Update June 2012:
7 Trillion Laser Pulses,
47 Million Minutes of Data,
... and Counting!
The NASA Micro-Pulse Lidar Network (MPLNET) is a federated network of Micro-Pulse Lidar (MPL) systems designed to measure aerosol and cloud vertical structure continuously, day and night, over long time periods required to contribute to climate change studies and provide ground validation for satellite sensors in the Earth Observing System (EOS) and related aerosol modeling efforts. Most MPLNET sites are co-located with sites in the NASA Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET). These joint super sites provide both column and vertically resolved aerosol and cloud data, such as: optical depth, single scatter albedo, size distribution, aerosol and cloud heights, planetary boundary layer (PBL) structure and evolution, and profiles of extinction and backscatter.
MPLNET results have contributed to studies of dust, biomass, marine, and continental aerosol properties, the effects of soot on cloud formation, aerosol transport processes, and polar clouds and snow. MPLNET data has been used to validate and help interpret results from NASA satellite sensors such as GLAS, MISR, and TOMS. MPLNET also serves as a ground calibration network for space-based lidars such as the Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS) on the ICESat spacecraft. (launched in 2003) and the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO) (launched in 2006).
MPLNET is a federated network, and is composed of our own sites, and others run by, or with help from, partner research groups from around the world. Principal investigators for individual sites may be from NASA, other US government agencies, universities, or foreign research groups. MPLNET is funded by the NASA Earth Observing System (EOS), and the NASA Radiation Sciences Program. In the past, additional funding for research cruises at sea was provided by the NASA SIMBIOS project.
Notice to non-MPLNET Investigators: To maintain the integrity of the data base and fairness to the individuals who have contributed, use of these data for publication requires an offer of authorship to the MPLNET PI(s). A full description of our data policy is given here.