Lidar measurements of stratospheric aerosols during the SAGA 3 expedition

Backscatter lidar measurements of stratospheric aerosols were carried out over the tropical Pacific aboard the Akademik Korolev during SAGA 3 of February to March 1990. Measurements were made using a Maket 1 lidar system from the Institute of Experimental Meteorology. Regions of enhanced stratospheric backscatter, apparently from the February 10, 1991, eruption of Kelut (7.9°S, 112.3°E), were detected on several occasions. Integrated non‐Rayleigh backscatter at 532 nm between 16 km and 33 km ranged from a background value of 1.5 × 10−4 sr−1 to as high as 14.5 × 10−4 sr−1 in the volcanic plume. During the Akademik Korolev port of call at Hilo, Hawaii, at the start of SAGA 3, intercomparisons were attempted with the NOAA, ERL, CMDL Mauna Loa Observatory lidar located approximately 60 km SW at Mauna Loa Observatory (19.5°N, 155.6°W). The intercomparison results were encouraging but were inconclusive because of limited data and signal degradation resulting from poor observing conditions due to bad weather.