Javier Mèndez’s research while affiliated with University of Puerto Rico System and other places

Algorithms have been developed for the determination of essential parameters such as Aerosol Size Distribution, Angstrom coefficient, and Single Scattering Albedo necessary in the determination of regional climatological model and weather prediction capabilities. The atmospheric power profile data for the calculations of these parameters have been obtained from Light Detection And Ranging (LIDAR) which is operational at City University of New York (CUNY). A similar system is near completion at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez (UPRM). Also, the data from the Lidar in the orbit (CALIPSO satellite) has been used to calculate the Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) for the western part of Puerto Rico and compare it to the AOD obtained from an AERONET network which is also located in the western region of Puerto Rico. The Calipso Lidar satellite transmits laser and collects backscattered light at two standard wavelengths (one wavelength at two polarizations). The AERONET network is a complementary method of determining the Optical Depth of the aerosol. The three aforementioned systems operate based on multiple wavelength laser light transmission and reception. Each system is explored in this paper, and full emphasis is given to the Lidar system which presently is near operation at the UPRM, explaining the functionality of the Laser, optical telescope, optics, sensors, signal processing systems, the power profile reflected from the aerosols are obtained at standard wavelengths of 355, 532, and 1064nms, both at CUNY and UPRM. The plots of aerosol distribution in the column of atmosphere in terms of the essential aerosol parameters have been produced using the Lidar data over New York urban area.

The establishment of the first Lidar (Light Detection and Ranging) laboratory for Atmospheric Research in the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez (UPRM), and aerosol characterization algorithm which relies on Lidar data are presented in this paper. The Lidar system consists of several major parts which are the laser, expander, telescope, optics, and signal processing components. The Lidar which is elaborated upon in this paper allows the study of atmospheric profile by transmitting and receiving three fundamental wavelengths of 355, 532, and 1064nm. And the research work presented in this paper uses the underlying mathematics to arrive at the determination of aerosol backscatter and extinction coefficients, optical depth, and size distribution, using the three wavelengths Lidar data obtained from City University of New York (CUNY) Lidar, while the UPRM Lidar system is being installed.

An algorithm is developed and detailed in this paper which determines atmospheric aerosol parameters such as backscatter and extinction coefficients, aerosol optical thickness, and the aerosol size distribution. The algorithm uses the power profile data obtained from Lidar at the City University of New York (CUNY). The aerosol optical thickness at 20 km range has been validated using a Sun-photometer. The assembly of a typical Lidar system capable of providing the power profile at three standard wavelengths of 355, 532, and 1064 nm is elaborated upon, by actually detailing the Lidar system under construction at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez, as one of several Lidars to be established in the Caribbean.