The Atmospheric Dynamics Mission ADM-Aeolus is the fourth of ESA's Earth Explorer Missions (ESA 1999; Stoffelen et al. 2005a) that is scheduled for launch in 2009. Its objective is to demonstrate the capability to measure wind profiles from space using an eye safe pulsed Lidar operating in the UV range at 355 nm, the ADM-Aeolus instrument is pointing from a low-altitude (～ 400 km), polar orbit in the direction perpendicular to the satellite track. The line-of-sight (LOS) is close to east-west direction (except at high latitudes) with a local elevation angle of ～53 degrees. Based on the instrumental design that implements two separate channels for the detection of the light scattered by molecules and particles, ADM-Aeolus is a High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL). It enables the retrieval of cloud and aerosol layers optical properties as spin-off products. This capability is of the utmost importance in the continuation of the CALIPSO mission (NASA/CNES) launched in late April 2006 and future Earth-CARE mission (ESA/JAXA).
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