ETL Mini-MOPA Lidar Data Summary

EPIC 2001

Contact: Janet Intrieri, 303-497-6594, janet.intrieri@noaa.gov

The ETL Mini-MOPA lidar system successfully obtained measurements aboard the Ron Brown from August 24th through October 5th. The lidar will continue onto Arica, Chile taking data until the end of the EPIC cruise (October 25th).

We obtained DIAL (water vapor) and Doppler (wind speed and direction) profiles concentrating mostly between the surface and 1 km AGL. The data table below provides details of operating times and general descriptions for each day.

Preliminary lidar data are not available at this time because it requires post-processing for water vapor offsets and ship motion corrections. Our goal is to have a final times series data set of all wind and water vapor profiles completed this winter. This will be made available to the archive or upon request.

We observed water vapor pressures ranging from 13 mb in Seattle to a high of 31 mb at the 10 N site. After we traversed into the cold tongue region the water vapor pressures dropped down into the 18-22 mb range. The wind velocities showed a variety of features throughout the cruise including shear layers, occasional outflow boundaries and jets, with speeds ranging from extremely calm to a maximum of ~13 m/s. Boundary layer depths (via aerosol returns) and inversion layer cloud heights are also documented as part of the lidar data set and will be analyzed in conjunction with other data sets (e.g. aerosol, flux, etc.). Additionally, we obtained scans specifically for retrieving Turbulent Kinetic Energy (TKE) in a variety of cloud conditions and transitions.

EPIC 2001: August 24 - October 5, 2001

Date (Z)	Start Time (Z)	End Time (Z)	Comments
August 24	1800	2230	docked in Seattle, test scans
August 25	none	programming
August 26	0100	0200	DIAL tests
2000	2400
August 27	0000	0230
1400	1630	scanner setup, depart Seattle
2200	2400
August 28	0000	0300	scanner and DIAL tests
August 29	0030	0400
2130	2400
August 30	0000	0330	in port San Francisco
August 31	2130	2400	DIAL tests
0000	0500
September 1	2000	2400	Doppler and DIAL
September 2	0000	0100
1530	2300	arrive San Diego
September 3	1800	2300
September 4	none	programming
September 5	1830	2130	depart San Diego, velocity offset files
September 6	2330	2400	calibration and testing
September 7	0000	0230	calibration and testing
1930	2230	calibration and testing
September 8	1730	2230	calibration and testing
September 9	none	rain
September 10	none	rain
September 11	1430	2400	DIAL and Doppler
September 12	0000	0100	DIAL and Doppler
1530	2400	arrive 10 N, DIAL and Doppler
September 13	0000	0130	DIAL and Doppler
1130	2230	DIAL and Doppler
September 14	0130	0430	near SAR overpass 0033, DIAL and Doppler
1700	2030	DIAL and Doppler
2230	2400	Doppler only
September 15	0000	0100	Doppler only
1030	1800	DIAL and Doppler
September 16	0200	0330	DIAL and Doppler
1830	2400	missed SAR overpass due to rain, DIAL and Doppler
September 17	0000	0200	DIAL and Doppler
1500	2000	DIAL and Doppler
September 18	0330	0500	DIAL and Doppler
1600	1730	DIAL and Doppler, rain
September 19	0000	0200	DIAL and Doppler
1200	2200	DIAL and Doppler
September 20	0300	0430	DIAL and Doppler
1530	2400	DIAL and Doppler
September 21	0000	0100	SAR overpass 0029, Doppler and DIAL
0530	0700	DIAL and Doppler
1630	2400	DIAL and Doppler
September 22	0000	0100	DIAL and Doppler
1200	2200	DIAL and Doppler
September 23	1100	1400	SAR overpass 1201, Doppler and DIAL, rain
September 24	1830	2400	rain, DIAL and Doppler
September 25	0000	0500	DIAL and Doppler
1630	2400	DIAL and Doppler
September 26	1200	2200	SAR overpass 1213, Doppler and DIAL
September 27	2100	2400	DIAL and Doppler
September 28	0000	0700	SAR overpass 0025, Doppler and DIAL
1830	2400	DIAL and Doppler
September 29	0000	0100	DIAL and Doppler
1300	2400	DIAL and Doppler, TKE
September 30	1500	2400	depart 10 N, DIAL and Doppler, TKE
October 1	0000	0100	SAR overpass 0037, rain, DIAL and Doppler, TKE
October 2	0000	1030	DIAL and Doppler, TKE
1900	2400	DIAL and Doppler
October 3	0000	0100	DIAL and Doppler
1200	2400	SAR overpass 1209,C130 flight, DIAL and Doppler, TKE
October 4	0000	0100	DIAL and Doppler
1500	2400	DIAL and Doppler
October 5	0000	0100	DIAL and Doppler
1200	2130	DIAL and Doppler, TKE