Towards Quantifying Mesoscale Flows in the Troposphere Using Raman Lidar and Sondes

Water vapor plays an important role in the energetics of the boundary layer processes which in turn play a key role in regulating regional and global climate. It plays a primary role in earth’s hydrological cycle, in radiation balance as a direct absorber of infrared radiation, and in atmospheric circulation as a latent heat energy source, as well as in determining cloud development and atmospheric stability. Water vapor concentration, expressed as a mass mixing ratio (g kg), is conserved in all meteorological processes except condensation and evaporation. This property makes it an ideal choice for studying many of the atmosphere’s dynamic features.