A new laser system for use of differential absorption lidar (DIAL) in measurements of tropospheric water vapor and temperature is introduced. This system operates in the 720–780-nm region and is configured as an alexandrite ring laser injection seeded by a cw Ti:sapphire ring laser. This combination provides for the necessary narrow-bandwidth, high-frequency stability and excellent spectral purity. A bandwidth of <5.0 × 10^-3 cm^-1, a frequency stability of 2.1 × 10^-3 cm^-1 rms, and a spectral purity of 99.995% at 726 nm have been achieved during extended periods of operation. A comparison of a DIAL water-vapor measurement with a radiosonde in the boundary layer between 500 and 2000 m was performed. The maximum deviation between the humidity profiles is 15%, the standard deviation 1.6%, and the difference between the mean values 1%.

© 1995 Optical Society of America

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