Continuos lidar maesurement of stratospheric aerosols and ozone after the Pinatubo eruption. Part II: Time evolution of ozone profiles and of aerosols properties.

Abstract

Two lidar systems, an aerosol lidar and an O$_3 DIfferential Absorption Lidar (DIAL), have been routinely operated at the same site (L'Aquila, Italy; 42°N, 13°E) since August 1991. The multiwavelength analysis of the lidar signals allows to retrieve parameters related to equivalent aerosol size distributions and their optical properties. These are needed to correct the ozone DIAL profiles from the disturbance introduced by the stratospheric volcanic aerosols. The method and the confidence of the retrieved ozone profiles are discussed in a companion paper. Here we present the whole measurement series of ozone and backscattering ratio profiles during the period from August 1991 to December 1992. In addition, for some observations, the mode radius and the dispersion of the representative aerosol size distribution are reported. The time evolutions of aerosol surface area density and mass mixing ratio are also discussed within the uncertainties of the retrieval algorithm.