Underwater Hybrid Lidar-Radar Test System for Experimental validation and Exploration of New Extended-Range Lidar Techniques
Abstract
DURIP Project Abstract: Underwater Hybrid Lidar-Radar Test System for Experimental Validation and Exploration of New Extended-Range Lidar Techniques Office of Naval Research Program Manager: Daniel Tam, ONR 332 (300 word limit) This Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP) proposal outlines a plan for acquiring a hybrid lidar-radar test system for the experimental validation and exploration of new extended -range lidar techniques. The Office of Naval Research (ONR)-sponsored research conducted by the Principal Investigator (PI) and his students in collaboration with the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWC-AD) has resulted in new modulation and signal processing techniques that have the potential to dramatically improve lidar performance. Work to date has extended target detection from 5.6 attenuation lengths to approximately 15 attenuation lengths. Compared to baseline techniques this corresponds to a 260% increase in range or approximately eight orders of magnitude of increased detection sensitivity. Additional improvements are possible. As a result, enhanced lidar measurement capability is now required to continue the investigation of these techniques in a manner that is scientifically sound. The proposed hybrid lidar-radar test system meets this requirement and includes a 6’ x 6’ x 24’ water tank equipped with a suite of integrated instrumentation that will support multiple wavelength lidar transmission, beam scanning for lidar imaging, reconfigurable hybrid lidar-radar modulation and signal processing, dynamic target positioning with high precision “ground truth” data to validate ranging and imaging experiments, and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)-standard water quality assessment that will be used in conjunction with existing lidar simulation tools developed by the Navy. The proposed system is designed to meet current and future lidar testing requirements being driven by rapid research advances. The acquisition of this system will accelerate ongoing extended-range underwater proximity detection and ranging research, enable extended-range underwater imaging and underwater communications research, enhance the educational opportunities for the students currently involved in the research, attract new talented students and faculty to the research, and strengthen existing Clarkson University/Navy collaboration.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Aug 08, 2016
- Source ID
- N000141512880
Entities
People
- William Jemison
Organizations
- Clarkson University
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy