LIDAR | Atmospheric Sounding Introduction

Light detection and ranging (Lidar) is a remote sensing technique that is used for measuring atmosphere parameters, such as temperature, composition, and wind. Lidar, like radar, operates by transmitting a beam of electromagnetic radiation and subsequently detecting any radiation scattered back to the instrument. The scattered radiation is analyzed in order to determine some property, or properties of the medium through which the radiation traveled. The range of atmospheric parameters that can be measured with lidar include: temperature, wind velocity, atomic and molecular species concentration, and aerosol and cloud properties.