Results of Remote Monitoring of Methane Concentration in the Air of Western Siberia Using the On-board Infrared Lidar Complex

The description of the developed infrared on-board differential absorption lidar for measuring methane content in the air was presented. The lidar was installed on board of aircraft-laboratory Tu-134 "Optic". Flight tests of the developed lidar and experimental measurements of methane concentration along the vertical routing were carried out in the summer atmosphere of mid-latitudes. Lidar measurements of methane content in the air were analyzed. They were compared with local measurements from the gas analyser installed on board of aircraftlaboratory and the results of preliminary numerical modelling. It was concluded that the on-board lidar can measure methane concentration within background values in the mid-latitude summer atmosphere.