Upper Troposphere and Lower Stratosphere Water Vapor Measurements Using Optimized Raman Lidar and Balloon-borne Sensors

Upper tropospheric and lower stratospheric water vapor concentrations are important for reasons of atmospheric radiation and composition but the measurement challenge of quantifying concentrations at these altitudes is significant. Recent advances in Raman lidar technology now permit measurements of water vapor with high precision to well beyond the tropopause. Measurements demonstrating significant sensitivity to water vapor at altitudes of 20-24 km were acquired by the NASA/GSFC ALVICE Raman lidar both at the Table Mountain Facility of the Jet Propulsion Laboratories, Wrightwood, CA and at the Howard University Beltsville Campus in Beltsville, MD during 2007 and 2008. We show comparisons of these measurements with Crygenic Frostpoint Hygrometer. We also show the results of an empirical correction to Vaisala RS-92 radiosonde that permits useful measurements in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere.