The LSM's atmospheric library is made up of an extensive set of integrated atmospheric data bases created by the Atmospheric Generator Model (AGM). The library provides meteorological inputs from control fields, generated fields, mesoscale fields to global meteorological fields. The library includes opaque clouds, cirrus clouds, aerosol backscatter, molecular and aerosol attenuation, atmospheric turbulence and terrain. The AGM can create three types of atmospheric files: Global Atmospheric Data Set (GADS), Mesoscale Atmospheric Data Set (MADS) and Pure/Spectral Atmospheric Data Set (PADS).

GLOBAL ATMOSPHERIC DATA SET (GADS)

The Atmosphere Generator Model (AGM) creates Global Atmospheric Data Sets (GADS) that the LSM uses for global type simulations. The LSM retrieves atmospheric profiles as a function of latitude and longitude for each laser shot. Each profile contains  a Nature Run atmospheric inputs, aerosol and molecular optical properties, cloud information and terrain. The LSM linearly interpolates in time and space to estimate the atmospheric variables for each DWL measurement. A GADS is a FORTRAN 90 direct access file created by using the Nature Run data in liaison with the AGM optical property models, cloud models, and terrain data set.  Inventory of the atmospheric library consists of GADS based on T213 ECMWF Nature Run for 2/5/93 - 3/6/93, DAO Nature Run for 9/11/99 - 12/31/99 and T106 Nature Run for 1/16/80 - 1/25/80. In the DLSM version 4.2,  only DAO Global Atmospheric Data Sets (GADS) are provided.  ECMWF T213 GADS have been retired until further NCEP funding is in place to update the cloud variables. T106  GADS have been retired.

• GADS Atmospheric Variables
• GADS Optical Property Models
• GADS Cloud Models
• GADS Turbulence Models
• GADS Terrain Models

MESOSCALE ATMOSPHERIC DATA SET (MADS) - In the DLSM version 4.2, no MADS are provided.  

The Atmosphere Generator Model (AGM) creates Mesoscale Atmospheric Data Sets (MADS) that the LSM uses for meso-scale type simulations. The LSM retrieves atmospheric profiles as a function of latitude and longitude for each laser shot. Each profile contains  mesoscale Nature Run atmospheric inputs, aerosol and molecular optical properties, cloud information and terrain. The LSM linearly interpolates in time and space to estimate the atmospheric variables for each DWL measurement. A MADS is a FORTRAN 90 direct access file created by using the Nature Run data in liaison with the AGM optical property models, cloud models, and terrain data set.  Inventory of the atmospheric library consists of MADS based on RAMS Nature Run for 2/11/93 - 1/21/93 and eta 6/4/95. 

• MADS Atmospheric Variables
• MADS Optical Property Model
• MADS Cloud Model
• MADS Turbulence Model
• MADS Terrain Model

PURE/SPECTRAL ATMOSPHERIC DATA SET (PADS) - In the DLSM version 4.2, no PADS are provided.  

The AGM library provides a probabilistic aerosol backscatter profile, a molecular attenuation profile, a "zig-zag" wind shear profile, sub-pulse scale turbulence, and a correlated horizontal wind field within a 100x100x15 km3 volume for simple trade studies. There are no cloud or terrain effects in a PADS. 

• PADS Atmospheric Variables
• PADS Optical Property Models
• PADS Turbulence Model

Last Updated: 02/07/2007