On Lidar Signals Induced by Spatial Variability of the Atmospheric Refractive Index

Abstract

It is generally assumed that the intensity and the variation of lidar signals are caused by reflection of laser light by atmospheric aerosols of which concentration and size distributions are spatially inhomogeneous. However, lidar signals with strong variations are sometimes also detected during periods with low aerosol concentrations. It will be shown in this report that these variations might also be caused by spatial inhomogeneities of the atmospheric refractive index, which in turn are determined by variations in the atmospheric temperature, pressure and humidity. Furthermore, it is shown that the amount of reflection from turbulence cells can also be derived from the refractive index structure parameter, Cn(2)

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 01, 1993
Accession Number
ADA266799

Entities

People

  • G. J. Kunz

Organizations

  • Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics
  • Sensors

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Atmospheric Temperature
  • Boundary Layer
  • Diffraction
  • Electromagnetic Radiation
  • Electromagnetic Spectra
  • Electronics Laboratories
  • Humidity
  • Laser Radar
  • Lasers
  • Physics
  • Reflection
  • Reflection (Waves)
  • Refraction
  • Refractive Index
  • Scattering
  • Spectra

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science
  • Physics

Readers

  • Climatology
  • Space/Atmospheric Physics.
  • Toxicology/Environmental Toxicology

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy