In addition to wind, temperature and humidity, other parameters are also monitored and determined in meteorology. These include the type of cloud cover and its lower limit, as well as the aerosol content of the air. The corresponding instrument is the ceilometer.
The Ceilometer
A ceilometer is an instrument used to measure heights in the atmosphere, in particular to determine the height of cloud cover or other atmospheric layers. In terms of the measuring principle, it is a LIDAR (Light Detection And Ranging). Depending on the focus of the parameters to be determined, there are various systems, such as the Raman LIDAR or the CHM15K ceilometer. Here, short laser light pulses (usually Nd:YAG lasers – short for neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet laser with a wavelength of 1064 nm) are emitted vertically into the atmosphere and scattered back by aerosols. Cloud heights and the vertical aerosol distribution can be deduced from the transit time and intensity of the backscattered signal.
Typically, ceilometers are used in meteorology to monitor weather conditions, support air traffic and provide information on the vertical distribution of aerosols or other atmospheric pollutants. They are also used in climate research and air quality monitoring. In addition to clouds, Saharan dust can also be tracked in this way, here is an example from March 29, 2024:
Fig. 1: View from Pizol on March 29, 2024 at 2 pm; Source: foto-webcam.eu
Fig. 2: View from Pizol on March 29, 2024 at 3 pm; Source: foto-webcam.eu
Fig. 3: Elevation profile at Ceilometer Davos on March 29, 2024; Source: e-profile.eu
In the course of the afternoon, a large amount of Saharan dust reached the Alpine region, which was also clearly visible at the Davos ceilometer.
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