Instrument

CLS
Cloud Lidar System

The Cloud Lidar System (CLS) was an airborne lidar system that operated on the ER-2 aircraft. It measured lidar backscatter to determine the height structure of clouds, cloud thickness, and other cloud properties. CLS was also used to determine aerosol properties. It used a Nd-YAG operating at 1064 and 532 nm and had a pulse repetition frequency of 10 Hz. CLS had a horizontal resolution of 20 m and a vertical sampling resolution of 7.5 m.

NASA's DC-8 flying laboratory passes Antarctica's tallest peak, Mount Vinson, on Oct. 22, 2012, during a flight over the continent to measure changes in the massive ice sheet and sea ice. Credit: NASA/Michael Studinger (Photography courtesy NASA Images)

Overview

Instrument Details

Measurement Type

Lidar

Measurement/Variables

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols

Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Lidar > Lidar Backscatter

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Properties

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Aerosol Optical Depth/thickness

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Aerosol Backscatter

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Microphysics > Cloud Optical Depth/thickness

Vertical Measurement Regions

Full Column Profile

Temporal Resolution

N/A

Spatial Resolution

20 m (horizontal), 7.5 m (vertical)

Measurement Frequency

281.8 THz, 563.5 THz

Calibration Details

Currently unavailble

Online Information

https://airbornescience.nasa.gov/instrument/Cloud_Lidar_System

Lead Investigator
James Spinhirne
Technical Contact
James Spinhirne
Instrument Maker
Currently unavailable
Funding Source
Currently unavailable
Overview Publications
Overview Publication
Repositories
- Atmospheric Science Data Center (ASDC)
- other NASA repository not formally considered a DAAC by ESDS