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Wave Lensing Effects on a Remote Raman Sensor: Enhanced Mean and the Intensity Distribution of Raman Flashes
Paige K Williams1, Whitney E Schuler1, Zechariah B Kitzhaber2
1Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina 29208, USA.
Applied Spectroscopy
|May 26, 2026
Summary
Surface waves significantly impact remote water sensing. Wave-induced lensing creates strong Raman scattering "flashes," altering signal strength and sampling depth for airborne optical measurements.
Area of Science:
- Optics
- Environmental Science
- Remote Sensing
Background:
- The water OH Raman band is a standard for remote fluorescence measurements.
- Surface waves can perturb optical signals through a lensing effect, changing signal strength and sampling depth.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of wave-induced lensing on water's Raman scattering signals.
- To analyze signal variability and develop a model for wave effects on remote optical sensing.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a small remote optical sensor in a diving pool.
- Observed Raman scattering from water under varying wave conditions.
- Developed a mathematical model for weak lensing effects from sinusoidal waves.
Main Results:
- Observed wave-induced Raman "flashes" stronger than sunlight focusing effects.
- Noted an approximately logarithmic distribution of signal strengths.
- Measured an increase in average signal strength in the presence of waves.
- Reported the impact of avalanche multiplication noise on flat water Raman scattering.
Conclusions:
- Wave-induced lensing significantly affects remote sensing of water's Raman signal.
- The developed model helps interpret observed signal variability due to surface waves.
- Understanding these effects is crucial for accurate airborne optical measurements in aquatic environments.
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