Stable Near-End Solution of the Lidar Equation for Clear Atmospheres

A stable variant of the near-end solution has been developed for inversion of lidar signals measured in clear atmospheres. The inversion is based on the use of reference values of the extinction coefficient obtained with a nephelometer at the lidar measurement site. The inversion method, based on a combination of the optical depth and boundary point solutions, is illustrated by simulated and experimental data. [Optical Society of America ]