The integrated atmospheric characterization system (IACS)

D. W. Roberts; K. R. Albers; E. A. Brown; T. A. Craney; M. M. Hosain; R. K. James; N. D. Meraz; A. J. Mercer; K. D. Nielson; R. L. Ortman; T. W. Pool; J. W. Wood; J. M. Stewart; T. M. Strike; G. G. Gimmestad; D. N. Whiteman

doi:10.1117/12.2050600

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9 June 2014 The integrated atmospheric characterization system (IACS)

D. W. Roberts, K. R. Albers, E. A. Brown, T. A. Craney, M. M. Hosain, R. K. James, N. D. Meraz, A. J. Mercer, K. D. Nielson, R. L. Ortman, T. W. Pool, J. W. Wood, J. M. Stewart, T. M. Strike, G. G. Gimmestad, D. N. Whiteman

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Proceedings Volume 9080, Laser Radar Technology and Applications XIX; and Atmospheric Propagation XI; 90801E (2014) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2050600
Event: SPIE Defense + Security, 2014, Baltimore, Maryland, United States

Abstract

The Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) is developing a transportable multi-lidar instrument known as the Integrated Atmospheric Characterization System (IACS). The system will be housed in two shipping containers that will be transported to remote sites on a low-boy trailer. IACS will comprise three lidars: a 355 nm imaging lidar for profiling refractive turbulence, a 355 nm Raman lidar for profiling water vapor, and an aerosol lidar operating at 355 nm as well as 1.064 and 1.627 µm. All of the lidar transmit/receive optics will be on a common mount, pointable at any elevation angle from 10 degrees below horizontal to vertical. The entire system will be computer controlled to facilitate pointing and automatic data acquisition. The purpose of IACS is to characterize optical propagation paths during outdoor tests of electro-optical systems. The tests are anticipated to include ground-to-ground, air-to-ground, and ground-to-air scenarios, so the system must accommodate arbitrary slant paths through the atmosphere, with maximum measurement ranges of 5-10 km. Elevation angle scans will be used to determine atmospheric extinction profiles at the infrared wavelengths, and data from the three wavelengths will be used to determine the aerosol Angstrom coefficient, enabling interpolation of results to other wavelengths in the 355 nm to 1.627 µm region.

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D. W. Roberts, K. R. Albers, E. A. Brown, T. A. Craney, M. M. Hosain, R. K. James, N. D. Meraz, A. J. Mercer, K. D. Nielson, R. L. Ortman, T. W. Pool, J. W. Wood, J. M. Stewart, T. M. Strike, G. G. Gimmestad, and D. N. Whiteman "The integrated atmospheric characterization system (IACS)", Proc. SPIE 9080, Laser Radar Technology and Applications XIX; and Atmospheric Propagation XI, 90801E (9 June 2014); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2050600

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