Aerosol size distribution measurements using a multispectral lidar system

Consideration is given to a novel inversion algorithm to determine the aerosol size distribution from lidar signals obtained at several wavelengths. This algorithm is based on a nonlinear fit of the backscattered measurements using a set of predetermined functions. Size distribution profiles of tropospheric aerosols in different meteorological conditions - clear, hazy, and cloudy atmosphere - are determined on the basis of lidar measurements made in central Switzerland, which is characterized by a specific microclimate. Measurements of stratospheric clouds and aerosols created by the Pinatubo eruption were measured above Berlin and Sodankyla, Finland. These measurements are used to characterize the size distribution of these volcanic aerosols in order to estimate their influence on radiative transfer.