Parametrization of optimum filter passbands for rotational Raman temperature measurements

We revisit the methodology of rotational Raman temperature measurements covering both lidar and non-range-resolved measurements, e.g., for aircraft control. The results of detailed optimization calculations are presented for the commonly used extraction of signals from the anti-Stokes branch. Different background conditions and realistic shapes of the filter transmission curves are taken into account. Practical uncertainties of the central passbands and widths are discussed. We found a simple parametrization for the optimum filter passband shifts depending on the atmospheric temperature range of interest and the background. The approximation errors of this parametrization are smaller than 2% for temperatures between 200 and 300 K and smaller than 4% between 180 and 200 K.