Lead-vapor filters for high-spectral-resolution temperature lidar

The analysis of Rayleigh-scattered laser radiation with atomic-vapor filters used for temperature measurements is investigated. The choices for the filter material and the optimum parameter configuration for daytime measurements are presented. In laboratory experiments the backscattered radiation from synthetic air stimulated by a cw dye laser at 283 nm was analyzed with two lead-vapor cells in one oven. The effects of different parameters on the accuracy of the measurement are determined from both theory and experiment, and actual air-temperature measurements are presented. Calculations for a real lidar show not only the performance, but also the limitations, of such a measurement system.