ESA Open Invitation To Tender AO8242
Open Date: 23/03/2015
Closing Date: 18/05/2015

Status: ISSUED
Reference Nr.: 13.197.06
Prog. Ref.: General Studies
Budget Ref.: E/0600-00 – General Studies
Special Prov.: B+DK+F+D+I+NL+E+S+CH+GB+IRL+A+N+FIN+POR+GR+LUX+CZ+RO+PL+CDN
Tender Type: C
Price Range: 100-200 KEURO
Establishment: ESTEC
Directorate: Directorate of Technical & Quality Manag
Department: System, Software & Technology Department
Division: Future Prep. & Strategic Studies Off.
Contract Officer: van Hilten, Linda
Last Update Date: 23/03/2015
Update Reason: Tender issue

The contribution of aerosols to the Earths radiative budget is amongst the largest unknowns in climate modelling today. Currently passive sensors provide information on aerosol optical depth and aerosol typing, but vertical height information is difficult to derive using passive technology. Therefore, several space agencies have or are planning to launch lidar missions, either targeting or providing high-resolution vertical information on aerosols. Examples are the NASA CALIPSO mission and ESAs Aeolus (Doppler Wind lidar providing aerosol products as spin-off products) and EarthCARE missions. First attempts to assimilate lidar aerosol profile data together with aerosol products from passive instruments have been performed e.g. within the European Commission funded MACC project focusing on the NASA CALIPSO mission. However, more research into the assimilation of lidar products and the auxillary information to facilitate the aerosol assimilation is needed, focusing on the upcoming ESA missions. This activity sets out to develop robust assimilation schemes for aerosol products from European space-based lidars.

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