ABSTRACT
The use of airborne laser radar (lidar) to measure wind velocities and to detect turbulence in front of an aircraft in real time can significantly increase fuel efficiency, flight safety, and terminal area capacity. We describe the flight-test results for two coherent lidar airborne shear sensor (CLASS) systems and discuss their agreement with our theoretical simulations. The 10.6-µm CO(2) system (CLASS-10) is a flying brassboard; the 2.02-µm Tm:YAG solid-state system (CLASS-2) is configured in a rugged, light-weight, high-performance package. Both lidars have shown a wind measurement accuracy of better than 1 m/s.
ABSTRACT
The coherent launch-site atmospheric wind sounder (CLAWS) is a lidar atmospheric wind sensor designed to measure the winds above space launch facilities to an altitude of 20 km. In our development studies, lidar sensor requirements are defined, a system to meet those requirements is defined and built, and the concept is evaluated, with recommendations for the most feasible and cost-effective lidar system for use as an input to a guidance and control system for missile or spacecraft launches. The ability of CLAWS to meet NASA goals for increased safety and launch/mission flexibility is evaluated in a field test program at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in which we investigate maximum detection range, refractive turbulence, and aerosol backscattering efficiency. The Nd:YAG coherent lidar operating at 1.06 µm with 1-J energy per pulse is able to make real-time measurements of the three-dimensional wind field at KSC to an altitude of 26 km, in good agreement with our performance simulations. It also shows the height and thickness of the volcanic layer caused by the volcanic eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines.
ABSTRACT
A search for gain or absorption on several candidate visible chemical laser transitions has been carried out using the intracavity dye laser probe technique. Absorption was found on the following v'' ? v' bands of the BaO(A(1)Sigma ? X(1)Sigma) bands in the Ba + N(2)O reaction: 0 ? 1; 0 ? 4; 1 ? 1; 1 ? 2, and 5 ? 1. No gain or absorption could be detected on the 7 ? 1, 6 ? 0, and 4 ? 0 bands (sensitivity ~10(-4)/cm). In Ca, Sr + N(2)O + CO flames, absorption was found in the green arc bands of CaO and the red arc bands of SrO. Several new bandhead wavelengths are reported. Our results support assignment of the arc bands to the diatomic metal oxides. Absorptions and enhancements were found on various Sr, Ba, and Ba(+) transitions.
ABSTRACT
The applicability of the high energy discretely tuned DF laser for remote measurement of HCl, CH(4), and N(2)O has been investigated. A single-ended or monostatic lidar system using radiation backscattered from topographical targets was tested. Selective absorption of the backscattered signal was used to infer concentration of gaseous species. Good agreement was obtained between the lidar measurements and the concentrations determined by in situ measurements in the remotely positioned sample chamber. The lowest measurable material concentration for each gas was inferred from random fluctuations in the measured concentration. Sensitivity of the existing system to HCl, CH(4), and N(2)O was found to be 0.05 ppm-km, 6.0 ppm-km, and 0.24 ppm-km, respectively. An N(2)O plume was also measured in the open atmosphere between the lidar system and a foliage target to demonstrate system capabilities under typical field conditions. Performance predictions indicate that total burden and range-resolved species concentration measurements are feasible to a range of 10 km or more with commercially available components.
ABSTRACT
The performance and tuning characteristic of organic dye lasers were measured using commercially available coaxial flashlamps as the pumping source. Tuning by a diffraction grating permitted continuous coverage of the 4200-7500-A region at up to 0.6% tuned output energy efficiency. Preliminary results with a 600-J Marx-Bank coaxial laser at 4500 A show 1% efficiency and single-pass unsaturated gain greater than 20 at 4500 A.
