Small-aircraft atmospheric techniques

Conference · Tue Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1996

OSTI ID:379486

Uthe, E E; Nielsen, N B ^[1]

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1. SRI International, Menlo Park, CA (United States)

Lidar techniques have been demonstrated for remote detection and quantitative measurement of aerosol and gaseous constituents dispersed in the atmosphere. Lidar systems operated on mobile platforms are particularly useful for three-dimensional observation over large regional areas with high spatial and temporal resolution-airborne lidar is especially well-suited for atmospheric measurements over urban, water, and mountainous areas. However, system installations on small aircraft typically used on environmental research programs requires attention to very restrictive limitations of instrumentation size, weight, and power and to maintaining aircraft airworthiness. Small-aircraft lidar techniques are illustrated by presenting data examples collected in the course of supporting atmospheric research programs onboard the SRI Queen Air. Examples include elastic backscatter lidar analysis of downwind plume transport and diffusion and boundary layer dynamic behavior, ultraviolet differential absorption lidar (DIAL) mapping of vertical ozone distributions downwind of urban and industrial areas; mid-infrared-DIAL measurements of the methane plume downwind of a cattle feed lot; far-infrared DIAL observations of the distribution of SF{sub 6} tracer gas downwind of its near surface release site, and fluorescent lidar tracking of tracer particles to long downwind distances from an elevated tracer release point. 8 refs., 8 figs., 2 tabs.

• OSTI ID: 379486
• Report Number(s): CONF-960613--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
DISPERSIONS
MEASURING METHODS
OPTICAL RADAR
PLUMES
REMOTE SENSING
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION