical and physical properties. Three lidars will be operated in one of the dust source regions and in the long-range-transport region in the framework of dust closure experiments. A systematic investigation of the relationship between the lidar-derived optical properties and the size/shape/composition properties of dust based on two closure experiments and comprehensive modelling studies will be performed. Available state-of-the-art lidar inversion schemes will be further developed to allow the retrieval of physical properties of desert dust particles from the optical measurements. The lidar observations will significantly contribute to the CALIPSO mission during which a spaceborne lidar will map global aerosol distributions in three dimensions. The combination of ground-based, aircraft, and satellite lidar observations offers a unique possibility for a quality-assured description of the Saharan dust transport pattern from Africa to North and South America. Such activities are required to improve significantly modelling of the atmospheric dust transport and the impact of Saharan dust von climate.

• DFG Programme: Research Units
• Subproject of: FOR 539: Saharan Mineral Dust Experiment SAMUM
• Participating Person: Privatdozent Dr. Albert Ansmann