Atmospheric aerosols measurements and the reliability problem

The role and place of the problem on global ecological security in a general problem on global security and risk have been analysed within the experiments programmes initiated by academician K. Ya. Kondratyev. The data obtained within these programmes have necessitated particularly more detailed investigations of atmospheric aerosols characteristics. This paper discusses the problem of the reliability with which the characteristics of atmospheric aerosols are determined from the results of lidar, photoelectric, and filter measurements including mono- and multiposition measurements of backscattering signals, measurements of weak backscattering signals and data comparisons. Rigorous differential and approximate solutions of the lidar equation are analysed. The results of determining the transparency of atmospheric air contaminated with industrial discharges, and automotive exhausts are presented. Substantial variations are found in the relationship between the backscattering coefficient and the extinction coefficient in an inhomogeneous atmosphere. It is concluded that the efficiency of lidar methods for probing the atmosphere based on a rigorous solution of the problem is determined by the definiteness of the region in which they are applicable. The accuracy of lidar measurements can be improved using the dependence of the results on the measurement range. The comparison shows that the asymmetric data-processing scheme is much more effective then the symmetric scheme.