Data parameters

The primary data products for scientific use are highlighted in bold.

Variable Unit Description
time s since start of file  
range m  
Aerosol_Backscatter_
Coefficient		 m-1sr-1 Calibrated measurement of aerosol/cloud backscatter coefficient
Aerosol_Backscatter_
Coefficient_variance		 m-1sr-1 Estimate of the square error of the aerosol backscatter coefficient
Aerosol_Backscatter_
Coefficient_mask		 1=masked
0=not masked		  
Particle_Depolarization   Propensity of particles to depolarize
Particle_Depolarization_
variance		    
Particle_Depolarization_
mask		 1=masked
0=not masked		  
Volume_Depolarization   Propensity of volume to depolarize
Volume_Depolarization_
variance		    
Volume_Depolarization_
mask		 1=masked
0=not masked		  
Backscatter_Ratio   Ratio of combined (cloud/aerosol and molecular) to molecular backscatter
Backscatter_Ratio_
variance		    
Backscatter_Ratio_
mask		 1=masked
0=not masked		  
Molecular_Backscatter_
Coefficient		 m Ideal atmosphere molecular backscatter coefficient
Molecular_Backscatter_
Coefficient_variance		    
Temperature K Ideal atmosphere temperature in K
Temperature_variance K  
Pressure Pa Ideal atmosphere pressure in Pa
Pressure_variance Pa  
Particle_Linear_
Depolarization_Ratio		   Theoretically determined linear depolarization of particles (molecular removed). Depolarization is measured using circular polarizations and converted to the linear depolarization ratio assuming the volume consists of randomly oriented particles.
Particle_Linear_
Depolarization_Ratio_variance		   Estimated square error of the particle linear depolarization ratio
Volume_Linear_
Depolarization_Ratio		   Theoretically determined linear depolarization of the volume. Depolarization is measured using circular polarizations assuming the volume consists of randomly oriented particles.
Volume_Linear_
Depolarization_Ratio_variance		   Estimated square error of the volume linear depolarization ratio
Low_Gain_Total_
Backscatter_Channel		 photon counts Parallel polarization, low gain, combined aerosol and molecular returns
Low_Gain_Total_
Backscatter_Channel_variance		    
range_Raw_Low_Gain_
Total_Backscatter_Channel		 m  
Raw_Low_Gain_Total_
Backscatter_Channel		 photon counts Parallel polarization, low gain, combined aerosol and molecular returns
Raw_Low_Gain_Total_
Backscatter_Channel_variance		    
High_Gain_Total_
Backscatter_Channel		 photon counts Parallel polarization, high gain, combined aerosol and molecular returns
High_Gain_Total_
Backscatter_Channel_variance		    
range_Raw_High_Gain_
Total_Backscatter_Channel		 m  
Raw_High_Gain_Total_
Backscatter_Channel		 photon counts Parallel polarization, high gain, combined aerosol and molecular returns
Raw_High_Gain_Total_
Backscatter_Channel_variance		    
Molecular_Backscatter_
Channel		 photon counts Parallel polarization molecular backscatter returns
Molecular_Backscatter_
Channel_variance		    
range_Raw_Molecular_
Backscatter_Channel		 m  
Raw_Molecular_Backscatter_
Channel		 photon counts Parallel polarization molecular backscatter returns
Raw_Molecular_Backscatter_
Channel_variance		    
Cross_Polarization_
Channel		 photon counts Cross polarization combined aerosol and molecular returns
Cross_Polarization_
Channel_variance		    
range_Raw_Cross_
Polarization_Channel		 m  
Raw_Cross_Polarization_
Channel		 photon counts Cross polarization combined aerosol and molecular returns
Raw_Cross_Polarization_
Channel_variance		    
Merged_Combined_
Channel		 photon counts Merged hi/lo gain combined channel
Merged_Combined_
Channel_variance		    
Merged_Combined_
Channel_mask		 1=masked
0=not masked		  
Aerosol_Extinction_
Coefficient		 m-1 Aerosol extinction coefficient
Aerosol_Extinction_
Coefficient_variance		    
Aerosol_Extinction_
Coefficient_mask		 1=masked
0=not masked		  
Optical_Depth   Total optical depth from aircraft altitude
Optical_Depth_variance    
polarization radians System quarter waveplate orientation
TelescopeDirection 1=lidar pointing up 0=lidar pointing down  
TASX m/s Airspeed
PSXC hPa Ambient pressure
PITCH degrees Aircraft pitch angle
GGLON degrees Longitude
GGALT m Altitude
THDG degrees Aircraft heading
GGLAT degrees Latitude
ROLL degrees Aircraft roll angle
ATX C Ambient temperature
lidar_pointing   Lidar pointing vector in global coordinate frame.  Positive axis is directed: index 0 = North, index 1 = East, index 2 = Down
time_offset_deriv s >Estimated time offset between aircraft and HSRL data systems based on derivative of aircraft attitude signal. This is accounted for in data processing and does not need to be applied to the data.
est_bin0 MCS bin number Estimated MCS bin corresponding to t=0 on the lidar pulse
time_offset_lms s >Estimated time offset between aircraft and HSRL data systems based on combined_hi aircraft attitude signal.This is accounted for in data processing and does not need to be applied to the data.
time_offset_total s Estimated time offset between aircraft and HSRL data systems based on combined aircraft attitude and derivative of aircraft attitude signals.This is accounted for in data processing and does not need to be applied to the data.
time_offset s >Time offset between aircraft and HSRL data systems used in processing this dataset.This is accounted for in data processing and does not need to be applied to the data.
bin0 MCS bin number >Actual MCS bin corresponding to t=0 on the lidar pulse used in this processing.This is accounted for in data processing and does not need to be applied to the data.

 

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