Abstract

The Space Physics Research Laboratory (SPRL) has implemented a ground-based incoherent lidar system to measure winds in the lower atmosphere. This is a stable, high resolution system consisting of an optically contacted plane etalon, and a multi-ring anode detector to spatially scan the image plane of the Fabry-Perot. The high resolution provided by the interferometer allows the separation of the aerosol and molecular components of the backscattered signal. The doppler shift of the aerosol component is then used to determine the line of sight wind altitude profile in the troposphere and stratosphere. Here we describe the High Resolution Doppler Lidar (HRDL) developed at SPRL, and present the system characteristics and sample measurements.

© 1990 Optical Society of America