GOP - General Observation Period

The GOP includes

1. a cooperation with European Aerosol Research Lidar Network (EARLINET)
2. the use of lidar ceilometers which are based on much simpler techniques compared to research lidars but operate continuously.

EARLINET will provide range-resolved aerosol profiles on a regular basis, approximately three times a week. The data (from all EARLINET stations across Europe) will be available in a data base open for the COPS community. These data include the height of the planetary boundary layer, aerosol backscatter and extinction coefficient profiles typically for one or two wavelengths (355 nm / 532 nm). German EARLINET stations include Hamburg, Leipzig, München, and Garmisch. Measurements from lidar ceilometers at more than 100 stations within Germany are available through DWD. Furthermore, data from several institutes (for example Meteorological Institutes in Bonn, Hannover, Kiel, and DLR) will be acquired.