Pump-and-probe lidar technique: on the way for remote monitoring of primary production in the sea

The potential role of the lidar technique for biomonitoring of the sea is defined by its capability for remote high-resolution measurements at varied space/time scales. The advantages and limitations of the lidar technique in this field are discussed. The development of a lidar implementation of the pump-and-probe technique is a step towards the solution of relevant problems, including active remote monitoring of both algal photosynthesis and phytoplankton abundance in the sea. This novel lidar technique may be classified as `superactive´. The principles of the pump-and-probe technique and the first pump-and-probe lidar system are described. Examples of field applications in the North-Western Atlantic, the Mediterranean and Black seas are analyzed. The problems of transfer of the lidar pump-and-probe technique from a research environment to operational use are discussed