Special Issue: "Space-Based Lidar Winds" - Sensors Journal

Guest Editor:
Dr. Wayman Baker
NOAA/JCSDA
Joint Center for Satellite Data Assimilation
5200 Auth Road - Room 805B
Camp Springs, MD 20746
Tel. +1 301 763 8000 ext. 7121
E-Mail: Wayman.Baker@noaa.gov; http://www.jcsda.noaa.gov/personnel.shtml

    

Summary

The measurement of the global tropospheric wind field would address one of the key unmet observational requirements for understanding and predicting the future state of the earth-atmosphere system. Accurate, global tropospheric wind data are needed for several key unresolved climate questions. For a summary, please see the article by Baker et al. in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 1995, Volume 76, pp. 869-888. Such data would also address one of the important sources of error in the short - to medium- range (1-7 day) weather forecasts.
    A space-based Doppler wind lidar (DWL) would provide accurate, global tropospheric wind data for both climate studies and weather forecasting. The objectives of the Working Group on Space-Based Lidar Winds (hereafter referred to as Lidar Working Group) are to advocate the earliest possible deployment of a DWL, discuss the various uses of the data, and exchange information on the latest lidar technology developments.
    Minutes of the Lidar Working Group meetings, held semi-annually, will be posted at this website as well as information on future meetings.
Wayman Baker
Chairperson, Working Group on Space-Based Lidar Winds
 
Keywords

Lidar, Wind, DWL (Doppler Wind Lidar), Laser, Earth Remote Sensing

Lidar = Light Detection and Ranging
DWL = Doppler Wind Lidar
IRAD = Internal Research and Development
TRL = Technology Readiness Level
LRRP = Laser Risk Reduction Program

IPO = Integrated Program Office
NASA = National Aeronautics and Space Administration
NOAA = National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration

Planned Papers

Title: "A HIGHLY EFFICIENT AIR COOLED UV LASER SOURCE FOR THE LIDAR REMOTE SENSING OF BIOLOGICAL WARFARE AGENTS"
Authors: S.K.Sudheer ¹, Prathibha.S ², V.P .Mahadevan Pillai ³, V.U.Nayar ^3
1 Photonics and Microwave Division, School of Electrical Sciences, Vellore Institute of Technology University,
Vellore- 632014, India.
² Organic and Inorganic Chemistry Division, School of Science and Humanities, Vellore Institute of Technology University,Vellore-632014, Tamilnadu, India.
³ Department of Optoelectronics, University of Kerala, Kariavattom, Thiruvananthapuram-695581,  Kerala, India.
# For correspondence Email: sudheersk@vit.ac.in
Abstract: Biological warfare agents have been a threat for many years but recent advances in biotechnology make the problem potentially more serious. The dangers caused due to these agents must be controlled by the proper detection in proper time. Highly reliable and accurate stand off detection tool is necessary for the detection of biological particles. Biological warfare agents are increasingly viewed by potential aggressors as cost effective offensive weapons, particularly when their potential enemies have a superior conventional capability. Biological weapons can be dispatched through relatively easy means of delivery. Distinguishing the biological agents from the myriad of similar naturally occurring micro organisms in the environment makes this application more complex. Recent progress in solid state laser technology and nonlinear optical wavelength conversion techniques can be utilized effectively for UV LIDAR applications to detect biological warfare agents to achieve better flexibility and control of the available optical power. Using such devices, one can achieve highly accurate and resolved, measurement of the distribution for atmospheric scattering layers and biological aerosol clouds. In the present investigation a single diode end pumped high repetition rate, Nd:YAG laser emitting in the Ultraviolet region is designed, fabricated and various laser beam parameters have been characterized for  biological warfare agent detection applications. Nonlinear optical techniques have been employed to generate higher harmonics like 355nm and 266nm in the UV region for the above studies. The experimental setup mainly consists of a Fiber coupled pump laser diodes (Model FAP-81-30C-800B, Coherent Inc,USA) with a maximum output power of 30Watt at a wavelength of 807-810nm at 20oC set temperature. A second harmonic LBO crystal cut for critical phase matching placed within the laser resonator is provided for converting a fraction of the fundamental beam to a second harmonic beam. A type II frequency tripling LBO non-linear crystal (cut for critical phase matching) is also located inside the laser resonator. The third harmonic beam and the unconverted fundamental beam are then directed across a type I fourth harmonic LBO crystal cut for critical phase matching where a portion of the fundamental beam and a portion of the third harmonic beam are converted to a fourth harmonic frequency when both fundamental and third harmonic beams propagate through the frequency quadrupling crystal. The resulting beams are the third harmonic(355nm) and fourth harmonic(266nm) are then directed to a fourth harmonic separator in which the fourth harmonic beam is separated from the fundamental beam. Maximum average powers of 5W at 355nm and 3W at 266nm have been measured at a repetition rate of 10KHz. Minimum pulse widths of 20ns have been observed. The mechanism of UV LIDAR  consists of transmitting ultraviolet (UV) light and detecting the wavelength-shifted UV fluorescence that is produced by all biological material. The fluorescence is a relatively weak light source compared to the elastic backscattered light from aerosol particulates for either the transmitted IR or the UV. So the detection performance of the UVF is significantly lower, for a given laser power, compared to the backscatter detection performance. So accurate measurement of UV fluorescence signal and the UV backscatter signal for biosimulants (Bacillus globigii, an anthrax simulant; Erwinia herbicola, a vegetative bacteria simulant; and male-specific coliphage type 2, an infectious viral simulant) and interferents such as road dust, diesel exhaust, burning vegetation, and smoke. The wavelengths 355nm and 266nm are suitable for the effective detection of the above biosimulants.

Submission

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MDPI - Matthias Burkhalter - 16 July 2008