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Limitations of signal averaging due to temporal correlation in laser remote-sensing measurementsLaser remote sensing involves the measurement of laser-beam transmission through the atmosphere and is subject to uncertainties caused by strong fluctuations due primarily to speckle, glint, and atmospheric-turbulence effects. These uncertainties are generally reduced by taking average values of increasing numbers of measurements. An experiment was carried out to directly measure the effect of signal averaging on back-scattered laser return signals from a diffusely reflecting target using a direct-detection differential-absorption lidar (DIAL) system. The improvement in accuracy obtained by averaging over increasing numbers of data points was found to be smaller than that predicted for independent measurements. The experimental results are shown to be in excellent agreement with a theoretical analysis which considers the effect of temporal correlation. The analysis indicates that small but long-term temporal correlation severely limits the improvement available through signal averaging.
Document ID
19820061285
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Menyuk, N.
(Maryland, University College Park, MD, United States)
Killinger, D. K.
(Maryland Univ. College Park, MD, United States)
Menyuk, C. R.
(MIT, Lincoln Laboratory, Lexington MA, United States)
Date Acquired
August 10, 2013
Publication Date
September 15, 1982
Publication Information
Publication: Applied Optics
Volume: 21
Subject Category
Instrumentation And Photography
Report/Patent Number
ESD-TR-85-087
AD-A154253
Accession Number
82A44820
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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