Optimization design of spectral discriminator for high-spectral-resolution lidar based on error analysis.

Accurate aerosol optical properties could be obtained via the high spectral resolution lidar (HSRL) technique, which employs a narrow spectral filter to suppress the Rayleigh or Mie scattering in lidar return signals. The ability of the filter to suppress Rayleigh or Mie scattering is critical for HSRL. Meanwhile, it is impossible to increase the rejection of the filter without limitation. How to optimize the spectral discriminator and select the appropriate suppression rate of the signal is important to us. The HSRL technology was thoroughly studied based on error propagation. Error analyses and sensitivity studies were carried out on the transmittance characteristics of the spectral discriminator. Moreover, ratwo different spectroscopic methods for HSRL were described and compared: one is to suppress the Mie scattering; the other is to suppress the Rayleigh scattering. The corresponding HSRLs were simulated and analyzed. The results show that excessive suppression of Rayleigh scattering or Mie scattering in a high-spectral channel is not necessary if the transmittance of the spectral filter for molecular and aerosol scattering signals can be well characterized. When the ratio of transmittance of the spectral filter for aerosol scattering and molecular scattering is less than 0.1 or greater than 10, the detection error does not change much with its value. This conclusion implies that we have more choices for the high-spectral discriminator in HSRL. Moreover, the detection errors of HSRL regarding the two spectroscopic methods vary greatly with the atmospheric backscattering ratio. To reduce the detection error, it is necessary to choose a reasonable spectroscopic method. The detection method of suppressing the Rayleigh signal and extracting the Mie signal can achieve less error in a clear atmosphere, while the method of suppressing the Mie signal and extracting the Rayleigh signal can achieve less error in a polluted atmosphere.