[Measurement of path transverse wind velocity profile using light forward scattering scintillation correlation...

Area of Science:

• Atmospheric Optics
• Optical Remote Sensing
• Fluid Dynamics

Context:

• Accurate measurement of atmospheric wind velocity profiles is crucial for various applications, including meteorology, aviation, and optical communication systems.
• Traditional methods for wind velocity measurement often have limitations in spatial coverage and temporal resolution.
• Hartmann wavefront sensors offer a potential solution for non-intrusive, high-resolution atmospheric measurements.

Purpose:

• To introduce and validate a new method for surveying path transverse wind velocity using a Hartmann wavefront sensor.
• To develop a theoretical framework for calculating wind velocity profiles based on time-lagged covariance analysis of sensor sub-apertures.
• To experimentally determine the feasibility and accuracy of this method for measuring wind velocity profiles along a 1000 m horizontal path.

Summary:

• A novel method analyzes the time-lagged covariance of sub-apertures in a Hartmann wavefront sensor to determine path transverse wind velocity profiles.
• A theoretical formula was derived for the wind velocity profile, considering the path weighting function differences based on sub-aperture spacing.
• Experimental results demonstrated good consistency between the sensor measurements and a wind anemometer, as well as between different path sections, with correlation coefficients up to 0.86.

Impact:

• This research provides a new, non-intrusive technique for high-resolution atmospheric wind velocity profiling.
• The findings contribute to improved understanding of wind dynamics along optical propagation paths, relevant for atmospheric optics and remote sensing.
• The method's accuracy and consistency suggest potential for operational deployment in meteorological and communication applications.