Validation of the new long Range 1.5?m wind lidar WLS70 for atmospheric dynamics studies

To fully understand atmospheric dynamics, climate studies, energy transfer, and weather prediction the wind field is one of the most important atmospheric state variables. Studies indicate that a global determination of the tropospheric wind field to an accuracy of 0.5 m/s is critical for improved numerical weather forecasting. LEOSPHERE recently developed a new generation long range compact, eye safe and transportable wind Lidar, named WLS70, capable to fully determine locally the wind field in real time in the planetary boundary layer (PBL). First results of the measurement campaign put in evidence both wind velocity vertical profiles and atmosphere structure derived from Lidar data. ? 2009 SPIE.