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Published on: February 13, 2018
Measurement of two-dimensional Doppler wind fields using a field widened Michelson interferometer
Jeffery A Langille1, William E Ward, Alan Scott
1Physics, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada. t383r@unb.ca
Applied Optics
|March 13, 2013
Summary
This study presents a novel Doppler imaging system for high-resolution, 2D wind field measurements. The system achieves high accuracy, enabling detailed atmospheric observations.
Area of Science:
- Atmospheric physics
- Optical instrumentation
- Remote sensing
Background:
- Accurate measurement of atmospheric wind fields is crucial for understanding weather patterns and climate dynamics.
- Existing Doppler techniques often face limitations in resolution or velocity range.
- The Michelson interferometer is a powerful tool for spectroscopic measurements but requires precise control for advanced applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and characterize a field-widened Michelson interferometer for high-resolution, two-dimensional (2D) Doppler wind field imaging.
- To achieve precise Doppler wind and irradiance measurements from CCD images.
- To introduce a new technique for imaging atmospheric wind and irradiance fields using Earth's airglow.
Main Methods:
- Implementation of a field-widened Michelson interferometer concept.
- Development of procedures for bin-by-bin Doppler wind and irradiance measurements using CCD images.
- Utilizing sub-angstrom precision piezoelectric control for the interferometer's scanning mirror.
- Calibration and characterization of the developed Doppler imaging system.
Main Results:
- The system successfully obtained high-resolution 2D images of low-velocity Doppler wind fields (<50 m/s) in a laboratory setting.
- Doppler wind and irradiance measurements were achieved with an accuracy of less than 2.5 m/s.
- The precision of the measurements was demonstrated to be sufficient for observing buoyancy waves in airglow.
Conclusions:
- The developed Doppler imaging system, based on a phase-stepping Michelson interferometer, offers a promising new technique for atmospheric research.
- The system's high accuracy and resolution are suitable for detailed studies of atmospheric phenomena, including mesopause region airglow.
- Future implementation for imaging Earth's airglow will provide valuable data for atmospheric dynamics.
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