New technique for retrieval of atmospheric temperature profiles from Rayleigh-scatter lidar measurements using nonlinear inversion.

The conventional method of calculating atmospheric temperature profiles using Rayleigh-scattering lidar measurements has limitations that necessitate abandoning temperatures retrieved at the greatest heights, due to the assumption of a pressure value required to initialize the integration at the highest altitude. An inversion approach is used to develop an alternative way of retrieving nightly atmospheric temperature profiles from the lidar measurements. Measurements obtained by the Purple Crow lidar facility located near The University of Western Ontario are used to develop and test this new technique.