A Potential Space-Based Raman-Rayleigh Lidar for in-situ Measurement of Thermospheric Winds, Temperature, and Densities of Major Constituents
Abstract
We describe a Raman-Rayleigh lidar operating aboard a satellite capable of in-situ measurement of thermospheric winds, temperature, and densities of atomic oxygen, and molecular nitrogen and oxygen. Back-scattered Rayleigh and Raman emissions from a pulsed frequency tripled Nd:YAG laser are analyzed. The Rayleigh component is passed through a polarizer as well a Fabry-Perot cavity. The component without change in the polarization vector is due to scattering by both atoms and molecules while that with change in the polarization vector is due to scattering by molecules only. The Fabry-Perot cavity permits a determination of the atmospheric temperature and winds. The rotationally inelastic, vibrationally elastic, component of Raman scattering may be analyzed for the densities of molecular nitrogen and oxygen as well as their rotational temperatures. The vibrationally inelastic, rotationally elastic, Stoke and anti-Stoke components may be analyzed for the densities of molecular nitrogen and oxygen as well as their vibrational temperatures. Various components of the observed emissions are analyzed for the signal-to-noise as well as the relative error.
- Publication:
-
AGU Spring Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- May 2006
- Bibcode:
- 2006AGUSMSA43A..01S
- Keywords:
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- 0310 Airglow and aurora;
- 0317 Chemical kinetic and photochemical properties;
- 0335 Ion chemistry of the atmosphere (2419;
- 2427);
- 0340 Middle atmosphere: composition and chemistry;
- 0355 Thermosphere: composition and chemistry