James A. Dowling

Laser long-range remote-sensing program experimental results

A laser long range remote sensing (LRS) program is being conducted by the United States Air Force Phillips Laboratory (AF/PL). As part of this program, AF/PL is testing the feasibility of developing a long path CO2 laser-based DIAL system for remote sensing. In support of this program, the AF/PL has recently completed an experimental series using a 21 km slant- range path (3.05 km ASL transceiver height to 0.067 km ASL target height) at its Phillips Laboratory Air Force Maui Optical Station (AMOS) facility located on Maui, Hawaii. The dial system uses a 3-joule, 13C isotope laser coupled into a 0.6 m diameter telescope. The atmospheric optical characterization incorporates information from an infrared scintillometer co-aligned to the laser path, atmospheric profiles from weather balloons launched from the target site, and meteorological data from ground stations at AMOS and the target site. In this paper, we report a description of the experiment configuration, a summary of the results, a summary of the atmospheric conditions and their implications to the LRS program. The capability of such a system for long-range, low-angle, slant-path remote sensing is discussed. System performance issues relating to both coherent and incoherent detection methods, atmospheric limitations, as well as, the development of advanced models to predict performance of long range scenarios are presented.

Remote sensing measurements using a CO2 laser

The Phillips Laboratory is developing CO2 laser technology for making long range sensing measurements at multiple wavelengths in the 9 - 11 micron regime. A line selectable CO2 system that operates on both the P and R transitions at 9.6 and 10.6 microns is described. The device characteristics and laboratory calibration procedures designed to insure accurate measurements are discussed. The system is capable of making atmospheric gas measurements using either atmospheric backscatter or topographic reflection. Results of laboratory measurements using an SF6 absorption cell are presented. The techniques for data reduction and post processing are described. Included is the approach taken to perform the data reduction using multiple wavelengths for gas analysis and identification. Results will be used for design of a high power airborne system designed for a variety of military and environmental applications.

Development and testing of a long-range airborne CO2 DIAL chemical detection system

The Air Force Research Laboratory has developed and tested an airborne CO2 differential absorption lidar system for the remote detection of chemicals. The Laser Airborne Remote Sensing DIAL system uses topographic backscatter to provide a long-range measurement of the column-content absorption of chemical plumes in the path of the laser beam. A high-power CO2 laser, capable of operation on multiple isotopes, and a Mersenne telescope constitute the major transceiver components. In addition to the laser, telescope, and transceiver optics, several onboard diagnostic instruments were mounted on the flight bench to monitor and optimize the system performance during airborne operation. The flight bench, electronics racks, and data acquisition and experiment control stations were designed to be integrated onto the AFRL C-135E research aircraft, and to utilize the existing pointing and tracking system on the aircraft.

Conceptual design of an acquisition, processing, and control system for a semi-autonomous, airborne, differential absorption lidar system

The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Laser Remote Optical Sensing (LROS) program has developed the Laser Airborne Remote Sensing (LARS) system for chemical detection using the differential absorption lidar (DIAL) technique. Airborne tests during the last year resulted in chemical detection at a slant range of 30 km. As the next step in the development process, concepts for a compact, semi-autonomous DIAL system are being considered. This paper describes the conceptual design and external interfaces of the acquisition, processing, and control system computers required to operate a semi-autonomous DIAL system. The conceptual design of the VME-based real-time computer system uses three CPUs: (1) a data acquisition and control CPU which synchronizes experiment timing and pulsed CO2 laser operation while controlling lidar subsystem components such as pointing and tracking, wavelength sequencing, and optical alignment; (2) a data reduction CPU which serves as the semi-autonomous controller and performs real-time data reduction; and (3) a data analysis CPU which performs chemometric analysis including chemical identification and concentration. The triple-CPU and multi-layered software decouple time-critical and non-critical tasks allowing great flexibility in flight-time display and processing.

Atmospheric turbulence monitoring in conjunction with imager-designator operation

The performance of operational military E-O systems including imaging FLIRs, target designators, and laser rangefinders (LRF) is limited by atmospheric refractive- index turbulence. In locations subject to intense daytime heating and significant nighttime cooling, typically an arid desert-like environment, the diurnal change in Cn2 can range over three to four orders of magnitude or larger in some cases. Elevation of the path above the desert floor even at one end can significantly reduce the performance- degrading effects of atmospheric turbulence on FLIRs, designators, and LRFs. In case where operation of these systems at longer wavelengths is possible, performance limitations can, to some extent, be mitigated. This paper discusses the use of multi-wavelength scintillation measurements as a diagnostic, and LRFs. In cases where operation of these systems at longer wavelengths is possible, performance limitations can, to some extent, be mitigated. This paper discusses the use of multi-wavelength scintillation measurements as a diagnostic to infer a path- integrated value for Cn2 which can be related to the performance of various E-O systems. An experimental design utilizing IR wavelengths and several slant-paths ranging in length from 2.8 km to 10 km and elevated approximately 730 m above a desert floor is discussed. The multi-wavelength scintillometer design used is based on the 11.15 micrometers scintillometer described in a paper previously presented at an earlier conference.

