Research with EARL
Since EARL is an atmospheric lidar with 523 nm laser, we are capable of observing several atmospheric effects. Primarily, EARL can be used to view cloud coverage, density, and type over time. For a typical data set on a non-clear day, we can determine what sort of clouds passed over Agnes Scott (cumulonimbus, nimbus, stratocumulus, cirrus, etc) since clouds are characterized primarily by their altitude, their precipitation effects, their thickness, and their color. With Bradley Skycam, we take images of the atmosphere along with the data so that we can back up our determination of the thickness and height of a cloud layer with what the cloud looked like at certain points in time. For more information about this project, visit the Past Research page.
Theoretically, we can also calculate the density and temperature inside of these clouds given sample equations used both in atmospheric and space physics. We would use the number of data counts of signal received back from the atmosphere by EARL, integrate the change in these counts over a certain range in height, and use that as "density data" in order to compute the temperature inside of clouds. We would use radiosonde data of the atmospheric density and temperature of the atmosphere around that layer of clouds as a comparison or in order to compute further data. For more information on this and other unattempted projects, visit the Interesting Questions for the Future page.
Most importantly for current project, we can view and monitor the Stratospheric Aerosol Layer (SAL) to determine sulfur dioxide fluctuations in the SAL. The Stratospheric Aerosol Layer is a layer of the atmosphere from just above the tropopause to about 20-30 km. The tropopause varies daily and can be determined from radiosonde data by identifying the altitude where the temperature begins to increase with altitude, rather than decrease with altitude as is typical in the troposphere. For more information about this project, visit the Current Research page.
Theoretically, we can also calculate the density and temperature inside of these clouds given sample equations used both in atmospheric and space physics. We would use the number of data counts of signal received back from the atmosphere by EARL, integrate the change in these counts over a certain range in height, and use that as "density data" in order to compute the temperature inside of clouds. We would use radiosonde data of the atmospheric density and temperature of the atmosphere around that layer of clouds as a comparison or in order to compute further data. For more information on this and other unattempted projects, visit the Interesting Questions for the Future page.
Most importantly for current project, we can view and monitor the Stratospheric Aerosol Layer (SAL) to determine sulfur dioxide fluctuations in the SAL. The Stratospheric Aerosol Layer is a layer of the atmosphere from just above the tropopause to about 20-30 km. The tropopause varies daily and can be determined from radiosonde data by identifying the altitude where the temperature begins to increase with altitude, rather than decrease with altitude as is typical in the troposphere. For more information about this project, visit the Current Research page.