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Although satellite remote sensing techniques have been widely implemented for a variety of applications, using either single or time-series images, few studies have explicitly considered atmospheric effects, and how they can most effectively be minimized. Despite the considerable number of available atmospheric correction algorithms, there is little literature concerning their relative merits. Over water bodies, atmospheric effects account for the majority of the at-satellite measured radiance in the visible bands, and therefore targets of this type provide an opportunity for assessing the effectiveness of the different methods available. This paper reports a study of atmospheric effects and their correction, using multi-spectral satellite remote sensing data for an area to the west of London that includes eight large water reservoirs and a major international airport (Heathrow). Through comparisons of reflectance within a time series of 12 Landsat-5 Thematic Mapper (TM) images, the overall impact of atmospheric contributions is shown. The available atmospheric correction literature is then reviewed, and the methods applied to the satellite imagery of the reservoirs. The results are compared with reflectances acquired using a field spectro-radiometer. A critical appraisal of the results, and of problems encountered in applying the various methods, leads to an evaluation of their value in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the framework of ACTRIS (Aerosols, Clouds, and Trace Gases Research Infrastructure Network) summer 2012 measurement campaign (8 June-17 July 2012), EARLINET organized and performed a controlled exercise of feasibility to demonstrate its potential to perform operational, coordinated measurements and deliver products in near-real time. Eleven lidar stations participated in the exercise which started on 9 July 2012 at 06:00 UT and ended 72 h later on 12 July at 06:00 UT. For the first time, the single calculus chain (SCC) - the common calculus chain developed within EARLINET for the automatic evaluation of lidar data from raw signals up to the final products - was used. All stations sent in real-time measurements of a 1 h duration to the SCC server in a predefined netcdf file format. The pre-processing of the data was performed in real time by the SCC, while the optical processing was performed in near-real time after the exercise ended. 98 and 79% of the files sent to SCC were successfully pre-processed and processed, respectively. Those percentages are quite large taking into account that no cloud screening was performed on the lidar data. The paper draws present and future SCC users' attention to the most critical parameters of the SCC product configuration and their possible optimal value but also to the limitations inherent to the raw data. The continuous use of SCC direct and derived products in heterogeneous conditions is used to demonstrate two potential applications of EARLINET infrastructure: the monitoring of a Saharan dust intrusion event and the evaluation of two dust transport models. The efforts made to define the measurements protocol and to configure properly the SCC pave the way for applying this protocol for specific applications such as the monitoring of special events, atmospheric modeling, climate research and calibration/ validation activities of spaceborne observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the framework of ACTRIS summer 2012 measurement campaign (8 June-17 July 2012), EARLINET organized and performed a controlled exercise of feasibility to demonstrate its potential to perform operational, coordinated measurements and deliver products in near-real time. Eleven lidar stations participated to the exercise which started on 9 July 2012 at 06:00 UT and ended 72 h later on 12 July at 06:00 UT. For the first time the Single-Calculus Chain (SCC), the common calculus chain developed within EARLINET for the automatic evaluation of lidar data from raw signals up to the final products, was used. All stations sent in real time measurements of 1 h of duration to the SCC server in a predefined netcdf file format. The pre-processing of the data was performed in real time by the SCC while the optical processing was performed in near-real time after the exercise ended. 98 and 84% of the files sent to SCC were successfully pre-processed and processed, respectively. Those percentages are quite large taking into account that no cloud screening was performed on lidar data. The paper shows time series of continuous and homogeneously obtained products retrieved at different levels of the SCC: range-square corrected signals (pre-processing) and daytime backscatter and nighttime extinction coefficient profiles (optical processing), as well as combined plots of all direct and derived optical products. The derived products include backscatter- and extinction-related Ångström exponents, lidar ratios and color ratios. The combined plots reveal extremely valuable for aerosol classification. The efforts made to define the measurements protocol and to configure properly the SCC pave the way for applying this protocol for specific applications such as the monitoring of special events, atmospheric modelling, climate research and calibration/validation activities of spaceborne observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mixing layer height (MLH) is one of the key parameters in describing lower tropospheric dynamics and capturing its diurnal variability is crucial, especially for interpreting surface observations. In this paper we introduce a method for identifying MLH below the minimum range of a scanning Doppler lidar when operated at vertical. The method we propose is based on velocity variance in lowelevation- angle conical scanning and is applied to measurements in two very different coastal environments: Limassol, Cyprus, during summer and Loviisa, Finland, during winter. At both locations, the new method agrees well with MLH derived from turbulent kinetic energy dissipation rate profiles obtained from vertically pointing measurements. The lowlevel scanning routine frequently indicated non-zero MLH less than 100m above the surface. Such low MLHs were more common in wintertime Loviisa on the Baltic Sea coast than during summertime in Mediterranean Limassol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mixing height is one of the key parameters in describing lower tropospheric dynamics, and capturing the diurnal variability is crucial, especially in interpreting surface observations. In this paper we introduce a method for identifying mixing heights below the vertical minimum range of a scanning Doppler lidar. The method we propose is based on velocity variance in low elevation angle conical scanning, and is applied to measurements in two very different coastal environments: Limassol, Cyprus during summer; and Loviisa, Finland during winter. At both locations, the new method agrees well with mixing heights derived from turbulent kinetic energy dissipation rate profiles obtained from vertically-pointing measurements. The low-level scanning routine frequently indicated non-zero mixing heights less than 100m above the surface. Such low mixing heights were more common at wintertime Loviisa on the Baltic Sea coast than during summertime in Mediterranean Limassol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]