Design and performance simulations for an airborne DIAL system for long-range remote sensing applications

The U.S. Air Force Phillips Laboratory is evaluating the feasibility of long-standoff-range remote sensing of gaseous species present in trace amounts in the atmosphere. To date, the Phillips Laboratory program has been concerned with the preliminary design and performance analysis of a commercially available CO2 laser-based DIAL system operating from mountain-top-observatory and airborne platform and more recently with long-range ground testing using a 21.8 km slant path from 3.05 km ASL to sea level as the initial steps in the design and development of an airborne system capability. Straightforward scaling of the performance of a near-term technology direct-detection LIDAR system with propagation range to a topographic target and with the average atmospheric absorption coefficient along the path has been performed. Results indicate that useful airborne operation of such a system should be possible for slant path ranges between 20 km and 50 km, depending upon atmospheric transmission at the operating wavelengths of the 13C16O2 source. This paper describes the design of the airborne system which will be deployed on the Phillips Laboratory NC-135 research aircraft for DIAL system performance tests at slant ranges of 20 km to 50 km, scheduled for the near future. Performance simulations for the airborne tests will be presented and related to performance obtained during initial ground-based tests.

CO2 lidar measurements over a 20-km slant path

The Air Force Phillips Laboratory conducted a series of measurements in February, May and August 1995 at the Air Force Maui Optical Station (AMOS) facility on Maui, Hawaii, to determine system requirements for an airborne long path CO2 DIAL system. The lidar incorporates a cavity-matched mode-locked 3-J laser with the 60 cm diameter AMOS Beam Director Telescope. The one-way beam propagation path length was 21.3 km, originating at the AMOS facility on Haleakala at an altitude of 3.050 km ASL, and terminating at a target site near sea level. Both heterodyne and direct detection techniques are compared with respect to radiometric performance and signal statistics. Minimum detectable absorption levels for DIAL systems using both detection techniques and a variety of targets are estimated from long- range measurements with controlled absorbers. The signal correlation as a function of interpulse temporal separation was determined for long-range direct detection measurements. Radiometric models including system optical characteristics, beam propagation considerations, target reflectivity characteristics,a nd atmospheric effects have been developed and validated experimentally. A new receiver system is currently being fabricated and the laser transmitter is being upgraded for pulse-to-pulse wavelength agility, prior to incorporation into a C-135E airborne platform for future flight experiments.

Laser airborne remote sensing real-time acquisition, processing, and control system

The US Air Force Phillips Laboratory is evaluating the feasibility of long-standoff-range remote sensing of gaseous species present in trace amounts in the atmosphere. Extensive system integration in the laboratory and an airborne test are leading to remote sensing ground test and airborne missions within the next year. This paper describes the design, external interfaces. and initial performance of the Laser Airborne Remote Sensing acquisition, processing, and control system to be deployed on the Phillips Laboratory NC-135 research aircraft for differential absorption lidar system performance tests. The dual-CPU VME-based real-time computer system synchronizes experiment timing and pulsed CO2 laser operation up to 30 Hz while controlling optical subsystem components such as a laser grating, receiver gain, mirror alignment, and laser shutters. This real-time system acquires high rate detector signals from the outgoing and return laser pulses as well as a low rate health and status signals form the optical bench and the aircraft. Laser pulse and status data are processed and displayed in real time on one of four graphical user interfaces: one devoted to system control, one to remote mirror alignment, and two other interfaces for real-time data analysis and diagnostics. The dual-CPU and multi- layered software decouple time critical and non-critical tasks allowing great flexibility in flight-time display and processing.

Atmospheric characterization studies supporting the development of a long-range CO2 laser-based DIAL system

The Air Force Phillips Laboratory is testing the feasibility of developing a long-path, CO2 laser-based DIAL system for remote sensing applications from an airborne platform. The validity of DIAL system performance simulations for long slant-range paths is being established by means of well-characterized field experiments in which the contributions of atmospheric transmission and atmospheric-turbulence-induced beam spreading and scintillation are being independently measured concurrently with DIAL system radiometric performance. Initial measurements were performed with both diffuse and specular targets using a 3.2 km path located at the Phillips Laboratory Starfire Optical Range. Measurements reported herein were performed using a slant-range path of 21.3 km originating at the Phillips Laboratory AMOS facility on Maui, Hawaii. The latter location offers a slant-range propagation path from 3.04 km above sea level (ASL) to near sea level. The DIAL system under test utilized a 4-joule class laser coupled to 61 cm aperture beam director telescope. Measurements were performed with the laser operating on the C13 isotope in order to increase the atmospheric transmission with respect to a laser operating at C12O216 wavelengths. Concurrent atmospheric optical characterization measurements were performed with an infrared scintillometer operating over the same path and at the same wavelength as the DIAL system. Results of atmospheric propagation characterization measurements are described in this paper and results of DIAL system performance and comparisons to simulations are described in accompanying papers.

Long-path CO2 lidar measurements

The Air Force Phillips Laboratory is conducting a series of measurements at the Air Force Maui Optical Station (AMOS) facility on Maui, Hawaii, to determine system requirements for an airborne long path CO2 DIAL system. The lidar incorporates a cavity-matched 3-J laser with the 60 cm diameter AMOS laser beam director telescope. The beam propagation path is approximately 21 km, originating at the AMOS facility on Haleakala at an altitude of 3 km ASL, and terminating at a target site near sea level. Both heterodyne and direct detection techniques are being compared with respect to radiometric performance and signal statistics. Radiometric models including system optical characteristics, beam propagation considerations, target reflectivity characteristics, and atmospheric effects have been developed and validated experimentally. Predictions and results are presented, compared, and discussed.