Engineering topics
Publications and source records attributed to Schotland, Richard M..
The purpose of this program is to obtain statistical information on the variability of Beta(9.2 microns) in clean air on mountain top locations. Accomplishments in the past year are presented and involve the C.W. CO2 Homodyne Lidar and the Lidar Signal processor.
The present consideration of the estimation accuracy of lidar-backscattered signals in atmospheric remote sensing proposes a method that can furnish additional uncorrelated data within the atmospheric decorrelation time, with enhanced energy efficiency. This frequency-diversity method recognizes that additional uncorrelated data from a given illuminated region is obtainable by changing the frequency of the incoming radiation. The mathematical analysis of the frequency-diversity concept by Wallace (1953) confirms the physical scenario employed. A simple version of a coherent lidar system incorporating the frequency-diversity concept is included to illustrate the design principles involved.
A lightweight flexible lidar calibration target has been fabricated for use at 10.6 microns. The biconical reflectance of the target was kept low to reduce the possiblity of detector saturation. The target has been designed so that the biconical reflectance is nearly independent of the target orientation over the range of angles of incidence + or - 60 deg, causing the calibration properties to be independent of target orientation. The present target is relatively inexpensive to construct.