Characterizing the aerosol atmosphere above the Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos by analyzing seven years of data taken with an GaAsP HPD-readout, absolutely calibrated elastic LIDAR

Abstract

We present a new elastic LIDAR concept, based on a bi-axially mounted Nd:YAG laser and a telescope with HPD readout, combined with fast FADC signal digitization and offline pulse analysis. The LIDAR return signals have been extensively quality checked and absolutely calibrated. We analyze seven years of quasi-continuous LIDAR data taken during those nights when the MAGIC telescopes were operating. Characterization of the nocturnal ground layer yields zenith and azimuth angle dependent aerosol extinction scale heights for clear nights. We derive aerosol transmission statistics for light emitted from various altitudes throughout the year and separated by seasons. We find further seasonal dependencies of cloud base and top altitudes, but none for the LIDAR ratios of clouds. Finally, the night sky background light is characterized using the LIDAR photon backgrounds. abstract.txt

40 pages, submitted to MNRAS

References in corpus (6)

• Astronomical site selection: On the use of satellite data for aerosol content monitoring
• El Roque de Los Muchachos Site Characteristics. III. Analysis of Atmospheric Dust and Aerosol Extinction
• Extending the observation limits of Imaging Air Cherenkov Telescopes toward horizon
• Status and results of the prototype LST of CTA
• Study of the High Energy Gamma-ray Emission from the Crab Pulsar with the MAGIC telescope and Fermi-LAT
• Atmospheric Monitoring for the MAGIC Telescopes

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• Very-high-energy observations of the Seyfert galaxy NGC 4151 with MAGIC -- Indication of another gamma-ray obscured candidate neutrino source
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