An Optical Detection System for a Rayleigh/Raman Lidar
Document ID: 113
Master's Thesis
The Pennsylvania State University
The Graduate School
Department of Electrical Engineering
Abstract
The optical detection system and preliminary results of the new Rayleigh/Raman LAMP (Laser Atmospheric Measurement Program) lidar developed at The Pennsylvania State University are presented. The LAMP lidar was designed as a research instrument to investigate properties of the lower and middle atmosphere. The fabrication of the instrument hardware was sufficiently complete in June 1991 that initial testing of the instrument was begun. The instrument provides profiles of density and temperature structure of the middle and lower atmosphere, along with water vapor profiles of the lower troposphere. The design of this lidar will be described from an optical engineering point of view. The receiving system, shuttering system, optical processing, and light detection are all explained. Calculations of the expected performance for measurement of atmospheric properties have been considered in the engineering design so that the scientific goals are achieved. Examples of the results are presented to illustrate the capabilities of the LAMP lidar. Data examples have been selected from the first field trip in which the LAMP lidar operated aboard the German research vessel RV Polarstern as part of the LADIMAS (LAtitudinal Distribution of Middle Atmospheric Structure) campaign. Measurements were taken from 70° N to 65° S between October 1991 and January 1992 aboard the German research vessel, RV Polarstern.
| Citation: | T. D. Stevens, "An Optical Detection System for a Rayleigh/Raman Lidar", The Pennsylvania State University, Master's Thesis, August 1992, 61 pages |