Abstract

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory Airborne Backscatter Lidar (ABL) has now participated in three major field campaigns aboard the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Ames Research Center DC-8 research aircraft, which were carried out over the course of one year. This presentation will focus on the design philosophy of ABL and will emphasize how well the instrument has performed throughout its extended deployment. Comprehensive performance-validation exercises have been key features of each individual flight series, so in this regard we are satisfied that ABL is performing to specifications and that the data being produced unequivocally demonstrate the excellent internal and external consistency of the instrumental parameters. Although individual component subsystems have been deficient at various times during this period, each of these issues has been successfully resolved. Additionally, and with few exceptions, the lidar optical integrity has proven remarkably resistant to repeated environmental disturbances, such as aircraft touchdown and inflight turbulence.

© 1990 Optical Society of America