Airborne CW lidar measurements of atmospheric backscatter at 9.1 and 10.6 microns

Atmospheric backscatter data collected during the Global Backscatter Experiment (GLOBE) 1 and GLOBE 2 Survey Missions were partially analyzed. These data were collected using the MSFC's 9.1 and 10.6 micron focused continuous wave CO2 coherent detection lidars. In general, both data sets have shown reasonably good agreement with data collected by the JPL's pulsed nadir and zenith viewing CO2 system and with the ground-based, pulsed CO2 system operated by NOAA's Wave Propagation Laboratory. Generally good agreement was also noted with IR backscatter estimates produced by Mie calculations using aerosol size and composition data obtained during the GLOBE 1 and GLOBE 2 missions. The focus of current research and plans for future research are presented