Abstract

A moving scattering target used as a transfer standard allows absolute calibration of the response of a cw Doppler lidar to an atmospheric target. The lidar in this study operated at a 10.6-μm wavelength. Consideration of the distribution of radiant energy density near the focus of the lidar transceiver permits measurement of a backscatter coefficient from a distributed array of scatterers, such as atmospheric aerosols, based on the diffuse reflectance of the surface of the transfer standard. The minimum detectable signal for our system with a 5-sec averaging time corresponds to a backscatter coefficient of 2.4 × 10⁻¹² m⁻¹ sr⁻¹ ± 2.5 dB, which is ~9 dB greater than the theoretical threshold. Calibration shows that the lidar response is 5 ± 1 dB less than the ideal limit for signal powers well above the minimum detectable signal.

© 1980 Optical Society of America

Calibration of coherent lidar targets

M. J. Post, R. A. Richter, R. J. Keeler, R. M. Hardesty, T. R. Lawrence, and F. F. Hall
Appl. Opt. 19(16) 2828-2832 (1980)

Signal processing and calibration of continuous-wave focused CO₂ Doppler lidars for atmospheric backscatter measurement

Jeffry Rothermel, Diana M. Chambers, Maurice A. Jarzembski, Vandana Srivastava, David A. Bowdle, and William D. Jones
Appl. Opt. 35(12) 2083-2095 (1996)

Target reflectance measurements for calibration of lidar atmospheric backscatter data

Michael J. Kavaya, Robert T. Menzies, David A. Haner, Uri P. Oppenheim, and Pierre H. Flamant
Appl. Opt. 22(17) 2619-2628 (1983)

Lidar calibration technique using laboratory-generated aerosols

Maurice A. Jarzembski, Vandana Srivastava, and Diana M. Chambers
Appl. Opt. 35(12) 2096-2108 (1996)

Dual-frequency Doppler-lidar method of wind measurement

Wynn L. Eberhard and Richard M. Schotland
Appl. Opt. 19(17) 2967-2976 (1980)