Monitoring of air pollution and atmospheric parameters using a mobile backscatter lidar system

In this paper data obtained using a Raymetrics backscatter lidar were used in order to retrieve information related to the structure of the lower atmosphere and the evolution of air pollution in the area of Athens, Greece. This system is the result of an effort to develop a portable lidar instrument that is affordable, compact, accurate and naturally easy to use. A typical value of the measurement range is 15 km with a spatial and temporal resolution of 3.75 m and 30 sec, respectively. This work demonstrates that a Raymetrics LB-Series lidar system is a powerful tool for long-term monitoring of the air pollution and the structure of the troposphere, which can be used to extend the capabilities of many monitoring sites worldwide.