Validation of HTS Optical Turbulence Profiling via Sonic Anemometry

Abstract

Previous turbulence measurements along a near-ground, 500 m, horizontal path using two helium-neon laser beacons and Hartmann Turbulence Sensor (HTS) yielded profiles of C2n by measuring local aberrated wavefront tilts. The HTS C2nestimates were consistent with integrated turbulence values collected along the same path by a BLS900 scintillometer. Further validation of the HTS profiling ethod is necessary to produce accurate optical turbulence profiles for wavefrontcorrection and to eventually gain an improved understanding of turbulence in the lower atmosphere and its variation as a function of altitude. In order to add confidence to the HTS dual-beacon profiling method, a collection of sonicanemometers was added along the path to collect point measurements of C2T, which were used to derive values of C2n. Propagation over a non-homogeneous path (i.e. part grass and part concrete) ensured the turbulence profile along thepath is more varied. C2n profiles in this work derived from HTS data captured on 25 and 26 July 2019 agreed strongly with the collocated anemometer and BLS measurements

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 26, 2020
Accession Number
AD1107615

Entities

People

  • Alexander S. Boeckenstedt

Organizations

  • Air Force Institute of Technology

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Sensors

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Atmospheric Motion
  • Boundary Layer
  • Distortion
  • Electromagnetic Wave Propagation
  • Geometry
  • Governments
  • Helium Neon Lasers
  • Measurement
  • Optics
  • Refractive Index
  • Stratified Fluids
  • Three Dimensional
  • Turbulence
  • Two Dimensional
  • United States Government
  • Wind Velocity

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Atmospheric Science / Meteorology, specifically Wind Wave Turbulence.
  • Image Processing and Computer Vision.
  • Superconducting Magnet Technology

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy