Eye-safe compact Raman light detection and ranging temperature profiler.

Area of Science:

• Atmospheric Science
• Remote Sensing
• Meteorology

Background:

• Atmospheric temperature profiles are crucial for understanding atmospheric stability.
• Traditional methods for measuring temperature profiles can be limited in scope and accessibility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and demonstrate a novel lidar system for measuring atmospheric temperature profiles.
• To enable routine, stand-alone measurements of key meteorological properties in the lower atmosphere.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a lidar system with a 355 nm Nd:YAG laser transmitter.
• Employed the rotational Raman technique for temperature profile measurement.
• Incorporated innovations: eye-safe, low peak power, high repetition rate laser and an angle tuning filter.

Main Results:

• Successfully demonstrated the capability for both nighttime and daytime atmospheric temperature measurements.
• The system's compact and reliable design facilitates potential stand-alone operation.

Conclusions:

• The developed lidar system offers a promising advancement for routine atmospheric temperature profiling.
• This technology contributes to improved monitoring of meteorological properties in the lower atmosphere.