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Remote Sensing of Wind Fields and Aerosol Distribution with Airborne Scanning Doppler LidarThe coherent Doppler laser radar (lidar), when operated from an airborne platform, is a unique tool for the study of atmospheric and surface processes and features. This is especially true for scientific objectives requiring measurements in optically-clear air, where other remote sensing technologies such as Doppler radar are typically at a disadvantage. The atmospheric lidar remote sensing groups of several US institutions, led by Marshall Space Flight Center, have developed an airborne coherent Doppler lidar capable of mapping the wind field and aerosol structure in three dimensions. The instrument consists of an eye-safe approx. 1 Joule/pulse lidar transceiver, telescope, scanner, inertial measurement unit, and flight computer system to orchestrate all subsystem functions and tasks. The scanner is capable of directing the expanded lidar beam in a variety of ways, in order to extract vertically-resolved wind fields. Horizontal resolution is approx. 1 km; vertical resolution is even finer. Winds are obtained by measuring backscattered, Doppler-shifted laser radiation from naturally-occurring aerosol particles (of order 1 micron diameter). Measurement coverage depends on aerosol spatial distribution and composition. Velocity accuracy has been verified to be approx. 1 meter per second. A variety of applications have been demonstrated during the three flight campaigns conducted during 1995-1998. Examples will be shown during the presentation. In 1995, boundary layer winds over the ocean were mapped with unprecedented resolution. In 1996, unique measurements were made of. flow over the complex terrain of the Aleutian Islands; interaction of the marine boundary layer jet with the California coastal mountain range; a weak dry line in Texas - New Mexico; the angular dependence of sea surface scattering; and in-flight radiometric calibration using the surface of White Sands National Monument. In 1998, the first measurements of eyewall and boundary layer winds within a hurricane were made with the airborne Doppler lidar. Potential applications and plans for improvement will also be described.
Document ID
20010075160
Acquisition Source
Marshall Space Flight Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Rothermel, Jeffry
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL United States)
Cutten, Dean R.
(Alabama Univ. Huntsville, AL United States)
Johnson, Steven C.
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL United States)
Jazembski, Maurice
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL United States)
Arnold, James E.
Date Acquired
August 20, 2013
Publication Date
January 25, 2001
Subject Category
Earth Resources And Remote Sensing
Meeting Information
Meeting: Workshop on Multi/Hyperspectral Technology and Applications
Location: Redstone Arsenal, AL
Country: United States
Start Date: September 18, 2001
End Date: September 20, 2001
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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