Performance characterization and ground testing of an airborne CO2 differential absorption lidar system

Daniel C. Senft; Marsha J. Fox; Ronald R. Bousek; James A. Dowling; Dale A. Richter; Brian T. Kelly

doi:10.1117/12.298057

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15 January 1998 Performance characterization and ground testing of an airborne CO₂ differential absorption lidar system

Daniel C. Senft, Marsha J. Fox, Ronald R. Bousek, James A. Dowling, Dale A. Richter, Brian T. Kelly

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Proceedings Volume 3219, Optics in Atmospheric Propagation and Adaptive Systems II; (1998) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.298057
Event: Aerospace Remote Sensing '97, 1997, London, United Kingdom

Abstract

The Phillips Laboratory Remote Optical Sensors (ROS) program is developing the Laser Airborne Remote Sensing (LARS) system for chemical detection using the differential absorption lidar (DIAL) technique. The system is based upon a high-power CO₂ laser which can use either the standard ¹²C¹⁶O₂ or the ¹³C¹⁶O₂ carbon dioxide isotopes as the lasing medium, and has output energies in excess of 4 J on the stronger laser transitions. The laser, transmitter optics, receiver telescope and optics, and monitoring equipment are mounted on a flight-qualified optical breadboard designed to mount in the Argus C-135E optical testbed aircraft operated by Phillips Laboratory. The LARS system is being prepared for initial flight experiments at Kirtland AFB, NM, in August 1997, and for chemical detection flight experiments at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) in September 1997. This paper briefly describes the system characterization, and presents some results from the pre- flight ground testing.

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Daniel C. Senft, Marsha J. Fox, Ronald R. Bousek, James A. Dowling, Dale A. Richter, and Brian T. Kelly "Performance characterization and ground testing of an airborne CO₂ differential absorption lidar system", Proc. SPIE 3219, Optics in Atmospheric Propagation and Adaptive Systems II, (15 January 1998); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.298057

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