title: Calibration method for multiangle lidar measurements.
abstract: A new method based on a two-angle approach is developed to determine the lidar solution constant from scanning elastic lidar data, hence providing a relative calibration for each lidar scan. Once the solution constant is determined, the vertical profiles of atmospheric extinction can be calculated. With this calibration method a minimization technique is used that replaces the linear regression used in a known two-angle approach that requires only local atmospheric homogeneity over a restricted altitude calibration range rather than overall horizontal homogeneity. Lidar signals from at least one pair of elevation angles are used, averaged in time when the system is operated in a permanent two-angle mode, or an arbitrary number of signal pairs is used, when a two-dimensional lidar scan is being processed. The method is tested extensively with synthetic data. The calibration method is a robust tool for determining the solution constant to the lidar equation and for obtaining vertical profiles of atmospheric extinction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geography and Environmental Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, USA. markus.pahlow@noaa.gov
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pahlow
authors.forename: Vladimir A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Kovalev
authors.forename: Marc B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Parlange