The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory has developed a remote-sensing LIDAR system designed to detect trace chemicals in the atmosphere. Atmospheric optical turbulence is the largest noise source for the system, causing both fluctuations in the returned signal strength and signal loss due to laser beam break-up and wander. Field experiments have been conducted over the past few years in an effort to better understand the impact of atmospheric turbulence and develop strategies for improving the system. Studies have focused on the propagation of infrared laser beams at 1.278 and 9.56 micrometers over double-pass, horizontal path lengths ranging from 2 to 10 kilometers roundtrip under a variety of turbulence conditions. In addition, numerical simulations of our experimental setup have been developed to complement the experimental work. A Comparison of results from the simulations with those from the field experiments shows reasonable agreement. Therefore, similar simulations will be used to aid in the design of a next-generation system.
Revised: April 27, 2011 |
Published: September 1, 2006
Citation
Batdorf M.T., J.D. Strasburg, W.W. Harper, and E.C. Golovich. 2006.Turbulence induced scintillation studies at near and mid-infrared wavelengths. In Atmospheric Propagation III, April 20, 2006, Kissimmee, Florida, USA. Proceedings of SPIE, edited by Cynthia Y. Young and G. Charmaine Gilbreath, 6215. Bellingham, Washington:SPIE, International Society for Optical Engineering.PNNL-SA-49228.doi:10.1117/12.663976