Thomas J. Wagener

2 /spl mu/m LIDAR for laser-based remote sensing: flight demonstration and application survey

A flight test of a diode-pumped solid-state 2 /spl mu/m Doppler Light Detection And Ranging (LIDAR) system was conducted on-board the NASA Ames DC-8 Airborne Laboratory. This was the first ever airborne demonstration of a 2 /spl mu/m diode-pumped solid-state Doppler LIDAR. The LIDAR performance was verified by comparing the true-airspeed (TAS) estimate with that found using the pneumatic air data system; excellent agreement was found. The capabilities of this pulsed 2 /spl mu/m Doppler LIDAR system include high bandwidth air data determination without the need for extensive forebody calibration, remote wind profiling as far as several kilometers away from the aircraft, eye-safe laser transmission at 2 /spl mu/m, and diode-pumped solid-state design for compact construction and reliable performance. >

Laser Doppler optical air-data system: feasibility demonstration and systems specifications

A compact laser Doppler velocimeter with diode-pumped solid-state laser technology at 1.06 µm and a novel solid-block beam-splitting interferometer was demonstrated. This system allows for accurate Doppler velocity measurements even in a vibration environment. A comparison of the backscatter measurements with a backscatter sonde from the University of Wyoming showed excellent agreement. Based on demonstrated performance and technology projection, the system specifications of an optical air-data system at 2.015 µm are determined, and a detailed design concept is presented. In addition, the potential for a multifunctional sensor that can determine air data and detect wind shear and wake vortices is addressed.