The potential accuracy and resolution of Lidar measurement of aerosol profiles

A procedure to determine the effectiveness of Lidar backscattering measurements of aerosol profiles is described. Measurement accuracy and resolution are in inverse relation and therefore must be considered together noting that both are limited by the fluctuations of the aerosol and molecular components of the signal and the internal and external noise. Optimization of the spatial processing of this signal, along with its pre-detection and post-detection processing is discussed. The potential accuracy of the root-mean-square error is graphically shown to depend on the sounding height, the reception angle and the radial resolution.