Aerosol optical-to-microphysical conversion factors for lidars and ceilometers from extended AERONET data analyses: POLIPHON update
Journal
Atmospheric Measurement Techniques
ISSN
1867-8548
Date Issued
June 12, 2026
Abstract
Updated POLIPHON (Polarization Lidar Photometer Networking) conversion factors for the laser wavelengths of 355, 532, 911, and 1064 nm are presented. The conversion factors allow us to transfer profiles of aerosol-type-dependent optical properties measured with lidars and ceilometers into profiles of microphysical particle properties, and to estimate cloud condensation nucleus (CCN) and ice-nucleating particle (INP) concentrations at observed cloud levels. These updates were necessary to permit a coherent and harmonized data analysis of different long-term spaceborne lidar observations at 355 and 532 nm and to support ground-based lidar and ceilometer network measurements and research on aerosol–cloud interaction. The POLIPHON conversion factors are obtained by analyzing long-term sun photometer observations conducted at 62 AERONET (Aerosol Robotic Network) stations. Conversion factors are now available for mineral dust, marine aerosol, urban and rural anthropogenic particles, tropospheric and stratospheric wildfire smoke and volcanic sulfate aerosol.
Funding
We gratefully acknowledge the European Space Agency (ESA) for the AIRSENSE (Aerosol and aerosol–cloud Interaction from Remote SENSing Enhancement) project through the contract 4000142902/23/I-NS in the framework of the ESA Atmosphere Science Cluster – Research Opportunities 5 – European Coordinated Study on Aerosols and Aerosol/Cloud Interactions.
We acknowledge the ESA funding through the contract 4000144997/24/I-NS in the framework of the EarthCARE Data, Innovation and Science Cluster (DISC).
This research has been supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) (grant no. 50EE2403A) in the framework of the German Initiative for the Validation of EarthCARE (GIVE).
The authors acknowledge the “EXCELSIOR”: ERATOSTHENES: EXcellence research Centre for Earth Surveillance and Space-Based Monitoring of the Environment H2020 Widespread Teaming project (https://www.excelsior2020.eu, last access: 10 January 2026). The “EXCELSIOR” project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No. 857510, from the Government of the Republic of Cyprus through the Directorate General for the European Programmes, Coordination and Development and the Cyprus University of Technology.
This activity has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme through the ATMO-ACCESS Integrating Activity under grant agreement no. 101008004.
This research has been supported by the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) formerly known as German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) under the FONA Strategy ”Research for Sustainability” (grant no. 01LK2001A).
This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program ACTRIS-2 Integrating Activities (H2020-INFRAIA-2014 – 2015, grant agreement no. 654109).
We acknowledge the ESA funding through the contract 4000144997/24/I-NS in the framework of the EarthCARE Data, Innovation and Science Cluster (DISC).
This research has been supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) (grant no. 50EE2403A) in the framework of the German Initiative for the Validation of EarthCARE (GIVE).
The authors acknowledge the “EXCELSIOR”: ERATOSTHENES: EXcellence research Centre for Earth Surveillance and Space-Based Monitoring of the Environment H2020 Widespread Teaming project (https://www.excelsior2020.eu, last access: 10 January 2026). The “EXCELSIOR” project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No. 857510, from the Government of the Republic of Cyprus through the Directorate General for the European Programmes, Coordination and Development and the Cyprus University of Technology.
This activity has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme through the ATMO-ACCESS Integrating Activity under grant agreement no. 101008004.
This research has been supported by the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) formerly known as German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) under the FONA Strategy ”Research for Sustainability” (grant no. 01LK2001A).
This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program ACTRIS-2 Integrating Activities (H2020-INFRAIA-2014 – 2015, grant agreement no. 654109).
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