Clouds and fog contain spherical liquid droplets, which have a low depolarization ratio. Volcanic ash particles are asymmetrical, and have a high depolarization ratio, which is readily detected by MPL systems thanks to their dual polarization channels.  With so much riding on their decisions, airports need the best information science and technology can provide. Combining sensitive volcanic ash detection with continuous, worry-free operation, MPLs are the clear choice for determining when it’s safe to fly.

Measuring ash concentration in seconds to maximize aviation safety was first demonstrated by Sigma Space's MPL's volcanic ash detection capabilities in Japan following the Shinmoedake eruption in January 2011. MPL was again deployed in Argentina in January 2012, following the eruption of the Chilean volcano Puyehue-marking the world's first operational use of real-time LiDAR ash data at an airport for aviation safety.

Aerosols are among the most influential pollutants; thus understanding their dynamics is essential for air quality forecasts.  Most effects of aerosols on climate, such as scattering and absorption of sunlight and their effects on clouds, require knowing their vertical distribution trends.  Our Micro Pulse LiDAR (MPL) provides a real-time visual display of aerosols and clouds along any path. MPL is becoming a standard instrument for measuring aerosol trends and air quality forecasting.

With their accurate measurements of aerosol structure, Sigma Space's MPL has the unique ability to track aerosol transport and mixing into surface layers of air, observe plumes from major events such as forest fires, dust storms, and volcanic eruptions, as well as trace gas-phase pollutants via their associated aerosols.

Our MiniMPL can provide a quantitative determination of the opacity of an emission plume remotely, during daytime or nighttime hours. Using precise measurements of plume opacity, MiniMPL can improve our understanding of pollution level and air quality for environmental monitoring and enforcement.

With the optional 2-axis scanner, sources and sinks of air pollutants can be identified.  We can mitigate pollution by knowing the location and spread of emissions in order to predict impact on human life.  Using MPL data, mining sites can monitor and control dust transportations into neighboring areas as well as complying with local regulations.

MPL can provide fast, reliable, high-resolution Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL) measurements through effective aerosol tracking. Since aerosols accumulate in the PBL, the layer of the atmosphere closest to Earth's surface, MPL's are ideally suited for PBL profiling across applications. Solar heating of the planet's surface readily warms the air in the PBL, driving the weather. As a result, measuring PBL height and approximate volume enhances weather prediction models.

The right tool for the job: For PBL measurement, MPL and MiniMPL leave ceilometers in the dust, giving customers superior signal-to-noise ratio, fast nd high resolution reports pf PBL structure, and reliable PBL measurements. MPL can allow you to see PBL top through low cloud decks, no need for extended averaging periods or spatial filtering requirement and reliable enough to measure PBL from day to night and from hazy summer months to clear winter conditions.