First comparisons between CNR-IMAA multi-wavelength Raman lidar measurements and CALIPSO measurements

At CNR-IMAA, an aerosol lidar system is operative since May 2000 in the framework of EARLINET (European Aerosol Research Lidar Network)), the first lidar network for tropospheric aerosol study on continental scale. Since August 2005, PEARL (Potenza EARlinet Lidar) system provides backscatter coefficient profiles at 1064 nm, and independent measurements of extinction and backscatter coefficient profiles at 355 and 532 nm. In addition, measurements of the vertical profiles of aerosol and cloud depolarization ratio at 532 run are obtained by means of the detection of components of backscattered light polarized perpendicular and parallel to the direction of the linearly polarized transmitted laser beam. High quality multi-wavelength measurements (3 backscatter + 2 extinction) plus depolarization measurements make PEARL a reference point for the validation of CALIPSO data products. A direct comparison with CALIPSO data can be carried out for depolarization ratio and aerosol backscatter at 532 and 1064 nm measurements. Furthermore PEARL aerosol extinction measurements at 532 nm and 355 run and backscatter measurements at 355 nm can be used to improve the retrieval of aerosol backscatter coefficient from pure backscatter lidar. Since 14 June 2006, devoted measurements are performed at CNR-IMAA in coincidence of CALIPSO overpasses (maximum 80 kin and 2 hours as spatial and temporal distance). First results of comparison between PEARL and CALIPSO observations are shown.