Atmospheric Backscatter at 10.6 Micrometers. A Compendium of Measurements Made Outside the United Kingdom by the Airborne LATAS (Laser True Air Speed) Coherent Laser Radar Velocimeter,
Abstract
Over 30 hours of airborne measurement of the atmospheric backscatter coefficient Beta at 10.6 um are reported, for four different regions of the Northern Hemisphere outside the UK, at altitudes up to 13 km. The results exhibit great diversity. In several recordings Beta remains constant within a factor of three over large distances and height intervals; in others over four orders of magnitude change is observed. The value of Beta rarely falls below the sensitivity limit of the equipment of approx. 2.2 X 10 to the minus 11th power per m per sr. If such findings are typical of the atmosphere as a whole they strongly support the conclusion that 1) airborne laser radars for the measurement of true airspeed, and wind shear detection and warning at low levels, would have good reliability and 2) a Laser Atmospheric Wind Sounder (LAWS) for global wind field measurement would provide reliable information for a very large fraction of the time.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 1987
- Accession Number
- ADA187679
Entities
People
- D. W. Brown
- J. Cannell
- J. M. Vaughan
- P. H. Davies
- R. Foord
Organizations
- Royal Signals and Radar Establishment