Validation of a novel ultraviolet lidar system with relative Raman-scattering cross sections determined from atmospheric measurements

We have developed an ultraviolet lidar system in which the upwelled laser beam and the telescope field of view can be made to overlap at any specified location in space. We refer to this system as the Selected Overlap Lidar Experiment. We discuss validation of our system by calculating relative Raman-scattering cross sections (with respect to the nitrogen scattering cross section) for oxygen and water vapor using data collected during field operations of our lidar. Our relative cross sections are consistent with those obtained by other researchers making similar measurements in laboratory environments.