Performance evaluation for long-range turbulence-detection using ultraviolet lidar

Area of Science:

• Atmospheric Science
• Aviation Safety Technology
• Remote Sensing

Background:

• Clear-air turbulence (CAT) poses a significant risk to aviation safety.
• Current detection methods for CAT are limited in range and effectiveness.
• Doppler lidar struggles with vertical speed retrieval at long ranges, necessitating alternative detection strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the potential of UV lidar for long-range clear-air turbulence detection.
• To optimize UV lidar system parameters for enhanced CAT detection.
• To assess the detection range, false alarm rate, and missed alarm rate of the system.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a UV lidar system operating at 355 nm with a 2 W laser.
• Focused on measuring molecular density fluctuations as an indicator of turbulent wind.
• Evaluated system performance based on altitude and root mean square of vertical velocity.

Main Results:

• Achieved a 96% detection rate for turbulence causing dislodging of unsecured objects.
• Demonstrated effective detection at a range of 15 km.
• Reported a false alarm rate of 0.18 per flight hour.

Conclusions:

• UV lidar is a viable technology for long-range clear-air turbulence detection.
• The optimized UV lidar system significantly improves aviation safety by providing early warnings.
• Molecular density fluctuation measurement is a reliable proxy for CAT detection when Doppler shift is insufficient.