Recent progress in the hydrographic applications of a N2/Ne laser

Laboratory and field measurements have been performed on the transmission/scattering characteristics of a pulsed neon laser as a function of water turbidity. These results have been used to establish the criteria for an airborne laser bathymetry system. Extensive measurements have been made of laser induced fluorescence using a pulsed tunable dye laser. Feasibility has been demonstrated for remote detection and possible identification of various types of algae and oils. Similar measurements made on a wide variety of organic dyes have shown this technique to have applications in remote measurement of subsurface currents, temperature, and salinity.