Slope characterization in combining analog and photon count data from atmospheric lidar measurements.

A transient digitizer (Licel) connecting to a photomultiplier tube (PMT) can obtain lidar backscatter profiles in both photon count and analog signal. A lidar can detect higher atmospheric regions by combining (gluing) simultaneous analog and photon count data via the slope coefficient. In this work, the output of a PMT has been measured with a transient digitizer based on an intensity-stable light source. The slope value and dynamic range of the lidar profile have been characterized. The slope value is determined only by the gain of the PMT as it works in a linear range with a fixed pulse height discrimination threshold. The dynamic range of a glued lidar profile is settled by the slope value. The fitted slope has a more exact value when the selection criterion is given in terms of the independent variable for fitting. For practical lidar data, the fitted slope is more stable and reliable when the lower limit of the data range for fitting rises.