title: Lidar Observation of Cloud.
abstract: Lidar (from "light detection and ranging") is the optical counterpart of meteorological radar. At optical wavelengths, very much smaller atmospheric particles can be detected than at microwave wavelengths. With a laser power source, a transmitter uses a lens system to beam very intense pulses of monochromatic light of extremely short duration. Light backscattered by the atmosphere is collected in a receiver system that is essentially a telescope coaligned with the transmitter, and a narrow-pass filter allows only light of the transmitted frequency to be detected by a photomultiplier. Data are presented on an oscilloscope as a trace of signal intensity versus range (the A-scope of radar practice) and photographed.
authors.forename: R T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Collis