Comparison of backscatter coefficient at 1064nm from CALIPSO and ground-based ceilometers over coastal and non-coastal regions

Abstract

This study investigates the direct comparison of backscatter coefficient profiles at 1064 nm which were measured by CALIOP (Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization) and by ground-based ceilometers located in coastal and non-coastal regions. The study uses data recorded between 2013 and 2016 to investigate the challenges involved in performing such a comparison in different environments. The standard Level 2 CALIOP Aerosol Profile version 4 product is evaluated against data from two ground-based Jenoptik CHM15K ceilometers: One at Mace Head (western Ireland) and the other at Harzgerode (central Germany). A statistical analysis from a series of CALIOP overpasses within 100 km distance from the ground-stations is presented considering different along-track averages in CALIOP data (5 km, 15 km, 25 km, 35 km, and 100 km) at the closest approach. The mean bias calculated from the correlative measurements between CALIOP and the ground-based ceilometers shows negative bias for 80% of the cases analyzed at Mace Head and positive bias for 68% of the cases investigated at Harzgerode, considering both daytime and nighttime measurements in cloud-free scenarios. The correlation of these results with HYSPLIT shows that different air samples play a role in the comparison. To our knowledge, this is the first study that addresses the limitations and capabilities in comparing CALIOP data with ground-based ceilometers at 1064 nm wavelength in different environments.