From Antarctica Lidar Discoveries to Oasis Exploration

Stunning new science discoveries including neutral thermospheric metal layers in the 100–200 km altitude from McMurdo lidar campaign and other world lidar observations have led to a new initiative in the middle and upper atmosphere science community—the very large-aperture lidar Observatory for Atmosphere Space Interaction Studies (OASIS). These discoveries and the recent technology breakthroughs in Fe and Na Doppler lidars are presented to illustrate the science drivers and technology foundations forming the basis for OASIS.