Summary
A numerical procedure is presented for analysis of backscatter spectra recorded by an atmospheric Doppler lidar experiment. The recorded spectra are modelled by an analytic function of five parameters. The procedure solves for the set of model parameters that yields the best least-squares fit between the model and the data. The model is formulated to allow for Doppler shifted and broadened scattering from both aerosols and from multiple molecular species, for a continuum background, and for the effects of instrumental broadening. All five model parameters are fitted in the signal domain. Three parameters are fitted by a direct analytic solution and two by numerical searching. If required, one or more parameters may be held fixed at externally-supplied values, while the remainder are fitted accordingly. The method’s performance was examined by applying it to numerically simulated test spectra, for several example lidar configurations. Some implications of these results for the design of actual lidar experiments are discussed.