A new method for air quality observation based on ultraviolet laser

A lidar based on UV laser is developed to observe air quality in Beijing. The initial laser wavelength is 1064 nm, and an emission wavelength of 355 nm is obtained after the second-harmonic generation and third-harmonic generation. The output energy is 30 mJ/pulse, and the pulse width is 7 ns. Echo signals are collected by a 304.8 mm diameter Newtonian telescope. With high-power ultraviolet laser excitation, the intensity of atmospheric pollutants is studied by the laser-induced fluorescence (LIF). The Mie scattering is detected simultaneously and both signals are detected by the photomultiplier tubes (PMT). The system is calibrated by a series of experiments. The aerosol extinction coefficient retrieved by Mie signal from this system agrees well with that from another lidar with a laser wavelength of 532 nm. The fluorescence efficiency of atmospheric pollutants are obtained by calculating the fluorescence-to-Mie ratio (FMR). The time and spatial resolution of the system are 5 s and 7.5 m, respectively. The continuous change of air quality over a period of time is studied by the mean value of FMR. Many observations are carried out under different air quality conditions, and the experimental results are in good agreement with the results of the ground observation station. In summary, this method based on UV laser is feasible in the field of atmospheric remote sensing and have potential applications in the field of air quality monitoring.