Abstract

Recent upgrading of NOAA’s coherent lidar with a real-time data processor, color display, and computer-controlled scanner have increased its utility greatly. We are now able to monitor in real time minute features of the clear air wind field to ranges of 20 km and altitudes of 10 km, in general. It is possible, for instance, to track individual convective plumes and to pinpoint their topographic points of origin, to locate areas of convergence and divergence, and to quantitatively measure Ekman spirals, horizontal wind shears, and localized wind jets.

© 1985 Optical Society of America