Networkable Diode Laser Based Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) for Temperature Profiling in the Lower Troposphere

天气预报，特别是短期天气预报，主要取决于对低层大气温度和湿度结构的了解。 目前，获得这些测量结果的主要方法是通过不频繁和稀疏的气象气球或高功率激光系统，这些系统不适合长期使用。 该项目将建立在一系列奖项的基础上，这些奖项已经产生了一套低功率，基于激光的仪器，可以无人值守并在低层大气中检索水蒸气。 该奖项将扩大目前的技术，以允许一个系统，也可以检索温度在低层大气中的低功率，目前还不存在的能力。 如果这项工作取得成功，它可能对天气预报产生重大影响，特别是对恶劣天气和降水的影响。 该项目还包括对下一代遥感科学家的培训，研究小组将开发和演示差分吸收激光雷达技术在低层大气中绘制温度剖面图的能力。 DIAL技术已成功应用于水蒸气，但需要额外的工作来证明检索温度的能力。 基于DIAL的仪器相对于其他当前技术检索温度分布的优势在于测量的时间和空间分辨率以及无人值守、低功耗操作的可能性。 这一研究和开发领域的长期目标是生产可联网的低成本地面遥感仪器，以填补天气和气候界所需的对流层下部热力学剖面观测方面的空白。 该项目的主要步骤将是：1）选择适当的氧气吸收特征进行工作，2）使用现有的基于二极管激光器（DLB）的架构构建新系统，3）开发最终的检索算法和相关的数据采集软件，四、执行仪器的初始现场测试。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已被认为是值得通过使用评估的支持基金会的学术价值和更广泛的影响审查标准。

Weather forecasts, especially for short-term events, critically depend on the knowledge of the lower atmosphere temperature and moisture structure. Currently, the main method to obtain those measurement is through infrequent and sparely-situated weather balloons or high-powered laser-based systems that are impractical for long-term use. This project will build upon a series of awards that have resulted in a set of lower-power, laser-based instruments that can run unattended and retrieve water vapor in the lower atmosphere. This award will expand upon current techniques to allow for a system that can also retrieve temperature in the lower atmosphere at low-power, a capability that does not currently exist. If the work proves successful, it could have a significant impact on weather forecasting, especially for severe weather and precipitation. The project also includes a training component for the next generation of remote sensing scientists.The research team will develop and demonstrate the ability of the differential absorption lidar (DIAL) technique to profile temperature in the lower atmosphere. The DIAL technique has been successfully applied to water vapor, but additional work is required to demonstrate the capacity to retrieve temperature. The advantage that a DIAL-based instrument has over other current techniques to retrieve temperature profiles is the time and spatial resolution of the measurements and the potential for unattended, low-power operations. The long-term goal of this line of research and development is to produce networkable, low-cost, ground-based remote sensing instruments that can close the observational gaps in lower tropospheric thermodynamic profiling needed by the weather and climate communities. The main steps in the project will be to: 1) choose the appropriate oxygen absorption feature to work with, 2) build the new system using existing diode-laser-based (DLB) architecture, 3) develop the final retrieval algorithm and associated data acquisition software, 4) perform initial field testing of the instrument.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.