Measuring atmospheric dispersion using a synchro-scan streak camera

Ulrich Schreiber; Stefan Riepl

doi:10.1117/12.195858

9 December 1994 Measuring atmospheric dispersion using a synchro-scan streak camera

Ulrich Schreiber, Stefan Riepl

Proceedings Volume 2310, Lidar Techniques for Remote Sensing; (1994) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.195858
Event: Satellite Remote Sensing, 1994, Rome, Italy

Abstract

In today's laser ranging technology the influence of the atmosphere belongs to the dominating contributions to the error budget of measurements. In this paper a detection technique for atmospheric dispersion measurement is described. The measurements are carried out using the Wettzell Laser Ranging System, which is designed for satellite--and lunar laser ranging. The dispersion is determined by simultaneous ranging, using laser pulses of the fundamental and second harmonic frequency of a Nd:YAG laser. While propagating through the atmosphere, the frequency dependent refractive index of atmospheric gases causes a different path delay to laser pulses of both wavelengths. As the effect is very weak and the jitter of semiconductor devices is quite high, the calculated atmospheric corrections from the data, obtained with conventional techniques, need independent proof. So a streak camera with high temporal resolution with respect to the differential path delay between both echo pulses is adopted for this purpose. Dispersion measurements to a local ground target (2.4 km of optical path) have been carried out. The received signal was observed as a double peak, one corresponding to the infrared, the other to the green laser pulse. In these experiments a RMS of 10 ps for the path delay between the received pulses was obtained.

Citation Download Citation

Ulrich Schreiber and Stefan Riepl "Measuring atmospheric dispersion using a synchro-scan streak camera", Proc. SPIE 2310, Lidar Techniques for Remote Sensing, (9 December 1994); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.195858

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