Line-center/side-line diode laser seeding for DIAL measurements of the atmosphere

The ability of DIAL systems to probe deeply into the atmosphere is enhanced if the pulsed laser is capable of sequentially operating at different wavelengths, each wavelength corresponding to a different absorption cross-section of the gas of interest. Such wavelength versatility is particularly important for airborne or spaceborne DIAL measurements of H2O(v) due to its strong vertical gradient (several orders of magnitude). Strong H2O(v) cross-sections are necessary to retrieve H2O(v) data from high altitudes while the use of weaker cross sections enables penetration of the DIAL laser pulses to lower altitudes.