Effects of C(2)(n) on a vertically pointing diffraction-limited lidar

Examples of different C(2)(n) profiles lead to substantially different profiles of lidar image radius in a study of the calculated performance of a diffraction-limited lidar system. The differences in image radii indicate the usefulness of a ground-based lidar for measurement of C(2)(n) profiles used to predict optical propagation phenomena. We conclude that the overall strength of the C(2)(n) profile and its general altitude dependence can be determined from inspection of the image radius profile. Approximate calculations of available and required SNRs show that a lidar with a telescope aperture of 0.5 m and a few pulses of ~1-J total transmitted energy will provide useful image radius data to an altitude of 20 km under daytime conditions. The weighting function for sensitivity of the fractional increase in image radius to changes of C(2)(n) on a logarithmic altitude scale is approximately constant with height.