Wind Measurements up to 25km based on Aerosol Backscatter with a Novel, Multi Field of View Lidar

Thorben H. Mense; Josef Höffner; Jan Froh; Ronald Eixmann; Alsu Mauer; Gerd Baumgarten; Robin Wing; Franz-Josef Lübken; Alexander Munk

doi:10.1051/epjconf/202636204006

Open Access

Issue		EPJ Web Conf. Volume 362, 2026 31^st International Laser Radar Conference (ILRC 31) Held Together with the 22^nd Coherent Laser Radar Conference (CLRC 22)


Article Number		04006
Number of page(s)		4
Section		Lidar Measurements in the Stratosphere, Mesosphere, and Thermosphere
DOI		https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/202636204006
Published online		09 April 2026

EPJ Web of Conferences 362, 04006 (2026)
https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/202636204006

Wind Measurements up to 25km based on Aerosol Backscatter with a Novel, Multi Field of View Lidar

Thorben H. Mense^(a), Josef Höffner^(a), Jan Froh^(a), Ronald Eixmann^(a), Alsu Mauer^(a), Gerd Baumgarten^(a), Robin Wing^(a), Franz-Josef Lübken^(a) and Alexander Munk^(b)

^(a) Leibniz Institute of Atmospheric Physics Schloßstraße 6, 18225 Kühlungsborn, Germany
^(b) Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT Steinbachstr. 15, 52074 Aachen, Germany This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Published online: 9 April 2026

Abstract

We present the first set of simultaneous horizontal and vertical wind measurements obtained from aerosol backscatter, covering altitudes between 3 and 25 km. These measurements were made possible by using the novel VAHCOLI lidar system of the Leibniz Institute of Atmospheric Physics in Germany. Designed as a multi-purpose system incorporating Doppler-Mie, Doppler-Rayleigh, and Doppler-resonance lidar techniques for studying the middle atmosphere, the system has been upgraded to probe wind dynamics across five fields of view. Comparisons with winds from ECMWF (European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts) and Aeolus satellite data show good agreement for horizontal wind components but reveal a significant underestimation of vertical winds by ECMWF. By leveraging measurements across multiple fields of view, we highlight the system's capability to detect small-scale wind asymmetries, underscoring its value for atmospheric research.

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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